Terfyn
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I received my V750 on Saturday and had these few days to play. Harry expressed some slight interest so I put this comparison together for anyone thinking of changing their cameras.
This is a comparison between two Panasonic camcorders, the two year old HC-V700 and this years HC-V750. It is not a comparison between Panasonic and cameras from other manufacturers.
The first noticeable difference is the slightly fatter body of the 750, presumably to encase the larger lens system on this camera. The second difference is that there are less controls and buttons on the outside and the controls are based primarily on the LCD screen as icons. This greater use of “firmware” takes some getting used to but has a major advantage that it can be updated.
Two menu options are “Version” and “ Version Up”. If Panasonic issue a firmware update it is first downloaded onto the SD card and then read into the camera. So the camera has potential future proofing.
The outside controls are the video start/stop, still photo and zoom toggle plus a multi-purpose wheel to alter focus, white balance, shutter and aperture when in manual mode. There are four buttons hidden behind the LCD screen which, working downwards, control record/playback (toggle), picture levelling, Wi-Fi and on/off.
The picture levelling tries to correct any minor camera tip and bring the picture horizontal. Clearly a major boon for drunken nights, stag parties or filming in a force 10 gale!! Presuming that is the camera survives being doused in beer or being used as a weapon against a friendly PC.
The Wi-Fi has many options but the one I will use is the remote control of the camera for wildlife photography. Initially I had a problem connecting my phone but this was sorted by re-loading the Panasonic Image App, this needs to be the most up to date version. Both the camera and the phone have “Near Field Communication” (NFC) so I open the App, lay the phone on the camera, wait about a minute and the two are then connected. The App provides record on/off and zoom control, the ability to switch from video to still and playback functions. A picture shows the camera view albeit to a poor standard.
The “extras” are the, much vaunted, slow motion. (this requires a Class 10 SD card which I have yet to buy) Plus there are four “creative control” options: Miniature effect, 8mm movie, silent movie and time lapse. I would not use the first three as these effects can be easily replicated in post production but, if used in camera, the original (raw) recording is “contaminated” by the effect so is useless for adding to any other video. The time lapse looks more useful. The options are 1 second, 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute and 2 minutes per frame. As there are 25 frames to the second I will leave you to do the maths.
Audio is much upgraded with four microphone capsules. Two options here: 5.1 surround or Stereo. I don't have a Home Cinema set-up so the camera is set to Stereo with again two options: Focus and Zoom. The Focus concentrates the sound capture to the front of the camera and the Zoom provides an audio zoom connected to the lens. I know from experience of the V700 that this function works well and really concentrates the audio.
The microphones are noticeably sensitive and pick up every noise. (even the ones you don't want) They are fitted with an internal wind muff which actually works but only in a light breeze. Anything more and you hear the roaring albeit somewhat attenuated. Because of the design, I think, it would be easy to add an extra wind muff over the microphone cage and, with the extra sensitivity, this would work well.
Now a bad point. Both the flash and the video light are housed inside the lens area. This means that you cannot use either light with a protective glass filter in place – the light just bounces back into the camera. I like to cover the camera lens and mechanical lens cover with a UV filter to protect against damage or sand ingress (we live near the sea) so on the rare occasions I need the light, I will have to take off any filter fitted. On the V700 the video light was on the outside.
Now clearly this is a niggle as I can use a LED video light when required but it is for the odd times that either flash or infill lighting are needed in emergency. The camera is now fitted with a lens cap.
Low light performance has yet to be tested. The V750 does not have night vision capability but, for those interested, this is available on the HC-V850. The V850 has both a night vision setting and an Infra Red video light, an option that may be of use to wildlife photographers.
Finally the quality. It is good – no question. I record in 1920x1080/50p and the pictures are clear and sharp. Whether it is better than the V700 I have yet to test. All things considered a good camera for the money.
This is a comparison between two Panasonic camcorders, the two year old HC-V700 and this years HC-V750. It is not a comparison between Panasonic and cameras from other manufacturers.
The first noticeable difference is the slightly fatter body of the 750, presumably to encase the larger lens system on this camera. The second difference is that there are less controls and buttons on the outside and the controls are based primarily on the LCD screen as icons. This greater use of “firmware” takes some getting used to but has a major advantage that it can be updated.
Two menu options are “Version” and “ Version Up”. If Panasonic issue a firmware update it is first downloaded onto the SD card and then read into the camera. So the camera has potential future proofing.
The outside controls are the video start/stop, still photo and zoom toggle plus a multi-purpose wheel to alter focus, white balance, shutter and aperture when in manual mode. There are four buttons hidden behind the LCD screen which, working downwards, control record/playback (toggle), picture levelling, Wi-Fi and on/off.
The picture levelling tries to correct any minor camera tip and bring the picture horizontal. Clearly a major boon for drunken nights, stag parties or filming in a force 10 gale!! Presuming that is the camera survives being doused in beer or being used as a weapon against a friendly PC.
The Wi-Fi has many options but the one I will use is the remote control of the camera for wildlife photography. Initially I had a problem connecting my phone but this was sorted by re-loading the Panasonic Image App, this needs to be the most up to date version. Both the camera and the phone have “Near Field Communication” (NFC) so I open the App, lay the phone on the camera, wait about a minute and the two are then connected. The App provides record on/off and zoom control, the ability to switch from video to still and playback functions. A picture shows the camera view albeit to a poor standard.
The “extras” are the, much vaunted, slow motion. (this requires a Class 10 SD card which I have yet to buy) Plus there are four “creative control” options: Miniature effect, 8mm movie, silent movie and time lapse. I would not use the first three as these effects can be easily replicated in post production but, if used in camera, the original (raw) recording is “contaminated” by the effect so is useless for adding to any other video. The time lapse looks more useful. The options are 1 second, 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute and 2 minutes per frame. As there are 25 frames to the second I will leave you to do the maths.
Audio is much upgraded with four microphone capsules. Two options here: 5.1 surround or Stereo. I don't have a Home Cinema set-up so the camera is set to Stereo with again two options: Focus and Zoom. The Focus concentrates the sound capture to the front of the camera and the Zoom provides an audio zoom connected to the lens. I know from experience of the V700 that this function works well and really concentrates the audio.
The microphones are noticeably sensitive and pick up every noise. (even the ones you don't want) They are fitted with an internal wind muff which actually works but only in a light breeze. Anything more and you hear the roaring albeit somewhat attenuated. Because of the design, I think, it would be easy to add an extra wind muff over the microphone cage and, with the extra sensitivity, this would work well.
Now a bad point. Both the flash and the video light are housed inside the lens area. This means that you cannot use either light with a protective glass filter in place – the light just bounces back into the camera. I like to cover the camera lens and mechanical lens cover with a UV filter to protect against damage or sand ingress (we live near the sea) so on the rare occasions I need the light, I will have to take off any filter fitted. On the V700 the video light was on the outside.
Now clearly this is a niggle as I can use a LED video light when required but it is for the odd times that either flash or infill lighting are needed in emergency. The camera is now fitted with a lens cap.
Low light performance has yet to be tested. The V750 does not have night vision capability but, for those interested, this is available on the HC-V850. The V850 has both a night vision setting and an Infra Red video light, an option that may be of use to wildlife photographers.
Finally the quality. It is good – no question. I record in 1920x1080/50p and the pictures are clear and sharp. Whether it is better than the V700 I have yet to test. All things considered a good camera for the money.