Review on Panasonic HC-V380 Camcorder

I present to you a review of the Panasonic HC-V380 camcorder from a well-known Japanese company.

The main criteria for choosing a video camera were the following: good video quality, the ability to take photos, workmanship, ease of use, reasonable price.

This model of camcorder meets all these criteria. I’ll say right away. The camera shoots very well for its budget category. When shooting outdoors with good natural light, the video is very good. When shooting indoors, the video quality becomes worse. As an average user, the quality of the video and photo suits me perfectly. The device itself is made in Malaysia, the quality of materials and assembly is good. No complaints.

Next, the photo shows a view of the camcorder with an open screen. The screen can be rotated. The maximum angle of rotation is 180 degrees, which is convenient and in some cases necessary when shooting from uncomfortable positions.

Color display, touch. When using the display, a slight press on the display is required, not a touch. The display shows all the necessary information. In the lower right corner of the display there is an icon for switching video / photo modes. When using a camcorder, I always turn on the grid to properly level the camcorder and crop. Naturally there is a battery icon showing the battery level, an icon for the available recording time, or the number of photos that can be taken. You can also see the set shooting mode.

The menu for this camcorder is simple and logical. Much is clear without instructions. Upon entering the main menu, we get access to general settings (setting the date and time, language selection, formatting the memory card) and recording settings (recording format, resolution, zoom settings, turning on the optical stabilizer, effects, etc.). Navigate through the menu using the arrows shown on the display. When viewing the footage, unsuccessful videos or photos can be deleted. Of course, the video you just shot can be viewed, there is a fast rewind. Photos can be viewed in slide show mode.

The package includes a battery (battery) with a capacity of 1940 mAh. Not the most powerful battery, which lasts for about 1.5 hours. But you can connect an external battery (such as PowerBank) to the camcorder. Therefore, the issue of powering the camcorder is solved quite easily, and you can not buy an additional battery. The battery is installed and removed without any problems.

AC adapter with power cable, through which you can connect an external battery if necessary. The network adapter can operate on 110 V and 220 (240) V.

USB cable (or rather USB-microUSB) for connecting to a computer. This cable, in my opinion, is a little short, could be made more authentic.

HDMI cable for connecting, for example, to a TV. Since modern TVs are equipped with HDMI-connectors, the presence of such a cable is very appropriate.

The camcorder is lightweight (252 g) and compact. For reliable grip in the hand there is a strap with Velcro, which allows you to adjust the strap on the hand.

In this photo, you can see the connector for connecting the charging cable and the lens shutter lever.

At the end of the camcorder is a place to install the battery. The battery is easy to install. Next to the battery is a record / stop button. Above the battery you can see the status indicator.

The zoom lever (W / T) is clearly visible in this photo, it is also responsible for adjusting the speaker volume, and a button for taking pictures. When taking pictures, as usual, press the button halfway to focus, and then to the end to shoot.

On the bottom of the camcorder’s body there is a compartment for a memory card and a threaded connection for attaching a tripod.

Camcorder lens. If necessary, closes with a curtain. Below the lens is a microphone.

In the photo below, the main camcorder controls are clearly visible: the lowest button to turn the camcorder on / off (the camcorder can be turned on and off simply by opening and closing the display), the WiFi module button, the smooth snapshot function button, the video or photo view mode enable button on the video camera display. You can also see the sound speaker, microUSB, HDMI, A/V connectors (the cable is not included, and it is not needed now).

I emphasize only that the camcorder has a good five-axis hybrid stabilizer, excellent 50x optical zoom (few camcorders can boast of this), 90x intelligent zoom, 28mm wide-angle lens, WiFi module.

When taking pictures, you can use the self-timer function (timer).

When shooting movies, you can take pictures by pressing the shutter button during recording.

The built-in (internal) memory of the camcorder is missing. The maximum capacity of an SDXC memory card that the camcorder supports is 128 GB.

Recording Formats: MP4 (1080 / 50M, 1080 / 28M, 720), iFrame, AVCHD. All you need to view, record, edit.

The camcorder has automatic and manual settings. The shooting modes will greatly simplify the shooting process: portrait, beach, snow, sport, night landscape, etc. Manual settings provide great opportunities for experimentation.

Manual settings allow you to set the shutter speed, focus, white balance, brightness.

There is also a baby monitor function and the ability to connect three smartphones. But for me, these functions are unlikely to be in demand.

Among the shortcomings, I can note the small physical size of the matrix, not the most powerful battery and a rather weak microphone. But the video camera is also a budget one, do not forget about it.

I am satisfied with the purchase. For shooting some interesting moments of life for the home video archive is the most.

The article is written on the basis of materials of this site.

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