The Panasonic AG-AC130A AVCCAM HD Handheld Camcorder is an upgraded version of the AG-AC130. The upgrade consists of expanded focus assist functionality and a "turbo speed" one-push auto focus function.
With expanded focus assist you can zoom in on an image to check focus; and one-push auto focus affords the option of very quickly attaining focus in circumstances requiring on-the-go focusing.
As for other features, the AG-AC130A is a high-definition workhorse of a professional handheld camcorder. With an integrated 22x zoom lens and a 1/3-type 3MOS three-element imager, the camera captures AVCHD video to two SD/SDHC/SDXC card slots as 1080p30, 1080i60, filmic 1080p24, and 720p60.
Panasonic's professional-level PH implementation of AVCHD is the top-quality choice at a max rate of 24 Mb/s; several other data rates will conserve card space as you capture hours of HD video. For projects that require standard-def capture, the AC130A has you covered with DV recording, which can then be output via its 6-pin IEEE 1394 (FireWire) port.
The camera offers a bevy of professional-level features, including dual XLRs with phantom power, SMPTE time-code generation, gamma settings for seven different scenarios, and manual control rings for iris, zoom, and focus. To monitor the status of all settings, and to perform critical focusing functions, the AVCCAM camcorder features both a high-quality 3.45" LCD screen and a full-color LCoS 0.45" viewfinder with 1,226,000 dots (852 x 480 x 3 [RGB]) of resolution.
(Current owners of the AC130 can simply have the upgrades added to their cameras. The additions would include a hardware modification and are offered for a total of $300 at a Panasonic Authorized Service Center.)
Image Device | 3x 1/3-type progressive 2.2 MP CMOS Prism color separation |
Lens | 22x optical zoom 2x, 5x, 10x digital zoom 3.9-86 mm (28-616 mm / 35 mm equivalent) f/1.6-3.2 18 elements in 12 groups |
Minimum Object Distance (M.O.D.) | Approx. 3.3' (1 m) |
Filter Diameter | 72 mm |
Horizontal Resolution | Not specified by manufacturer |
Sensitivity | Not specified by manufacturer |
Minimum Illumination | 0.4 lux (f/1.6, gain +30 dB, shutter speed 1/30 second) |
Vertical Smear | Not specified by manufacturer |
Signal System | NTSC |
Built-in Filters | ND filter: OFF, 1/4, 1/16, 1/64 |
LCD Monitor | 3.45" (87.63 mm) color LCD monitor with approx. 921K dots (16:9) |
Viewfinder | 0.45" (11.43 mm) color LCoS monitor with approx. 1226K dots (16:9) |
Scan Matching | Not specified by manufacturer |
Memory Card Slot | 2x SD/SDHC/SDXC slots |
Shutter Speed | 60i mode: 1/60, 1/100, 1/120, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000, 1/2000 second 30p mode: 1/30, 1/50, 1/60, 1/120, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000, 1/2000 second 24p mode: 1/24, 1/50, 1/60, 1/120, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000, 1/2000 second |
Slow Shutter | 60i mode: 1/8, 1/15, 1/30 second 30p mode: 1/8, 1/15 second 24p mode: 1/6, 1/12 second |
Synchro Scan Shutter | 60i mode: 1/60.0 to 1/249.8 second 30p mode: 1/30.0 to 1/249.8 second 24p mode: 1/24.0 to 1/249.8 second |
Shutter Opening Angle | 3-359.5° in 0.5° increments |
Frame Rates | 24, 30, 60 fps |
Gain Selection | 0/+3/+6/+9/+12/+15/+18/+24/+30 dB (+24 dB, +30 dB: USER button S.GAIN only) |
Recording Media | SD memory card (FAT12, FAT16 formats supported): 512 MB, 1 GB, up to 2 GB SDHC memory card (FAT32 format supported): 4 GB, 6 GB, 8 GB, 12 GB, 16 GB, 32 GB SDXC memory card (exFAT format supported): 48 GB, 64 GB (up to 2 TB) |
Recording Formats | AVCHD standard (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264), DV standard (AVI Type2) |
Maximum Recording Time | With 2x 64 GB SDXC cards: Approx. 12 hours in PH (highest-quality AVCHD); 48 hours in HE mode (lowest-quality AVCHD); 8.5 hours in DV mode |
Signal-to-Noise Ratio | Not specified by manufacturer |
Video Signals | PH mode: 1080/59.94i, 1080/29.97p, 1080/23.98pN, 720/59.94p, 720/29.97p, 720/23.98pN PM mode: 720/59.94p HA/HE mode: 1080/59.94i DV mode: 480/59.94i, 480/29.97p, 480/23.98p |
Sampling Frequency | 4:2:0 (AVCHD) 4:1:1 (DV) |
Quantization | Not specified by manufacturer |
Video Compression | MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 (AVCHD) DV (DV) |
Video Bitrates | PH mode: Approx. 21 Mb/s (VBR) PM mode: Approx. 8 Mb/s (VBR) HA mode: Approx. 17 Mb/s (VBR) HE mode: Approx. 6 Mb/s (VBR) |
Interval Recording | 1 sec / 10 sec / 30 sec / 1 min / 2 min interval, maximum 168 hours (1 week) recording (PH 1080/24p mode is fixed) |
Audio Signal | Dolby Digital 2-channel (AVCHD) 48 kHz/16-bit, Linear PCM 2-channel (DV) |
Audio Bitrates | PH mode: 384 kb/s PM/HA/HE mode: 256 kb/s |
Speaker | 1x 20 mm diameter |
Video Outputs | HDMI: 1x HDMI Type A, VIERA Link not supported Composite Video: 1x Pin jack, 1.0 V [p-p], 75 Ω |
Audio I/O | Input: 2x XLR 3-pin (input 1, input 2) Line/Mic/+48V switchable Line: 0 dBu Mic: -40 dBu / -50 dBu / -60 dBu switching via menu Built-in Mic In supports stereo microphones Output: 2x pin jack (channel 1 / channel 2), 316mV, 600 ohm output 1x 3.5 mm diameter stereo mini jack for headphones Via HDMI: 2-channel (linear PCM) & 5.1-channel (Dolby Digital) |
Other I/O Connections | Time Code Preset In/Out: Via Composite Video Out dual-purpose (In: 1V [p-p] to 4V [p-p], 10 k-ohm; Out: Low-impedance, 2.0±0.5V [p-p]) Camera Remote: 1x 2.5 mm diameter super mini jack (zoom, shutter speed); 1x 3.5 mm diameter mini jack (focus, iris) Index Remote: 1x 2.5 mm diameter super mini jack IEEE 1394: 1x 6-pin, digital output only USB 2.0 (Device): 1x Type Mini B, 4-pin USB 2.0 |
Power Requirements | 7.2V DC via battery 7.3V DC via AC adapter |
Power Consumption | 11.6W when recording |
Operating Temperature | 0 to 40°C (32 to 104°F) |
Operating Humidity | 10-80% (no condensation) |
Dimensions (WxHxD) | 7 x 7.69 x 17.25" (18 x 19.5 x 43.8 cm) excluding protrusions |
Weight | Approx. 5.3 lbs (2.4 kg) excluding battery and accessories |
Reviews Panasonic AG-AC130A AVCCAM HD Handheld Camcorder (NTSC System)