@Tommy Thanks! Actually I am pretty interested in the AC90 as i am also leaning away from Dslr for video's since using the VG20 I really dont want to go back to a GH2 and the formfactor. My Budget is £1500

Things im not so sure about is the plasticky look the AC90 gives and how decent the evf is. As for DOF im not too bothered about it.

I had a TM700 a few years back and the evf was horrible. It looks to have none of that alaising and seems to do pretty well in lowlight conditions.

I was looking at the XA10 but have seen some footage that doesnt convince me.

If I find a UK supplier that do good returns service (if im unhappy with it) then I may give it a try.

@Tommy Interesting thread and it shows you're thinking. I love my GH2's and use them, but for a big part of my Docs had been using an XA10 and a G10. I was thinking about and even ordered an AF100 when Onionbrain pushed me back into reality.

I ended up with the AC160 which I wouldn't be without now. I sold the XA10, kept the G10 and both GH2's....(and a couple of older cameras) and use them all.

Depending on what kind of Doc's you do you may want to hang on to the GH2 also. Yesterday I shot a sexual awareness march and used the two GH2's, one with a wide angle and one with the 14-140...and an HD2 on my helmet. I was able to leapfrog the group, get the line with the GoPro on the way, set up the 7.5 and 14-140 on tripods before the line got to me and get different angles each time. I kept this up for two hours.

I couldn't have done that with my 160 alone.

@thepalalias

Whole test with Lens 14-140mm, smallest F, shutter 50, ISO 3200. Hack Driftwood Cluster 6, with ISO maximum disabled, because I often want automatic ISO, and doing so it would (in dark situations) go all the way up to 12.000 and give too much noise (at least in my case it is horrible). I have tried a 6mm CCTV Cmount lens (as seen online), but this sucks as well. I am considering to buy the Pancake 20 mm 1.7 now, but I think people don't like it too much (and would suggest the tooo expensive Nokton 0.95).

Like I wrote I have the GH2 quite a while, but being used to 'normal' / ENG cameras I just can not get used to film with a photo camera. Perhaps if you could please answer the 2 questions (from my 2nd post on 22nd) it would make it already more easy: (or where can I find it online)

EDIT: Sept 22: Another example and the two things that bother me most about the GH2 (except having no XLRs)

1. GH2 needs fixed shutter speed (50/ 100). If it is set on Shutter priority, the aperture goes up and down in steps and also making noise. The steps are not fluent. I have read people thought the camera was damaged, but many of us have this issue, why? an how to solve it?

2. So you need to fix the Aperture (What I would prefer as well) This is only possible in (movie) manual priority mode, right? But in the manual mode you also have to set the ISO manual. (I don't see an auto iso option in this mode). This Sucks SO hard! So for many shooting situations ( movement and if you want to be able to be fast), this actually makes the GH2 useless in Shutter mode, and Manual mode, so which mode is left???

@tommy Did I miss the part in the lowlight comparison where you mention what lens, f-stop and ISO is used on the GH2 vs the AG-AC90? It seems exceedingly difficult to judge the the lowlight segment without knowing both that and the setting used on the GH2 (stock, Sedna, Flowmotion 2.02, etc.)

EDIT: Was the 14-140mm used only at the end or for the rest too? It really is a rather poor lowlight lens - the worst one we had on site for the test we did in Pasadena this summer. :)

@Mimirsan The AC90 was on auto mode during the candles. The DB went up to 30. 30 DB seemed to be the maximum in standard settings. (Perhaps you can put this higher in the menu.) The image was 'standard' a bit too bright highlighted, so I should have gone in the settings to see if that can be solved. (There is a knee setting, and others that could solve this.) It is my first test, and I forgot to test many things. I actually don't remember if I even looked through the viewfinder ;-) so perhaps I will ask the camera one more time.

Are you also doubting to go for this camera?
For me it is 'almost' fine, for now (until some better large sensor video cameras shows up.) Just the lack of ND, and a bigger sensor to get more DOF would be lovely. I don't mind to spend extra money, but for what?

•I have the GH2, and the AF100 is not supposed to be much better. Should I go for an even larger sensor of another brand ?

• The AC130 / 160 have ND's, a bit bigger sensors, but that will not be enough for more DOF. I suppose the sensor technology of the AC90 is also more up to date as all the other models in this range (?)
I did not test the AC130, but I think the OIS and perhaps autofocus etc is better on the AC90

• I haven't used the VG20 but I can image you would miss the DOF as well. And like you said, moire drove you nuts (and I don't think that will be the case here). Another 'pro' for me is, that I used to have the DVX100. It works similar, has the same batteries. I also have a light that also can use the same batteries (see pictures, also compared with the DVX100 , and the viewfinder)

@tommy .. really nice test .. thanks

NEX VG30 with powerzoom lens and XLR box is next best option. Wait for reviews on that perhaps? November?

Sony is coming out with some nice NEX lenses with OIS.

Does the AG-AC90 have clean HDMI out?

I think you cannot go wrong with something like the AG-AC90 if you need a videocamera. Canon only gives you an XA10 with one 1/3 CMOS.

You could always keep the GH2 with one lens as extra (sell all other lenses).

I just watched the YouTube clip again, and YouTube is really showing it bad. Especially the movement of the AC90 and detail in general is much better (Youtube is not showing 50P movement right?). Should I post it on Vimeo, will it do better?

@brianluce It is indeed F 1.5 So with a proper ND filter it should give quite some DOF in daylight right? The problem was, I only had an extreme cheap Chinese variable ND for the GH2 (that didn't fit on the AC90). This ND you saw in the outdoor bottle test and probably therefore it was not sharp as well. (or perhaps I didn't focus well ;-)

I also couldn't put equal settings in both cameras. The AC90 is fully manual controllable (and also the automode does an amazing job)

For example it is very important for me to have fluent motion during movement. As the AC90 has 1080 50P I sometimes compared it with the GH2 720 50P (for the fluent motion that you can not see on youtube), and in some stills I put the GH2 on 1080 25P (that makes a different.)

Another example and the two things that bother me most about the GH2 (except having no XLRs)

1. GH2 needs fixed shutter speed (50/ 100). If it is set on Shutter priority, the aperture goes up and down in steps and also making noise The steps are not fluent. I have read people thought the camera was damaged, but many of us have this issue, why ??.

2. So you need to fix the Aperture (What I would prefer as well) This is only possible in (movie) manual priority mode, right? But in the manual mode you also have to set the ISO manual. (I don't see an auto iso option in this mode). This Sucks SO hard! So for many shooting situations ( movement ), this actually makes the GH2 useless in Shutter mode, and Manual mode, so which mode is left???

It was a relief to hold a normal video camera again (I used to have the DVX100 and it is quite similar in size but weights less)

@John_Farragut I don't mind to spend more money, for a large sensor video camera with xlr, but which one? Filming with a GH2 (also for corporate things) just does not work for me. I always had Panasonic cameras (indeed often the best in lowlight) ), I think I would prefer a 4/3 sensor (because of the Lenses) but everyone agrees the AF100 is not (much) better than the GH2, right? So the GH3 is the only left (and again no XLR, etc) so I am quite lost now.

@Rambo As Ralph_B said, the 5 axes OIS is very good. Sory I indeed forgot to include it in the test. I did make shots, but not many comparing it with the GH2. It is the best OIS I have ever seen (but I did not see that many cameras)

@Ralph_B So you tested it? please tell me what you think? Do you know the high sensitive BSI 3x 1/4.57 inch sensors, because they seem so tiny, and did perform better in low light than the GH2 (14-140)? It did feel as plastic right ? What about GOP, I / P/ B structure, (4:4:2), peaking, dynamic range, AVCHD profiles, Is it good or bad? Is it easy to give some information with the original shots that I attached above (Or I can send them to you)?

I need to buy a video camera soon, so should I buy it or what else would you (as an experienced tester) suggest with more Depth Of Field and a ND filter? Okay for the DOF I could bring the GH2 as well, but I prefer to have 1 camera to shoot with.

Hey! I liked that music :)

Seems like a really solid camcorder. I'm surprised about the IQ.

Thanks Tommy, reminds me why I really should be shooting most of my event videos on a proper camcorder.

Howis the OIS on the camera, I did not see a test for this?

@mozes I was quite surprised as well. I just don't understand why Panasonic doesn't put in larger sensors in this sort of cameras. On the other hand it performed quite well in low light. Anyone knows how that's possible? I hope that some of the wizkids ;-) here are able to have a short look at the raw files (for a little bit of analyzing)