The AG-DVC20 combines a 3-CCD optical system, Advanced Color Pure Engine digital processing and easy One Touch navigation. It features convenient shoulder-held design, fingertip zoom control, a bright 2.5 LCD monitor, a 10X optical zoom lens with a digital zoom function that provides ultra-zooming all the way up to 500X and it weighs just 4.4lbs.
Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #4573 in Camera & Photo
Brand: Panasonic
Model: DVC20
Dimensions: 11.82 pounds
Display size: 2.5
Features
3CCD optical system with advanced digital processing for sharp, vivid images
2.5-inch monitor with Power LCD and new Zero Lux Night View features
10x optical zoom; 500x digital zoom
IEEE 1394 DV in/out terminal; video and S-video out; mic in and audio out
Shoulder-mount design with extra-large handle grip and fingertip zoom control
Editorial Reviews
Manufacturer Description
Manufacturer Description The AG-DVC20 DV camcorder delivers highly professional results with easy operation. The shoulder-held design keeps it stable when recording sports,weddings, or other events. The 3CCD camera system, Advanced Color Pure Engine, and 10x optical zoom lens deliver professional-level, high-quality images. And the navigation menu makes operation one-touch easy. The AG-DVC20 has the competitive advantage of being a highly affordable, shoulder-mounted camera with no competition at its price level.
AG-DVC20 Highlights
The AGDVC20 is easy to configure and connect. See configuration options in detail.
3CCD and Advanced Color Pure Engine A 3CCD optical system is an absolute prerequisite for a professional-level camera. The AG-DVC20 combines this with the digital processing Advanced Color Pure Engine to capture consistently sharp, vivid images.
10x optical zoom lens and 500x digital zoom The AG-DVC20 comes with a powerful 10x optical zoom lens and adds a digital zoom function that provides ultra-telephoto zooming all the way to 500x. Its large multi-speed zoom rocker is conveniently positioned on the handle grip for easy, responsive zoom operation.
Shoulder-held design The AG-DVC20 features a convenient shoulder-held design, extra-large handle grip, fingertip zoom control, and LCD panel and viewfinder for easy framing and viewing. A shoulder-mounted camera yields more stable images with minimal hand shaking, earns that "on the job respect," and the larger body size also acts as a deterrent against theft.
Easy operation menu
One-touch navigation The cursor key and linked LCD icon display make it easy to set the recording mode and play back the results. This smart, easy operation switches the display to match the mode, for Auto, Manual, or Play. Multilingual menu English, Chinese (simplified or traditional characters), Arabic, Persian, or Spanish.
Color Night View and Zero Lux Night View The Color Night View mode produces bright, vivid colors even in dimly-lit locations. The LCD panel can also be used as a light source for shooting in total darkness with the Zero Lux Night View mode.
Power LCD The AG-DVC20 features a bright 2.5-inch color LCD monitor. When shooting under strong sunlight, just press the Power LCD switch to increase the LCD brightness for a clearer, crisper view.
Auto/Manual focus switch Choose Auto for super-easy recording, or Manual to adjust the focus manually with the focus ring and give yourself full control over the aperture and shutter speed. Switching from Auto focus to Manual focus is easily accomplished by pushing down a spring loaded slide switch to the Focus position. Push again to switch back to Manual focus mode.
Full range of easy-to-use functions
Two batteries supplied
Trigger and zoom lever on top handle grip
Built-in stereo microphone
IEEE 1394 DV in/out terminal
Video and S-video out
Mic in and audio out
Digital EIS (Electronic Image Stabilizer)
Customer Reviews
For the True Prosumer in Training Okay, first and foremost, this seems to be the camera everyone forgot, including Panasonic. Go to their website and venture to the comparison page, and it's like no one bothered to fill out the spec sheet. For weight, dimensions and pick-up device it has "N/A."
If you go online and search for reviews of this camera there is no shortage of criticism from the pro set, faulting it for not having this feature or that, but once you do the research the cameras that have those features cost about a grand to two grand more!
Ironically, this undeserved disdain and neglect seems to have resulted in a real deal, both affordable and versatile. It has less features than some professional cameras and more than most consumer cameras. It works great with iMovie on my MacBook Apple MacBook MA701LL/A 13.3" Notebook PC (2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 1 GB RAM, 120 GB Hard Drive, DVD/CD SuperDrive) - Black and has been a great way for me to familiarize myself with shooting in general. All you need is a firewire cord like this one and you're good to go.Belkin F3N401-06-ICE IEEE 1394 4-Pin/6-Pin 400 Mbps FireWire Cable (6 Feet)
It is not HD, but neither are 99.9% of the places it will be played.
Maybe as I learn more I'll become more aware of its limitations and my opinion will change and, yes, the lens is smaller than I'd like, but the 3CCD makes a huge difference in the colors and contrast.
One thing to bear in mind, this is a great piece of equipment for someone who works with professional directors and videographers, but in no way a replacement for such skilled and outstanding professionals. Basically, if you're a director or videographer you'll want a far more serious piece of equipment, but if you're a writer or art director who just wants a firmer grasp of the shooting process this is the camera for you!
All in all, it's a great to learn on and great for the price. Not a bad combination at all.
Here's the kit I've put together to go with it:
Case - Panasonic Pro Soft Carrying Case for DV60 & DVC7 Camcorders
Wide Angle Lens - Panasonic Pro AG-LW4307 Wide Angle Lens Adaptor 7x for AG-DVC7/30/60 Camcorders
Tripod - Sunpak UltraPro 757 Full-Size Tripod with Extra Quick-Release Plate (Satin Silver)
Tripod Case - Sunpak 620-770-AZ Unpadded Tripod Carrying Case
Microphone System - Azden WMS-PRO Wireless Microphone System
Camcorder Light - Sima SL-10LX Universal LED Camcorder Light
Studio Light -Photography Studio Continuous Umbrella Light Kit with Free 26w 5500k Fluorescent Photo Light Bulb
RC FORMULA 1 RACING /RECORDED WITH AG-DVC 20 Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3M7E23MHDZC54 My name is Sandor ....or DJ SANDOORS .This is a video of RC Formula 1 racing in Savannah, GA. I have other videos on You Tube, look for DJ Sandoors movies. I've had this camera for six months and bought on Amazon. For a lightweight camera of plastic material, it can be a good buddy for me. It's good for action footage and I could call this a semi-professional level. I'm an independent camera man with short films of nature, music, sports and portraits. It might make a high level movie maker angry, but for the price, it's working well.
Excellent prosumer choice I had three must-haves for a video camera:
- three ccds
- record to miniDV
- audio-out port
Most of the cameras with these three features are up in the $3000 range, essentially going for the low-end professional market. All the cameras currently selling for around $600-$700 skimp on some aspect of performance. If all you care about is making home movies to keep and share memories of kids' birthday parties, by all means, go for a HDD camera, or just hope that your sound will turn out okay. But if you want to put together footage that has real production value, shell out the extra few hundred for this model. It will really show in the finished product.
