PanasonicHC-X1500E Lightest 4K Professional Camcorders with Wide-Angle 25 mm Lens and 24x Optical Zoom

For a small sensor, during daylight the quality is just as good if not better than the Sony AX700, as long as you have it set up to shoot in 150mbs (30 or 25fps). Higher framerate option will always look a bit more "soft". Image stabilization in this unit is also far superior to the Sony and I would say one of the best features of this camcorder.For what I intend to use it for its perfect.

Great but totally impossible to fit the rubber fitment to the secondary view finder. Battery lasts, for a rookie like me, an incredible two weeks.

excellent camera an picture quality great battery life great value for money

Panasonic HC-X1500E Lightest 4K Professional Camcorders with Wide-Angle 25 mm Lens and 24x Optical ZoomAt £1450 the lens quality is totally unacceptable and is being returned with great relief on my part to Amazon, however long that takes. 14 days since Hermes collected and not a whisper.Panasonic HC-X1500 Lens: at maximum field, as featured in the title of the product, the edge resolution it starts to look like a budget low end AV device. Given that with the ‘extra handle’ the XC-2000 is selling around £1850 and AG-CX10 at £2,300 is also the same base model, its beyond comprehension that a major manufacturer would put out something labelled ‘professional’ with such a low quality of image.Compared to what? My Panasonic VX990 £499 purchased a year ago.It took me a number of trials wading through the manual and the control variants before I realised what wasn’t there was image quality. When I realised that it was that bad, I was dumbfounded until I realised I could return this.I have not carried out a full scientific trials per Mr Rockwell: I don’t need to. It’s is very obvious.I spent 2013-2019 trying to get Nikons to focus in MOV mode (d850 last item), and have given up. Brilliant still cameras. The VX990 pleased me with its traditional camcorder ease of use and the performance of the traditional camcorder small sensor. Apple and Huwai reputedly do good image on this so no cause for concern?There are no other issues although the ‘weightiness’ is bulked by the battery. The specs look very appetising indeed one suspects it’s a ‘features and benefits’ market segment job that the engineers missed checking the lens out. Or did they shift the focal length down to the margins of resolution? Don’t know, don’t care.I don’t expect to have to Caveat Emptor at £1500. I’m delaying purchase of the replacementIf someone suggests ‘ah it was on some setting, high gain etc that caused it’ no, this is just a bad fixed lens.But I’m clear which brand it will not be and in future I will not buy any ‘new improved just to market’ item.Note: it is now 14 days since the item was collected by Hermes and no refund. Hermes show ‘we have it’ still. I have contacted Amazon and ‘there is no problem’ but there could be some delay and yes, we have it.Uploaded are from the original files in image sequence in Vegas 3840 x 2160, and no zoom or pan at low shutter speeds. Tripod mount capture at 150 and 200mbs. I have also added some from the VX990 which are very much sharper.Cameras come, some brands break without fail, and others just sit in the cupboard retired, but the image is the product. This does not make good product at any price but most certainly not £1450Caveat Emptor and avoid is my recommendation until Panasonic sort this design flaw out.images to follow if I can do that

Using the camera mainly for indoor filming with mix of locations - large hall, small room, green-screen. It works really well so far in all scenarios, producing a clear image with well-balanced colours and exposure. Also works great in a multi-camera setup with Blackmagic ATEM for switching.

Purchased from Amazon Warehouse and returned for a refund.Why?Honestly, as a 50-something Panasonic fanboy who studied photography at college (with published work in recent years), the x1500e disappoints on many levels.The main reason for returning the unit is due to the excessive movement from the battery when attached to the camera. I remember playing with toys that had better build quality. It rattles, and that rattles me.The second reason is the button layout and spongy feel - I was simply unable to change basic settings without having to visually double-check my inputs. Infuriating.A third reason - it's a little too heavy to use as a run-and-gun.If you're not bothered by the above, it has a decent lens with good reach, practical mobility, excellent autofocus and a bright EVF.Sadly, I won't be returning to Panasonic or Lumix in a hurry.

I bought one of these cameras in early 2021 for my business of making short documentary films about steam engines. It provides a great balance of terrific picture quality, compact size and light weight (which makes this camera perfect for trekking across miles of open country), WiFi streaming, wired connectivity and easy workflow off Class 10 SD cards.Due to the small sensor, low light isn't one of this camera's strong points. So even with the built-in LED light, it's best to try bulking it out with additional external lights.The main thing to keep in mind however is, unlike rival cameras, this one is NOT water or moisture-resistant.After just three months and a bit of light drizzle, some weird gremlins entered the rear vents of the camera, causing the following problems:-focus assist to stop working-frantically start/stop recording at two second intervals-zoom to automatically zoom right inAfter the problem persisted for another three months, I ended up taking the camera to a specialist who had to replace one of the circuits around the rear record button. He also noted there was oil residue on said circuit, indicating that oily steam from steam locomotives might have managed to get into the workings.Then when I was caught out in a freak rainstorm while working in Ohio, the camera stopped working altogether. Diagnosis seems to be the circuity has shorted out. I shall have to replace the camera as, even if the camera is less than 12 months old, Panasonic themselves state that water damage isn't covered under warranty.It's worth noting that I upgraded from a Canon XF305 to this camera. The former only recorded in HD and was far bulkier and heavier, but it survived countless storms without any problems.So there we are, the camera has many excellent qualities. But if you're going to get one for outdoor work, it's imperative that you find a proper raincover for it too.

Great camera with all the pro features you would expect from a proper video camera