Panasonic AG-HPX300 First Impressions Camcorder Review

by Jeremy Stamas
Published on Apr 22, 2009 10:00 AM

Intro Product Tour
Audio Compression & Media
Manual Controls Still Features
Handling & Use Playback & Connectivity
Other Features
Conclusion
Photo Gallery Specs and Ratings


Conclusion
The Panasonic AG-HPX300 is a rugged camcorder. Its design may not look sleek and pretty, especially compared to the Canon XL H1 series or the Sony PMW-EX3, but it functions well and feels excellent when mounted on your shoulder. The long list of manual controls should satisfy most professional videographers, although the lack of many automated features could scare of some experienced shooters who aren't quite ready for such a complex device.

We like the connectivity options and port placement on the AG-HPX300, but some of the control buttons can be difficult to reach while you're shooting. The scene file option, which allow you to customize and save a collection of settings, is well designed and will save you from having to go into the complicated menu time after time.

The most intriguing aspect about the AG-HPX300 is its compression options and P2 card recording. The camcorder's AVC-Intra codec is still very new, although many professional users swear by its performance. It definitely has terrific specs (10-bit 4:2:2 recording, 100Mbps bit rate), but is it worth the extra money and headaches that may arise from editing complications? Tapeless recording isn't the future anymore, it is the present, and Panasonic's system seems to be fluidly designed and expertly orchestrated. We'll have to wait until we get one of these models into our labs to see if the performance is really as good as people claim it to be.
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