Panasonic hmc40 user manual

For Operating Instructions details, see page 5. Before operating this product, please read the instructions carefully and save this manual for future use. Page 5 Details about user registration and the extended warranty: Please note, this is a site that is not maintained by Panasonic Canada Inc. The Panasonic Canada Inc. This link is provided to you for convenience.

The miniSD logo is a trademark. This product has been manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories. Dolby and the double-D symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories. Page 8 Contents continued Specifying the time code Page 10 Operating precautions continued What to remember when throwing memory cards away or transferring them to others Formatting memory cards or deleting data using the functions of the unit or a computer will merely change the file management information: it will not completely erase the data on the cards.

Page Precaution For Use Panasonic makes no guarantees for your recordings. SDHC-compatible device The default setting for this item is OFF. Page 1 EXT. Page Recharging The Battery Recharging the battery Recharging The battery does not come ready charged when the camera is purchased. Charge the battery before use. It is recommended that you keep one extra battery as a spare. Page Power Sources U. Please contact either a local or foreign Panasonic authorized service center for assistance in selecting an alternate AC plug.

Open the cover and adjust the length. Close the cover. Attaching the shoulder strap Attach the shoulder strap and use it as a precaution against dropping the camera.

When the handle is not attached When the handle is attached 20 mm or Page Attaching The Handle Attaching the handle The handle comes in handy for taking low-angle Coin screw shots or carrying the camera-recorder around. Pull the viewfinder towards you. Slide the handle into place. Tighten the coin screw to secure the handle firmly. You can navigate setting menus and other displays Touch this to return from a function or setting by touching items in the LCD monitor directly.

Example: Using the touch panel Icons are selected when you release your finger Page Viewfinder Viewfinder This camera has two viewfinders; one is a Adjust the diopter adjustment lever until miniature LCD in the viewfinder and the other is a text display in the viewfinder is clear. Use the viewfinder that best suits the application and shooting conditions. Page 26 thumbnails.

Press the MENU button. The last two seconds of video and audio will be played, and the camera returns to recording standby mode. For details on how to install it, refer to contents being accidentally erased from the card. For details on how to use it, read the operating instructions PDF file. By setting D. More on how we test still noise. While HDV pro camcorders usually top out with a x still image resolution, the HMC40 is capable of snapping native 8-megapixel photos x resolution.

This is a huge difference and it allows the HMC40 to take much larger photos. Despite all this, the camcorder was a bit of a disappointment when it came to still sharpness. It is these huge oversharpening values that are most disconcerting because it means the camcorder is applying loads of internal processing in order to make its still photos sharper.

More on how we test still sharpness. Even though the AG-HMC40 didn't impress us with its still sharpness results, it did end up producing much sharper still images than the other pro camcorders we've tested which have all been HDV models. So, even though it is a somewhat insignificant category, we must say the advantage here clearly goes to the Panasonic.

There are very few buttons and dials on the camcorder compared to most pro models and the touchscreen menu system is easy to read and simple to navigate. The thing is, the touchscreen is also horrendous for making precise manual adjustments, or for quickly altering controls. So, it really depends what you are used to. The dedicated auto mode on the HMC40 provides users with an easy-to-use system, but the lack of a shutter-priority or aperture-priority setting can make manual mode a bit too confusing.

If you want to set the aperture on the camcorder you must also set the shutter speed manually, and the fact that you don't have control over gain unless you also open the aperture fully is also strange.

This makes it more difficult to figure out what different menu functions do unless you read the instruction manual which, by the way, is decent but not as in-depth as most pro camcorder manuals. We found many of the AG-HMC40's menu options to be very confusing, particularly the options that can only be accessed when they are assigned to one of the three customizable user buttons. Panasonic uses abbreviations for certain features that are very difficult to understand unless you've used the HMC40 or a similar camcorder from Panasonic before.

When you come to realize this, you'll start to understand why it is limited in its ability as a professional camcorder and why its body design feels so cheap, hollow, and poorly constructed. Still, there are things we liked about the way the HMC40 handled. It's lighter and compact—by a huge margin—than any of the tape-based pro models we've reviewed, and it is a fairly simple camcorder to use.

We also like the AG-HMC40's detachable handlebar that can be removed with ease no screwdriver or special tools required. What we didn't like was its cheap construction, frustrating touchscreen interface, and a severe lack of nifty buttons or dials to make manual controls more easily adjustable. If you like using a touchscreen to operate a camcorder then you'll probably be fine with the AG-HMC We, however, think it is downright silly to incorporate a touchscreen interface on a pro model.

The screen is tiny and consistently coated with fingerprints, plus it means you have to have the LCD open whenever you want to access the camcorder's menu—even if you're using the electronic viewfinder for your shooting. It is poor design on Panasonic's part that the only way you can adjust shutter speed on the HMC40 is by using the touchscreen—no dials, no rings, no switches.

Focus and aperture are the only manual controls on the HMC40 that are truly well-implemented. The HMC40 may appear to have a simpler design than other pro models, but its body is still coated with confusing buttons and one or two switches. We're unsure about some of Panasonic's decisions about button placement and implementation. Are dedicated timecode counter and reset buttons really necessary?

What about a button reserved for color bars? Wouldn't it have been more useful to employ a button or dial that could be used to control shutter speed or gain instead?

Look at the design on the other pro models we've tested in comparison. Each of them has a menu system that is fully accessible with the LCD panel closed, and all of them have extra dials and switches for quickly adjusting shutter speed, white balance, gain, and aperture.

The HMC40's lone dial is used for iris adjustment aperture and it has an okay design, although it isn't great. The dial is a bit too small and loose for making precise adjustments and we hate—absolutely hate—that you must open the aperture all the way before you can set the gain levels on the camcorder.

What if you're in a moderately lit area and you want to boost the gain so you can still control depth of field by adjusting the aperture? The lens ring on the HMC40 also feels a bit loose and cheaply constructed, but it is large and comfortable to use. We like the presence of the three customizable user buttons on the AG-HMC40, but the menu for assigning features to these buttons is terribly confusing.

Overall, we can't really say the AG-HMC40 provides an adequate handling experience for a pro camcorder. It's construction isn't durable enough, nor does it include any innovative design elements to really compare it to the tape-based pro models we've tested.

Still, it's complex menu system makes the touchscreen interface a lot more complicated to use than on Panasonic's consumer camcorders. Also remember that the AG-HMC40 costs a heck of a lot less than most pro models, so you're really getting what you pay for with its cheap design, and uninspiring features. The camcorder is equipped with an optical image stabilization system that shouldn't result in any image degradation when used.

More on how we test stabilization. Initially, we thought the AG-HMC40 would be at a disadvantage to the other pro models we've tested because of its light, hollow body. The Sony offers three stabilization modes, which allows you to fine tune the amount of shake reduction you want to implement. The Canon XL H1A is a shoulder-mounted model, which means we applied a slightly different shake algorithm to the camcorder when we tested it.

Of course, because the AG-HMC40 is so small it also has lacks many connectivity features and audio controls that are commonly found on pro camcorders. The camcorder's body also has a very hollow, cheap feel. Still, one of the main reasons the HMC40 is lighter than the other pro models we've tested is because it doesn't have a bulky MiniDV tape deck to take up space. So, yeah, the HMC40 is extremely portable for a pro model. The camcorder's top-mounted handlebar is also easily removable you don't need any tools , so you can make the HMC40 even more compact if you need to.

If Panasonic had put an extra slot, or included some internal memory, it would save you from having to pack extra memory cards along with you whenever you go to a shoot.

The provided battery with the AG-HMC40 looks comically small when you insert it into the camcorder's battery compartment. It barely takes up half of the compartment, which means a larger, longer-lasting battery would provide a much better fit. More on how we test battery life.

Interestingly, the Panasonic AG-HMC40 was the only pro camcorder we've tested that showed a significant improvement when shooting with just the viewfinder and the LCD closed. See the Viewfinder Battery Life section below for more details. This is a roughly minute improvement over our LCD Battery Life test, so if you want to extend the camcorder's battery life a bit longer you can do so by shooting with the viewfinder only. Not using the LCD is difficult on the HMC40, however, as many of the camcorder's features and options are only accessible via the touchscreen interface which requires the LCD to be open in order to manipulate.

The LCD is particularly mediocre with its ,pixel resolution and 2. The other big problem with the LCD is that it uses touchscreen technology.

While this system may be useful for consumer models since it is easy to use , we can't really imagine a pro videographer who would prefer it. The screen is consistently mucked up with fingerprints and smudges because you spend so much time tapping, pushing, and rubbing your fingers all over the LCD. You can also switch between mirror and normal mode when you flip the LCD around to film yourself mirror mode inverts the left and right side of the monitor during self-portrait shooting.

Lastly, there is an EVF detail setting that emphasizes the outline of subjects within the shooting frame in order to assist with manual focus. It is only 0. The real kicker is that Panasonic employs a larger, more resolute EVF on its high-end consumer camcorders like the TM The main benefit of the EVF on the AG-HMC40 is that it is rather comfortable to use, especially when compared to the viewfinders found on consumer camcorders.

The eyecup is large and flexible much better than the Canon XH A1S , it can pivot roughly 45 degrees, and it can extend outward roughly one inch from the camcorder's body. Panasonic's viewfinder can also be used at the same time as the LCD the panel doesn't need to be closed , and you can switch the EVF between black and white or color display.

Since the Panasonic AG-HMC40 uses a touchscreen LCD interface, it shouldn't come as a surprise that all of the camcorder's menus are navigated and accessed by tapping on the screen. While this system is favored by some consumers it is rather simple , we don't feel like it is an effective method for professional users.

Using the touchscreen means your LCD will be covered in greasy fingerprints—not to mention the LCD isn't that big it's just 2. The sensitivity of the touch interface also isn't very good, although Panasonic does provide a stylus pen for making more accurate selections. Mainly we're upset that you cannot access or navigate the camcorder's menus while you are using the electronic viewfinder only.

Other than being a pain to navigate, the menus on the HMC40 are fairly simple. First let's discuss the camcorder's Quick Menu, which is available in both video and photo mode.

The Quick Menu brings up five options on the top of the LCD—video format, pre-record, audio level control, LCD backlight, and face detection photo mode has grid lines and a histogram instead of pre-record and audio levels.

We like the setup of this Quick Menu because it is simple to use and you don't have to shuffle through countless amounts of settings like you do on the camcorder's main menu. The only problem is the Quick Menu isn't customizable and the options it houses may not be very frequently used by some people. This is where you'll find in-depth color and image controls like gamma, color phase, dynamic range, and black level adjustment.

Panasonic's Scene File setup isn't nearly as well done as it is on other manufacturers like Canon and Sony , particularly because you can only save two Scene Files at a time Canon allows you to store up to nine at once. There's also no way to quickly see what settings have been adjusted because you need to scroll through four separate menu screens to see all the options.

Canon's Custom Preset menu allows you to see every setting on one screen, albeit in an abbreviated form. It seems like Panasonic went for a impractical, simplistic design for their Scene File menu rather than springing for something more innovative. These submenus are relatively unchanged whether your in photo, video, or playback mode. We're very happy to see Panasonic include these User Buttons, but the customization process is downright confusing see the animated screen grabs below.

The features that can be set to the User Buttons are limited and the setup screen uses confusing abbreviations for each selectable option. Firstly, it is organized well. Clips are arranged in the classic thumbnail format, but you can control using the zoom toggle how many thumbnails are displayed on the screen and you can arrange the thumbnails by format or shot marker which we'll talk about later in this section.

There are no hard buttons on the camcorder for pausing, fast forwarding, rewinding, etc. You can use the provided wireless remote, however, which we strongly recommend. So, that's basically it.

The camcorder has good clip organization in playback, but it has terrible VCR controls. On numerous occasions we had to tap certain buttons times before the LCD touchscreen responded with the appropriate reaction. Not to mention these VCR controls also take up a good portion of the tiny LCD screen, thereby limiting the amount of viewing space available.

Check out the animated screen grabs below to see for yourself what the HMC40's Playback Mode looks like. One more feature we should mention is called Shot Mark, which allows you to mark your clips so they can be organized together during playback. To use the feature you must set Shot Mark to one of the three customizable User Buttons and you can mark your clips while you are shooting them or when you are in Playback Mode thumbnail view only, not during playback.

In Playback Mode you can then select only the clips that have been 'marked' to be played back. This is a pretty basic feature found on most consumer camcorders, but Panasonic manages to make it sound more confusing by forcing you to set the feature to a User Button and making you do more work than you should have to. What it does have is a small collection of ports on its back side right next to the battery compartment.

Located here is a column of ports that are protected by three separate port covers, all of which are made of flexible plastic.

At the top of this column are the AV-out and Component out ports, below these is a headphone out jack, and at the bottom are two Cam Remote terminals. Swinging the HMC40 around to the right side you'll see another small collection of ports. This set is located behind a larger, thicker piece of hard plastic that is not very flexible. Instead, it comes with a battery adapter that has a phantom battery connected to a cable that must be inserted into the battery compartment to run the camcorder off of wall power.

This can be a nuisance, mainly because the wired battery pack is a lot larger than a simple AC adapter input would be. Also, it means you must remove your battery and turn the camcorder off whenever you want to switch from battery to wall power or vice versa. The camcorder also has a cold accessory shoe that is located on the top-center of the HMC40, or on the tip of the handlebar if the handlebar is attached. This is a useful addition, but these connectors are small and easily lost, so they aren't nearly as advantageous as having a dedicated BNC terminal on the camcorder.

Allows you to record three seconds of video and audio prior to pressing the record button the camcorder continually stores three seconds of video on an internal buffer. This is a helpful feature if you're trying to capture an action-oriented moment or unexpected surprise, but it also drastically reduces battery life when engaged. Panasonic's consumer camcorders also include this feature. Single frames can be captured per second, 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute, or 2 minutes at 24 frames per second.

No audio is recorded when using Interval Record and the max shooting time is 24 hours you'll also need to use the AC adapter for long shots. The Canon fared better in our low light performance testing and its plethora of manual controls, as well as the variety of rings and dials for adjusting them, gives the XH A1S a significant edge in handling, versatility, and design.

If you're looking to upgrade from a consumer camcorder, or you simply want to go with one of the cheapest options on the pro market, the Panasonic AG-HMC40 is the better option here. Malfunctions are less likely to Reuse occur, and there is no need to replace heads or transport Recording Initialization components.

This translates into lower costs and easier maintenance, greater energy savings, and less waste when SD Memory Card the unit is eventually disposed of. All of these features help to conserve the environment. Student Video Production Students of any age will appreciate its compact and lightweight body. You can use AG-HMC40 Style 1 three different ways With handle detached, this super-compact camera fits easily into a bag or pack for highest mobility.

Style 3 With the optional XLR adapter mounted on the handle, the AG-HMC40 has outstanding audio specs, plus the ability to add two external phantom microphones or line inputs with level controls. Multi-coated Lens Surfaces Reduces flare and ghosts. Aspherical Lenses Enhances resolution and contrast. Up to x Zoom Power 12x Optical Zoom and 10x Digital Zoom Even at the mm zoom setting 35mm lens equivalent , this advanced 12x optical zoom lens is free of image degradation.

And the AG-HMC40 is also equipped with a digital zoom that instantly magnifies the image by any of three fixed values.

Image with Wide-angle Image with 12x optical zoom Image with 12x optical zoom x 10x digital zoom x Take Clear Shots While Walking or Zooming Optical Image Stabilizer OIS Because the hand-shake correction is done by actually driving the lens, there's none of the image degradation that occurs with electronic stabilization. Highly Nuanced Image Expression 3. What's the 3MOS System? The images that result are enhanced by a visually wider dynamic range. High-quality Digital Stills Still Shots with FLUO For colors suited to shooting indoors under fluorescent lights.

Cine-like Gamma Curves 7-mode Gamma for Richer Gradation Drawing on technologies developed for the VariCam HD camcorders for digital cinema, Panasonic has equipped the AG-HMC40 with advanced gamma functions that address seven different shooting scenarios and enhance your creative abilities.

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