Panasonic HC-V770 Review – High-Definition Movies And Picture Guaranteed!
With the high-speed internet connections ruling the cyber world, 4k and High-definition videos have become the norm. Even if you use your smartphone to shoot pictures and videos they cannot give you the effect of a full HD capture. So if you want to shoot high-quality videos of your favorite moments then you will need to buy a good HD camcorder.
Though there are many top camcorder models on the market, they also come with hefty price tags and may not be for you if you are budget-conscious. But don’t you worry as we have handpicked the Panasonic HC-V770 for you which is a quality HD camcorder that comes at a very affordable price tag.
It is packed with many great features that you don’t have to think about buying a cheap camcorder. Though they may seem like they saved you money, they can quickly leave you frustrated in no time. They surely cannot match up to quality camcorders but even if they did, they may soon stop working altogether after just a few uses. You definitely don’t deserve the frustration. That is why by spending a few extra bucks you can get yourself a branded HD camcorder such as the Panasonic HC-V770 that won’t let you down.
Read on as we tease the features of the Panasonic HC-V770 in our review below. We will let you decide if it has lived up to the hype and if it is the right one for your requirements.
Panasonic HC-V770 Specs and Features
- A good magnification of 20x optical zoom
- An intelligent zoom of 50x which is more than twice the optical zoom
- Wi-Fi enabled for instant sharing of pictures and videos
- Twin camera function for picture-in-picture videos
- Backed by a 1-year manufacturer’s warranty
Why Is The Panasonic HC-V770 The Best HD Camcorder?
If you want to shoot high-quality videos but don’t want to pay through your nose for high-end 4k camcorders, then the Panasonic HC-V770 might be the right one for you. It does not let you shoot 4k videos but records all your fun moments in high definition to cherish them for life.
From twin camera functions to multi-purpose Wi-Fi abilities to instant sharing of videos and pictures to social networking sites, the HC-V770 is chock full of features for its price point giving you more value for your money. Below you can find an in-depth analysis of each of its features to understand the capabilities of this HD camcorder.
Optical and Intelligent Zoom
The Panasonic HC-V770 has a 20x optical zoom and lets you shoot even distant objects in crystal clarity. It achieves this magnification through 4 sets of lens systems that give such a great amount of magnification in a compact camcorder.
But that’s not all. The HC-V770 uses an intelligent zoom technology that increases the 20x magnification to a whopping 50x. So whether you want to shoot portraits in close range or shoot landscape scenes or even shoot fast-paced action, the HC-V770 will rock them all.
Image Stabilization
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Holding the camcorder still while shooting is something that you learn with practice. So if you are a beginner, it can be really difficult to take shake-free videos even if you use the side strap.
No matter how steady you hold your camcorder, shakes are inevitable especially when you walk and take videos or use the zoom function during recording. To avoid this, the HC-V770 employs a 5-axis Hybrid optical image stabilization system which gives you shake-free images whether you are using the 20x optical zoom or even the 50x intelligent zoom. Forget blurry images forever!
BSI Sensor
The HC-V770 is equipped with a 12.76 Megapixel, 1/2.3-inch back-illuminated CMOS sensor. Though this is an upgrade from its predecessor, it is still small when compared to DSLR sensors. Nevertheless, it is still a good configuration for camcorders.
The sensor is super sensitive and hence shoots images with great attention to details. Even when you shoot under poor light conditions, the sensor suppresses noise and gives incredibly high-quality images and videos.
High Dynamic Range (HDR) movie
The HDR feature is probably one of the best features of the HC-V770 as it is the first general use camcorder to employ it. This is because depending on ambient light and exposure times your images can suffer over or underexposure.
What the HDR feature basically does is, it shoots two images with different exposure times and merges them to get the best of both images. So the output image is free of defects caused due to improper exposure and gives you professional looking images.
Twin Camera
If you are new to twin cameras and wondering what it is all about then we will simplify it for you. With the twin camera feature, you can use your smartphone as a second camera. To do this you use the Wi-Fi from your smartphone to shoot and transmit the images to your camcorder.
This creates picture-in-picture videos and images by using the footage from your smartphone and combining it with the footage of your camcorder. The images or videos from your smartphone are actually placed inside the frame of the camcorder video. This is very useful to shoot side-by-side reactions of people or for shooting workout videos from two different angles etc.
Slow Motion Full-HD
You can take slow-motion videos in full high definition thanks to Panasonic’s high-speed engine that powers this camcorder. You can switch from normal recording to slow-motion recording with a simple touch on the screen. It records videos at 100 fps. The high-speed engine also reduces noise in your pictures thereby giving you really crisp and colorful images that are a treat to your eyes.
Near Field Communication (NFC)
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With the NFC feature, you can connect the camcorder to a tablet or smartphone with just a touch of a button. If your phone does not have this feature then you can scan the QR code to connect to Wi-Fi.
Real-Time Broadcasting
Another great feature of this camcorder is its real-time broadcasting feature. Simply connect your camcorder to Wi-Fi and stream live Full HD videos on the USTREAM website. Whether you have friends that could not make it to your birthday party or you want to share your fun moments with family you can use the live streaming to connect with people who care.
Video Effects
What is the fun in just shooting normal videos? With the HC-V770 you can add interesting effects to your videos and make them more memorable. You can choose from effects such as miniature settings, silent movie, 8 mm style movie, and time-lapse videos etc.
Sound Quality
Shooting outdoors can pose a problem to recording audio especially when it is extremely windy.To minimize this the HC-V770 comes with a brilliant Windshield microphone that employs a damping structure between the mic and its net. So you will hear everything in crystal clarity minus the annoying wind noise.
Intelligent Auto
If you are beginner then it will take quite a while for you to manually adjust settings to get the most out of your camcorder. But don’t you worry as the HC-V770 comes with an intelligent auto feature that automatically detects ambient conditions and selects the most appropriate settings for your scenes. All you need to do is just select the iA plus mode and watch the magic happen before your eyes.
Wi-Fi Features
What makes the HC-V770 really versatile is its inbuilt Wi-Fi feature. In addition to shooting incredible videos and pictures, you can also use the HC-V770 as a surveillance camera or a baby monitor. Just download the Panasonic Image App on your smartphone or tablet and get notified when your baby cries. The inbuilt audio sensor detects sounds and alerts you through push notifications.
You can also use the Panasonic app to control your camera from a distance. So your smart device becomes a Wi-Fi remote of sorts for your HD camcorder. You can control all settings through the app and instantly post your photos and videos to social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and more.
Pros
- High-quality images and videos
- Full of features adding more value to your money
- Easy to use manual settings using the control dial
- Wi-Fi enabled for sharing videos and pictures instantly
Cons
- The sensor is small than that of a standard DSLR camera
- Cannot be used for shooting 4k videos
Conclusion
Don’t worry if you can’t invest in a high-end 4k video camcorder. The Panasonic HC-V770 gives you such high-quality HD videos and images that will freeze all your important moments forever that you won’t really miss your 4k videos.
As we live in an internet age, the camcorder is also Wi-Fi ready and lets you share your fun moments instantly with friends and family. It is not without a reason that the HC-V770 has such positive reviews from customers and is one of the top-selling mid-range HD camcorders in the market.
You might also like our articles on the Sony HDR-CX405 review and Canon VixiaHF R600.
Resources
- http://shop.panasonic.com/cameras-and-camcorders/camcorders/HC-V770K.html
- http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/cameras-photography/digital/high-definition-camcorder.htm
- https://www.photoxels.com/digital-photography-tutorials/optical-digital-zoom/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Near-field_communication
- http://www.camcorder-hq.com/articles/camcorder-buying-guide