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Panasonic AG-HSC1U First Impressions Camcorder Reviewby John NeelyPublished on Apr 19, 2007 3:00 PM
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Compression
The Panasonic HSC1U uses AVCHD compression, a consumer-oriented flavor of MPEG-4 H.264 developed jointly by Panasonic and Sony, and announced in early 2006. Sony brought AVCHD camcorders to market first with its introduction of the HDR-UX1 and UDR-SR1 last fall. The benefit of AVCHD over other types of HD is that it has the potential to be up to 50% more efficient than MPEG-2 compression. This higher efficiency allows AVCHD to be implemented in a broader range of recording media, including SDHC cards in the case of the AG-HSC1U. The camcorder supports three quality settings: 13Mbps HF (CBR, or constant bit rate), 9Mbps HN (VBR, or variable bit rate), and 6Mbps HE (VBR). The AVCHD spec will support higher bit rates in the future that should yield performance improvements as the codec matures.
In 13Mbps HF mode, we found the HDC-SD1 to produce very sharp HD video that looked very close to HDV in terms of quality, with slightly more noise, and some motion trailing. Though the difference is subtle at first glance, AVCHD video holds up poorly relative to HDV over multiple generations. AVCHD can also be edited natively using only a handful of consumer NLEs, so HSC1U footage must be converted to a more universal standard to drop into a timeline. For editors accustomed to working with video from diverse sources, converting AVCHD video to an editable form will not be difficult as numerous options exist from developers including Ulead, Canopus, Elecard, Intervideo, and Nero. BlackMagic’s Intensity capture card is another option, allowing for uncompressed ingest via the AG-HSC1U’s HDMI terminal.
Media
Flash media is unique among other types of recording media because it is solid state. Cassettes, DVDs, and HDDs are all driven by motors that can wear out, slow down, freeze, skip, or otherwise spoil a shoot. Panasonic has been eager to evangelize flash media (both professional P2 cards and SD/SDHC in their lower-end camcorders) for precisely this reason – there are no moving parts meaning “mechanism-free” recording for the AG-HSC1U.
No moving parts means the camcorder should be very durable relative to camcorders that do make use of recording mechanisms, so frame drops during a roller coaster drop or ATV ride should be eliminated or reduced. Flash media itself has also proven to be very durable, moisture-resistant, portable, and fast. Finally, flash cards are very small and easily concealed giving it great potential as an ultra-low profile option for anyone who finds themselves crossing hostile checkpoints as a routine component of their work.
Editing
For pros, the current state of AVCHD should be less problematic than it is for consumers looking. This is because the format is currently sparsely supported, and getting AVCHD footage into a post production workflow involves purchasing the right software and converting it into an editable format like AVI or Quicktime. We have knocked AVCHD as a poor choice for consumers looking for a dedicated camcorder for shooting home movies because most casual shooters are looking for convenience above all else.
For pros who would only use this camcorder as a B-camera for certain shots, or for very low-profile applications, the issues are different. Conversion or decoding programs for AVCHD footage are widely available, and Black Magic’s Intensity card offers a way to easily ingest uncompressed 1080i video via an HDMI terminal. The key with AVCHD footage is to capture it and then conform it to your working timeline, based on your NLE environment. We found Elecard’s Converter Studio (free trial available) to be a high-quality and efficient AVCHD converter, while InterVideo, Ulead, Canopus, and Nero all offer some level of AVCHD compatibility.
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