Video Equipment Reviews

Paying Its Way
AG-456UP S-VHS Camcorder
Panasonic Broadcast & Television Systems
One Panasonic Way
Secaucus, NJ 07094
($2495)

The Panasonic AG-400 series of S-VHS camcorders has set a standard for providing high-quality, industrial-level camcorders at consumer-level prices. Notable features in past models have included a two-CCD imager section (AG-460) and vertical interval time code support (AG-455).

The newest entry into the series is the AG-456UP, a direct descendent of the AG-455. While the AG-456UP has only a single image chip, it does offer VITC time code, as well as enough features and controls to stand tall in the semi-pro camcorder market.

The unit retains the shape of past AG-400 series camcorders and is about the same size and weight. Those unfamiliar with this line will find the AG-456UP light for its size and very comfortable to use. Designed for right-shoulder shooting, all camera controls sit in a logical arrangement on the left side of the body near the lens. Most of the controls are push-button types. There is minimal tactile feedback from these buttons--it's good that the viewfinder indicates when a feature is engaged.

The AG-456UP has 12:1 zoom lens with 100x digital zoom. If you need to get video of an extremely small subject, the macro function will focus as close as 1.5mm away from the lens. Panasonic says the zoom rocker switch is continuously variable right up to where the digital zoom mode kicks in. I was able to distinguish just four distinct speeds in each direction. Even with just four zoom speeds, this is an improvement over the AG-455's zoom.

The most significant improvement in the AG-456UP's lens assembly is the addition of a manual zoom lever. This lever, which was missing on the AG-455, makes it possible to perform quick focal length changes. No serious camcorder should be without this control.

Focus, iris and white balance controls are automatic with manual overrides. The manual iris override is an absolute control, meaning it will not shift once you've established an iris setting. This is preferable to those "manual" iris controls where auto iris continues to function after a level is set. The viewfinder indicates the present f-stop and white balance setting in both auto or manual modes. A low light button acts as a backlight button, opening the iris for backlit or low light situations.

When in the manual mode, you have a choice of eight shutter speeds controlled by the + or - buttons. The range is from normal (1/60th of a second) up to 1/8000th of a second. Panasonic points out that using high shutter speeds in fluorescent lighting will subject the image to flickering.

You view your scenes on the monochrome 0.7-inch viewfinder. An on-screen display (OSD) button enables in-viewfinder indicators. The viewfinder has indicators for white balance, tracer, digital wipe and mix, gain, low light and self timer/interval recording. A sliding diopter adjustment sets the viewfinder focus for your eyesight.

The AG-456UP gives you several digital effects including Still, Strobe and Tracer. The still function freezes images, filing them in memory for later use. You can wipe or mix (dissolve) from your current image to any image captured with the still effect, and visa versa. The AG-456UP allows only one still in memory at a time. Strobe offers the familiar stop-motion effect common on many camcorders. The tracer effect produces a ghost-like after-effect to moving images. A fade button fades your images in or out to black.

The interval recording control allows you to record one second of video every fifty seconds for time-lapse effects. You can set a timer to automatically stop recording after twenty seconds.

Audio comes into the AG-456UP through the attached stereo mike. A switch on the side of the mike allows for selecting wide, tele or zoom modes. A mike jack allows use of an external stereo mike.

Built into the left side of the unit is a small loudspeaker for monitoring audio while recording. It also provides audio during playback. There is no headphone minijack. Instead, Panasonic suggests using an RCA-to-minijack stereo adapter to connect headphones to the AG-456UP's RCA-style audio output jacks.

A sliding plate on the top of the AG-456UP switches the unit between record and playback modes, revealing the VCR transport controls.

All external connections are on the rear of the unit. Included are stereo audio, composite video and S-video connectors. A switch selects between hi-fi, normal (mono) audio, or a mix of both for playback. Another switch disables the built-in monitor speaker.

A DC power connector allows for external power from the battery charger or a car cigarette lighter.

A 5-pin Control-M connector allow you to hook the AG-456UP up to any edit controller that supports this protocol. The unit's internal VITC generator/reader will send VITC information out to the editor through this connection. The AG-456UP will generate up to 24 hours of uninterrupted time code provided you do not record over a pre-recorded section of tape, or remove the tape from the unit (which re-sets the time code generator).

If you prefer to edit in the camcorder, the unit's flying erase heads allow fairly accurate insert editing. You can also audio dub to the normal audio track. You'll find instructions for both procedures in the well-written manual.

The AG-456UP does not include a remote control.

Except for those improvements mentioned, the AG-456UP is nearly identical to the earlier AG-455. It's made for serious shooting and it produces serious results. Recorded images are quite sharp with good color, once you get used to the white balance settings. There is a tendency for images to go red if you don't properly white balance in the manual setting. When set properly, colors are quite accurate.

Big as this camcorder is, it was not uncomfortable to use for long periods. A shoulder cushion (actually hard rubber) built into the bottom of the unit works nicely.

Audio is superb compared to other standard VHS hi-fi units. However, the small speaker doesn't provide the audio quality of headphones. Panasonic could have eliminated the hassle of using an adapter cable by simply adding a headphone jack.

The manual zoom lever, missing on the AG-455, is sure nice to have for quick zooms and manual focusing. This lever has since disappeared on many smaller consumer camcorders. I don't understand why.

The AG-456UP is probably overkill if you just want to chronicle the growth of your kids or the antics of the dog at a family picnic. But if you're getting serious about your videomaking, perhaps hoping to make some money at the craft, you couldn't do much better than the AG-456UP.