GEAR
PANASONIC HC-X2
4K 4:2:2 10-bit and 3G-SDI outputs 1920x1080 FHD in 4:2:2 10-bit. It’s a camera that offers pretty much every streaming option right out of the box, and it’s very easy to do. As the X2 is built for events such as sport, the sensor uses a global shutter, leaving no worries about skewed vertical lines even in the fastest of whip pans. The whole camera is designed to be fast and ergonomic – either handheld or on a tripod. The body is compact and light, with lots of customisable control buttons for accessing essential functions. If you’re used to mirrorless or DSLR cameras, these might take time to become accustomed. But once you’re familiar with a camcorder, it makes plenty of sense when applying fast changes to shutter speed, iris, white-balance, built-in ND filters or audio. Push the auto slider and the camera quickly sets everything for you. This is ideal for inexperienced users, or those grab shots that only happen once. In all auto settings, this Panasonic performed perfectly well, with nothing managing to fool it too easily. The exposure was consistent, with occasional clipping of highlights – and everything was smooth, from focus and zooming to exposure changes. Of course, most professionals will want to take full control. That is easy, too. Set the main slider to manual, then you can select all the settings you want, or set each one to auto if need be. The lens has three control rings: adjust them in the old-school way by turning the rings, or select the settings and adjust them with a control wheel. Whatever works for you. Settings are shown on the sharp OLED EVF and the high-bright 3.5in touchscreen that neatly slides into the top handle for easy carrying. The screen can be used for monitoring
and menu control, with waveforms and scopes displayed in order to help nail exposure. The handgrip has a large zoom rocker – as well as an additional Rec button hidden behind a clear cover to prevent it from accidentally being activated. And the 5900mAh battery lasts for ages. It was still going strong after four hours and even
larger batteries are available. The X2 also comes with a charger and power supply for fixed-position use near an AC socket. What’s also impressive is the five-axis hybrid image stabilisation, which works in both 4K and HD modes. The lens has optical image stabilisation (OIS), which combines with electronic image stabilisation to detect and correct camera shake. There are three modes that dial in different levels of improvement. It’s an impressive system, and much- needed for a camcorder that won’t spend its life on a tripod. Another essential feature is high-resolution audio – the X2 has two XLR inputs with switchable 48v phantom power. Audio can be recorded in 24-bit linear PCM (MOV), 16-bit AAC (MP4) or Dolby Audio (AVCHD). There are volume dials to enable two-channel control, a level meter and a 3.5mm stereo headphone
LET THERE BE LIGHT It’s no heavyweight, and can be handheld for hours on end without fatigue
A LA CARTE MENU The X2 has all the settings for the most popular streaming tech built-in
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PRO MOVIEMAKER
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