Panasonic AG-HSC1U First Impressions Camcorder Review

by John Neely
Published on Apr 19, 2007 3:00 PM

 
Intro Performance
Format Tour
Auto / Manual Controls Still Features
Handling and Use
 Audio / Playback / Connectivity
Other Features Comparisons / Conclusion
Specs and Ratings
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News: Panasonic AG-HPX170 News Photo Gallery · Panasonic Unveils AG-HSC1U First AVCHD Pro Camcorder · Sony HVR-V1U, Sony HDR-FX7, HVR-Z1U, Canon XH A1, JVC GY-HD110U, and Panasonic AG-HVX200 Compared


Ease of Use
The HSC1U is stripped down, sleek, and easy to handle for such a compact model. The exterior is relatively unadorned. Scrolling through the menu using the rear-mounted joystick takes only a few seconds to master, and playing back videos and pictures is cake, thanks to the condensed, tabbed playback menu screen. As mentioned earlier, this is no scaled-down prosumer cam like the JVC HD7, but a minimalist low-profile tool. As a result, you shouldn’t expect handling anything like a larger unit, but the miniaturization process has been thoughtfully executed.

 

Handling
Handling is an area of strength for the Panasonic AG-HSC1U, though it works best as a point-and-shoot camcorder. The camcorder has a great in-hand feel thanks to the gun-barrel shape of the body, though users with large hands will probably find that their fingers overreach the zoom lever and photo button. Nonetheless, like most other small Panasonics, it can be operated with only one hand – a feat that other manufacturers don’t aspire to. This is made possible by the location of all the important controls on the top (zoom lever, photo button) or back (Mode dial, joystick, Menu Button, delete button) of the body.

 
 

The battery comparent is bottom-loading and enclosed,
making it a big hassle for tripod mounts.

Panasonic’s joystick-based menu and manual control interface are also key to making this a camcorder that offers access to virtually every feature during one-handed operation. The company has refined the manual control display as well, adding helpful marquees with descriptive text that serve as signposts for each setting. In the hands of an experienced user, the 5-way joystick makes short shrift of such tasks as manual iris/gain setting, white balance setting, and Scene Mode selection. Unfortunately, the efficacy of the joystick can take any camcorder only so far. Compared to the focus dial on Sony’s higher-end HD camcorders, like the HDR-UX7, or Canon’s HV20, the joystick is a poor control for focusing manually. The Focus Assist feature is not terribly effective compared to those on the JVC HD7 or Canon HV20, and weak Focus Assist is a liability for any HD camcorder.

The lack of solid manual focus on the HSC1U is a big issue, and leads us to recommend this camcorder as best used as a point-and-shooter even for professional use. The auto adjustments all operate well, and in bright light, we found auto focus was more trustworthy than manual. The camcorder’s OIS is its brightest spot, and it did a better job at damping Speed 2 on our shake emulator than any model we’ve tested. We’d be hard pressed to recommend any camcorder on the basis of good point-and-shoot performance and a stellar OIS alone, but for certain shots (where compactness and shock absorption are key) it may be the best camcorder available.

Menu
The Admin menu is about as straightforward as they come, and we think this is a good thing. In any operating mode, pressing the Menu button on the back of the HSC1U brings up a display of top level Admin menu options for that mode. In recording mode, for example, the options include submenus labeled Basic (Scene Modes, Digital Zoom, OIS, Guide Lines and Clock Set), Video (Rec Mode, Fade Color, Wind Cut, Zoom Mic and Mic Level), Picture (Pict. Quality, Flash Level, and Shtr Effect – all for still photos only), Advanced (Rec Lamp, Zebra, Color Bar, and MF Assist), Setup (Format Card, Display, Date/Time, Date Format, and Power Save), and Language (English, French, and Spanish).

Navigating through the menu is done with the joystick, and for this purpose it’s a great instance of miniaturized interface design. Submenus are nearly all one page long or less, which means you won’t spend time searching page 1, 2 and 3 of a given submenu for a desired option. On the other hand, this arrangement makes the naming of submenus seem arbitrary. Why all the audio options end up in the video category while Scene Modes makes no sense to us, but at least the one-page arrangement makes it easy to find what you’re looking for.

The joystick menu on the HSC1U is similar to those found in Panasonic’s consumer line for years, but it’s easier to use on this 2007 model thanks to the inclusion of banners and text. When an option is selected, such as the fade effect on page 1, a text description appears momentarily along the base of the LCD. Though we generally love the efficiency of the joystick menus Panasonic has included on its camcorders, the icons can lead to confusion especially for novices. The new text banner is a welcome improvement that even long-time Panasonic fans should appreciate. In addition, the Help function, also on page 1, offers more detailed explanations of each joystick option, all but eliminating our concerns over the approachability of the joystick menu.

Portability
Weighing in at 430 grams, the HSC1U’s 74 x 69 x 142mm frame will fit into a small bag, but not a pocket, and the closed battery slot means longer-life upgrades are not available. On the plus side, the mechanism-less construction of the AG- HSC1U and super stable OIS make it a credible option for extreme shooting.

LCD and Viewfinder
The ample 3” LCD screen has a resolution of 250K pixels and is the only monitor on the HSC1U. Without a viewfinder, the dependency on the big LCD screen will tax the battery. The LCD screen produces saturated, balanced color and a sharp picture.







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