Panasonic Pro AG-DVC7 MiniDV Proline Camcorder w/15x Optical Zoom

by Panasonic

Product Details

Product Manual [2.87mb PDF]

• Item Weight: 9.5 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 10 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00008SBIT
• Item model number: AGDVC7
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,254 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: March 7, 2003

Product Description

Manufacturer Description

Manufacturer Description The Panasonic AG-DVC7 makes it easy for anybody to produce professional-looking digital videos. Its shoulder-held design provides outstanding stability when shooting. A variety of automatic functions combine with large control buttons and digital picture effects to ensure simple operation and extraordinary results. An IEEE1394 DV In/Out terminal facilitates PC video editing and website production. And a full line of optional equipment, including a wide conversion lens, and external stereo microphone, lets the AG-DVC7 serve a variety of high-level uses. Lightweight and easy to use, the AG-DVC7 is ideal for applications demanding professional recording performance at an entry-level price.

Pro-Style Shoulder-Held Design
The AG-DVC7 features a convenient shoulder-held design, extra-large handle grip, fingertip zoom control, and LCD panel and viewfinder for easy viewing. It weighs just 4.62 pounds in full operating condition. This adds up to stable images with minimal hand shaking, plus the kind of quick, easy subject framing you simply cannot get with a handheld camera.

The AG-DV7's shoulder-held design gives you steady images and quick framing of subjects

15x Zoom Lens and Digital Zoom
The AG-DVC7 comes with a powerful 15x zoom lens and adds a digital zoom function that provides ultra-telephoto zooming all the way to 750x. Its large zoom rocker switch is conveniently positioned on the handle grip for easy, responsive zoom operation. The extra zoom power is a great plus for sports applications or whenever the shooter can't get close to the action.

Manual/Auto Focus and More
Switch between auto and manual focus according to your shooting needs. In manual mode, the large focus ring provides you the kind of focusing precision you'd expect from a professional camera. You can manually adjust the iris, shutter speed, white balance and audio recording level when desired.

Auto Functions for Beautiful Results with Ease
The AG-DVC7's many automatic functions make it easy to produce beautiful videos. These include Digital EIS (Electric Image Stabilizer) to compensate for jitter and vibration-induced image distortions, Backlight Compensation to prevent black breakdown, and Auto Tracking White Balance for superb pictures when tracking moving subjects.

Conveniently placed controls on the AG-DV7

Program AE
The AG-DVC7 comes preset with ideal iris size and shutter speed combinations for a variety of subjects and shooting conditions. Select from five program AE modes: sports, portrait, spotlight, surf & snow, and low light. These settings allow you to take perfect shots quickly and easily.

Superior Digital Recording
The AG-DVC7 uses the ubiquitous DV format, with an 8-bit digital recording system that delivers high-quality pictures. The 16-bit digital audio system rivals CDs in quality. Choose sound in either a 48-kHz/16-bit, 2-channel, or a 32-kHz/12-bit, 4-channel mode during playback.

IEEE1394 DV In/Out Terminal
A DV (IEEE1394) 4-pin digital interface terminal makes it easy to upload pictures and audio to a Macintosh or Windows-based PC for non-linear editing with no loss of quality. Users can also dub with no deterioration between the AG-DVC7 and an AG-DV1DC, AG-DV2500 or other DV VTR.

Options for the Professional
An accessory kit and a variety of additional options are available with the AG-DVC7. Add a 0.7x wide conversion lens, external stereo microphone, or large-capacity 2.8-A battery depending on your professional needs.

Other Features

• 2.5-inch color LCD side monitor
• Rec start/stop button and zoom lever on top handle grip
• Picture Effects Function includes Wipe, Mix, Strobe, Gainup, Trail, Mosaic, and Mirror
• Jog Menu Dial
• Video and S-Video In/Out
• Mic In and Audio In/Out

The MiniDV Format
MiniDV, the most common type of digital camcorder, records video using the standard DV-format. It's the preferred format for broadcast-quality video, and it is also highly regarded for its high audio and still image quality. This is all delivered on a cassette that's 1/12th the size of a standard VHS tape. Tapes come in lengths of 60 and 80 minutes at standard speed (SP), with use of lower speed mode (SP) increasing time to 90 and 120 minutes while reducing resolution.

Playing DV Tapes on a DVCPRO VTR
Using the AJ-CS455P adaptor, mini-DV cassettes can be played back by a DVCPRO VTR. This means you can utilize mini-DV cassettes as media (playback only) in DVCPRO production systems. Panasonic's Emmy Award-winning DVCPRO format is the industry's standard for digital acquisition and recording, and the most rapidly adopted professional video format in history. Recording is not possible, even with the adaptor. Also, DVCPRO systems cannot play back DV tapes recorded in LP mode, or long-play Mini-DV tapes (SP mode: 80 minutes; LP mode: 120 minutes).

Possible configurations with additional components

What's in the Box:
Panasonic AG-DVC7, shoulder strap, AC cable, lens cap, DC cable, battery 1.6-Ah, AC adapter, wireless remote controller, battery for wireless remote controller, cleaning tape.

Product Description

340,000 Pixels / Uses MiniDV Tapes / 4-Pin IEEE1394 Firewire Port / 15x Optical Zoom / Microphone / Image Stabilizer

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Going pro? Save for something better., March 1, 2007

By 

M. D. Caigoy (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Panasonic Pro AG-DVC7 MiniDV Proline Camcorder w/15x Optical Zoom (Electronics)

I'll be diplomatic and say this isn't a bad camera. But I used to shoot a lot of live events and concerts, and with a DVX100 and a DVC80 to choose from, this camera would always get stuck on the lowest priority shot. It's big, but mostly hollow, so it's almost as light as a Canon ZR series. In sunlight or other bright light, you're fine, but in low light you really know it's a 1-CCD camera. The colors wash out and the picture gets noisy. For a third of the price you could get a consumer level camera (Canon ZR) that'll shoot nearly as well (if not looking as imposing) while you save your pennies for a 3-CCD model.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Nice camera, July 23, 2006

By 

R. Anastasio "JustaguyNJ" (Atco, NJ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Panasonic Pro AG-DVC7 MiniDV Proline Camcorder w/15x Optical Zoom (Electronics)

Like the other review said, this is a good starter camera. After being out of the video business for about 5 years I decided to by this camera for a wedding I was shooting. I got it at a great price. There are a few problems though. It's a little hard to deal with in low light. I have a mounted 150-watt light and it still hard to deal with. If you gain up one it's kind of grainy. But if you are not doing anything that is broadcast quality then this is a good camera. Since I'm doing low budget wedding this is perfect for me.

12 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars good pro beginers camera, March 8, 2006

By 

J. Samuelson "jk audio" (Portland, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Panasonic Pro AG-DVC7 MiniDV Proline Camcorder w/15x Optical Zoom (Electronics)

This is a great starter camera if you are thinking about getting into videograghy. This camera will give you the pro look, but it seems to be just a consumer level camera in a pro package. quality seems to be very good however, I have only shot a few hrs of tape so far. if you can come up with an extra $1000 seriously consider a different camera that really is on the pro level.