The Panasonic AG-AC160 PAL AVCCAM HD Handheld Camcorder is a high-definition workhorse of a professional handheld camcorder that integrates seamlessly with a wide range of current broadcast video systems in place around the world. With an integrated 22x zoom lens and a 1/3-type 3MOS three-element imager, the camera captures AVCHD video to two SD/SDHC/SDXC card slots as 1080p30, 1080i60, filmic 1080p24, and 720p60. For creative slow-/fast-motion effects, overcranking and undercranking are possible at a variety of rates between 2 and 60 frames per second.

The AC160 features Panasonic's professional-level PS implementation of AVCHD. It's a top-quality choice at a max rate of 28 Mb/s; several other data rates will conserve card space as you capture hours of HD video. For projects that require standard-def capture, the AC160 has you covered with DV recording, which can then be output via its 6-pin IEEE 1394 FireWire port. For high-def output, the HD-SDI terminal puts out HD signals including 1920 x 1080 at 24PsF.

The AC160 offers a bevy of other professional-level features, including dual XLRs with phantom power, SMPTE time-code generation, gamma settings for seven different scenarios, and manual control rings for iris, zoom, and focus. To monitor the status of all settings, and to perform critical focusing functions, the AVCCAM camcorder features both a high-quality 3.45" LCD screen and a full-color LCoS 0.45" viewfinder with 1,226,000 dots (852 x 480 x 3 [RGB]) of resolution.