Panasonic AG-DVX100

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The Panasonic AG-DVX100 was a video camera that was released on October 13, 2002.^[2] Its 60 hertz version was the first consumer digital camcorder capable of recording video at 24 frames per second (FPS),^[3][4] the standard frame rate for 35 mm sound film.

The camera was last updated in 2005 as the DVX100B(E).^[5][6] It was usually used to record videos onto tapes,^[7] although third-party developers have created modifications that allow DVX100 cameras to stream images directly to a connected laptop. However, one of the main companies known for these modifications, Reel Stream, is no longer in business operations.^[8][9]

In the Chinese market, the series was branded as "AG-DVC180/A/B," which is otherwise identical to the European PAL model, AG-DVC180E.

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The Panasonic AG-DVX100 series includes cameras designed to record video in 24 frames per second (24p), a frame rate that mirrors the operation of traditional film cameras. This 24p format, which employs progressive scan, avoids the interlacing artifacts associated with interlaced formats, making it suitable for motion picture production^[10].

The original AG-DVX100 model recorded in a 4:3 aspect ratio, while the "A" revision introduced widescreen recording capabilities, although users reported that the widescreen output appeared distorted on the built-in monitor. The "B" revision corrected this issue by allowing proper monitoring of the 16:9 aspect ratio. All revisions are equipped with CCD sensors that have a native 4:3 aspect ratio, which results in a loss of vertical resolution when recording in widescreen due to cropping.

The Panasonic AG-DVX100 uses a 3-CCD imaging system that separates light into red, green, and blue channels, each processed by its own CCD sensor. This approach improves image quality and color fidelity compared to single-chip systems. The camera features 410,000-pixel sensors, with approximately 380,000 effective pixels, aligning with standard specifications for professional cameras from its era. This configuration enables it to deliver high-quality images suitable for filmmaking and broadcast use.^[11]

The camera can record 24p video using a "telecined" method with 2:3 pulldown for 24P and 2:3:3:2 pulldown for 24PA. It also supports 30p video in progressive segmented frame (PsF) format (25p in PAL) and standard interlaced video at 60i (50i PAL), all stored on MiniDV tape. The DVX100 includes "CineGamma" functionality, which simulates the gamma curve characteristic of film.

The camera includes two XLR audio inputs for professional-grade sound, a 4-pin FireWire port (IEEE 1394) for digital video transfer, and both S-Video and RCA input/output ports for analog connectivity. It also offers manual and servo zoom options, along with a secondary zoom control and record button on the handle, which is particularly useful for low-angle recording..^[12]

Accessories typically used with the DVX100 include batteries (sold separately), lens adapters, matte boxes, optical filters, tripods, geared and fluid heads for smooth movement, follow focus systems, external microphones, and storage cases, allowing for enhanced functionality in various shooting situations.

Many documentaries, independent shorts, and feature movies have been shot with the Panasonic AG-DVX100, including the Sundance Film Festival-winning feature November, The Puffy Chair by the Duplass Brothers, and the Oscar-nominated documentary named Murderball.^[13] The documentary "Iraq in Fragments" was also shot with this camera over a two-year period in Iraq.^[14] Seasons 1-5 of the popular TV show It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia were also shot with the DVX100.^[15] The Man From Earth was shot from only two DVX100 cameras.^[16]

The documentary film Ghost Adventures, which won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary Feature from the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival in 2006, was also filmed using the Panasonic AG-DVX100A fitted with on-board lights.