Panasonic AG-AC90 Review

Key features

• 29.8mm Wide Angle zoom lens
• Three manual rings to control iris, focus and zoom
• High Definition LCD monitor
• Two memory card slots with copying functionality between cards

Introduction

This is one of the mid-range camcorders that offer good quality features along with a fairly decent price tag. It comes with plenty of professional video capturing features that complement the good image quality to give you good value for your money. This handheld camcorder is balanced, reasonably priced and lightweight enough to serve as a worthy compromise for professionals who are running on a small budget and at the same time it’s cheap enough for the average consumer looking for good homemade videos. There are a number of automatic features that will make capturing easy for the average user who knows little about video capturing while at the same time it has lots of manual options that will put a smile on users who don’t want to give up any of the control.

What is its design?

The design of this camera places the three manual control rings on the lens barrel. You’ll also get a zoom rocker switch on the handle and another one on the right side of the camera near the hand grip. One major design change when compared to its predecessors is the placement of the LCD screen. As opposed to the common placement where the screen folds against the left side of the camcorder, this one will slide out from the front of the handle. It can also rotate to give you a good view depending on the angle that you are capturing. This screen can rotate up to 270 degrees, which means that you can comfortably capture yourself and still see the image while facing the lens. It is a high resolution touchscreen display that is responsive and easy to use. It’s also very well protected when not in use.

What is its performance ?

Despite the fact that it does not come with an interchangeable lens, the included wide angle lens does a satisfactory job. It is a fast lens that will allow plenty of light to get to the sensor hence making the camera good for use even in low-light environments. It even has two audio inputs that can be configured for different recording styles.

What is the image quality ?

With three 1/4.7” MOS image sensors, you will get sharp images with good color reproduction. If you are not comfortable with the manual controls, you can use the auto mode that automatically detects the ambient conditions and choses the best setting for the different parameters. You also get hybrid OIS that combines electrical and optical image stabilization in five axes to deliver very impressive results. It can shoot 1920 by 1080 pixel videos at an incredible 60 frames per second. If you are looking for lower resolution videos, you can choose between the 1280 by 720 in PM mode and the lower 720 by 576 in CS mode.

Conclusion: Should I buy it ?

With the good image quality offered, plenty of functionality and the reasonable price tag, this camera is a good fit for many uses. From enthusiasts to professionals, it won’t disappoint.