Panasonic has been in the video market for a very long time. The company is trying to cater to user requests by releasing flagship and budget models. However, sometimes they get devices that are difficult to attribute to a certain class. One of the recent ones is the Panasonic HC V500. The model combines almost flagship parameters and budget cost. Outwardly, it looks much more expensive than its price, which attracts to purchase. The Panasonic HC V500 also has flaws, which you will learn about below.
Equipment
The camcorder is delivered in a box familiar to the company. It depicts a model and some of its characteristics. Inside, everything is standard: a camera, a set of wires, the necessary drivers and manuals. You can’t call the package bundle generous, but you don’t have to buy anything for the full operation of the device.
Appearance
The first thing worth noting is the lack of thread for screwing in third-party lenses. The flaw turns the Panasonic HC V500 into an amateur camera only. It is not possible to install other filters. The camera is made of high-quality plastic, and there are no complaints about it. Everything is simple, but with taste. Plastic does not collect fingerprints and scratches, which allows the Panasonic HC V500 to be used in any environment. In general, the appearance of the camera makes it clear that it refers specifically to the middle class and does not pretend to be the flagship. However, I don’t feel like calling her budget at all. Dimensions allow you to carry it everywhere with you. It is quite light and small, fits in a small handbag. It is convenient to shoot with one hand, the camera is easy to grab and hold. Facets have smooth lines and do not cut palms.
Controls
The Panasonic HC V500 camcorder has got a number of buttons that allow you to easily configure. It’s worth starting from the front where the model’s lens is located. Above it is a small LED light bulb that serves as a backlight when shooting in the dark. I must say that it is quite bright and shines for a long distance. Under the lens there is a grill that hides a microphone from the eyes. Sound is recorded in stereo format. There are no problems with it either. The Panasonic HC V500 camcorder, reviews of which are positive, received a lens with automatically opening shutters. Who does not know, in budget devices you have to open and close them manually. The mechanism works properly, the sounds are not annoying.
Interfaces
The developer did not deprive the user of various interfaces that are harmoniously located throughout the case. The adapter port is under the strap. It is covered by a small rubber plug. The back side received a button to start recording, as well as a slider for switching shooting modes. There is also an indicator. A little lower is the battery pack.
The most interesting Panasonic HC V500 camera hides under the LCD. Here is a small grill of the built-in speaker. The sound from it is quite clear and loud, so the footage can be viewed immediately after recording. At the bottom is a small button that is responsible for forcibly turning off the device. Separately, there is a USB port, HDMI, as well as a universal input for audio. The memory card slot is located on the bottom of the camera, not far from the battery. The card is removed with a light touch.
Autonomy
The battery allows you to shoot up to 150 minutes. Of course, the duration of the work is affected by the quality of the recording. For the average user, the capacity of this battery should be enough. Otherwise, you can separately purchase special batteries that allow you to shoot for a longer time. The battery is fully charged in 2.5 hours. For a device of this class, such autonomy is acceptable.
Video
The camera has acquired optical and electronic stabilization, which, in general, is not surprising. Today, such a set is present in every more or less suitable device. Just say that you should not rely on excellent recording quality, as in more expensive camcorders. The developer saved on the matrix, which received a fairly small working area. Hybrid stabilization allows you to make videos smooth, but they are still significantly worse than those obtained on the top camera from the same Panasonic.
There is optical and digital zoom (38x / 100x). Allows you to focus on distant objects. True, it is very difficult to achieve a clear picture that will not twitch. Partially solves this problem shooting using a tripod.
At night, the camera shoots confidently. There is practically no noise, which is already pleasing. However, the detail is low. Adding light increases the clarity of the roller, but cannot completely solve the problem.
The “honest” FullHD camera cannot be displayed. The reason is the same small matrix size. It happens that even when shooting at a lower resolution, you can see the fuzzy contours of some objects. This is especially noticeable in distant figures.
Photos suffer the same problems. You can take pictures in several resolutions. After that, the footage is stretched by the video camera software, which significantly reduces the quality of the photo.
In general, the camera can be described as a good amateur device for shooting family holidays and other events. For serious video shooting, the model is hardly suitable, even if you really want to.
BY
The camera software was the same as other Panasonic devices that were released in 2012. The interface is implemented simple and intuitive, even a beginner will understand. The elements are large, so it is almost impossible to miss a finger. The menu is made logical and organized so that the user does not get confused. Included is a disk with licensed utilities.
Camcorder Panasonic HC V500: reviews
Users rate the camera at 4 points out of 5. The model could not get the maximum rating due to the small size of the matrix. The owner likes its design, practicality and wide functionality. Also, affordable cost attracts to the acquisition. Of the Panasonic lineup of cameras introduced in 2012, many users are advised to choose this particular model.