For this there are a surprising number of Panasonic features and capabilities that give a touch of professional Feeling:
First, there are front left, a tiny lever "Camera Function" of another function relocated at every pressure on the focus ring, and in the following order: Focus, White Balance, shutter speed and aperture or gain or brightness.
This of course is not comparable with a professional camera, where these functions and others such as the volume per channel, etc. directly controllable on separate control elements, but at least you can control it, and that simple and fairly efficient, depending on the shooting situation. Once you have mastered these possibilities, you can pretty much achieve in principle the effects that can cause up directly with a professional camera.
An important point is, for example, the focus-shift from short-range to long-distance or vice versa, what you can not do easily with other camcorders because they make everything sharp, near or far.
Here you will - in the way very sharp viewfinder - supported by blue edge enhancement with optimal sharpness.
Next, you can change the color temperature and brightness not only over the white balance, but by playing around on the sensor sensitivity. Appears as wood to reddish, you can the "gain" raise gradually to +9 or +15 dB to the colors appear natural. Of course, this function is also extremely important when shooting at night to illuminate the dark areas or not to overdrive in the light.
I do not want too much to go into detail, but just these controls make the appeal of the X929.
You can not judge the X929 without the Sony PJ780 to keep next to it. Both are the top models in the consumer sector and is currently the absolute stars who are engaged in a head to head race. There is the Legria 30 of Canon, but I think that it does not play a big role.
If you want to see what the PJ780 can at night, I invite you to my report "major fire in Horndorf" to look for example at the Internet stations SETV. It was formed on the light sensitivity without additional lighting, external microphone or manipulation.
Opposite the PJ780 also the stability of the X929 is not as effective and does not work so precisely (swivels slightly at the end of the tracking shot). The microphones can üerwachen well, you can see for each channel a bar graph on the display / viewfinder, but they are built up inside the unit and not decoupled properly. When PJ780 they are directed outside the housing and to the front. Who is filming seriously, but connect a Rohde or Sennheiser MKE400 with windbreak. The sound can be "monitors" in this class course on headphones. The shoe adapter is mounted front right, is very stable and has standard size. With Sony you need an adapter.
With external microphone, the X929 does not have to hide from the PJ780, it is also smaller and more slender, and the way a lot more affordable.
The X929 is very sharp, but not as razor sharp as the SD909. See also Slashcam tests. Insiders tell under his hand that the SD929 was so good that the sales of broadcast cameras has suffered. Somehow have some that feel like it can be explained otherwise, that's a good used SD909 expensive than at the time a new or as an X929 2 Years Later?
No matter, Panasonic has perhaps zurückgeruddert with the X929, but she does not only images but also super fun.
Quite apart from the price and the built-in projector the PJ780, both camcorders are very different:
The PJ780 is the amateur like who does not would like to "fiddle" to the settings, their Automatic makes almost everything right and the stability is quite remarkable.
The X929, however, has almost as many options as a professional camera in a small space and needs anyway a good external microphone.
ME will appeal to the advanced amateur and better offers very interesting manual options.
Both cameras can be quickly switched on and off by pulling the viewfinder or pushes.
In the X929, the viewfinder can be swiveled not upward in the Sony PJ780 already.
Some complain that the batteries must be charged in the camera. This is in my opinion absolutely incidental. If you anyway a top device in this class anschafft, then also with spare batteries that you load overnight.
I always 3-4 batteries ready them each 1 for each camera with three times the capacity. That's enough for about 5 hours. Add to that a little with a little more than an hour in your pocket. Good brand batteries cost between 15 and 50 euros, depending on size. If you buy a Mercedes, you finally complains not about the fact that no winter tires are not included.
By the way, the batteries of the predecessor models adjust the PJ780 and X929!
This is noteworthy, considering that Panasonic Lumix LX3 for example, with the, LX5, LX7, GH2 and GH3 each new batteries and charger introduced. If Sony is no different and I have a window seat full of chargers.
When the camcorder is different and you thereby saving a lot of money, because so is not difficult to get yourself a pair of spare batteries. Topic by!
If you ask me which of the cameras I liked, so I can not answer that question: It's just like children, they are all different and you want to miss any.
So we keep our cameras, the 10-year-old Pana NV-GS400 make itself with 3CCDs or the Sony CX-305E, which not even have a scratch and still damn good pictures .... because they can not be easy for a sell apple and an egg!
A I would still be on the way: If the money is not enough for a PJ780, you do not need to be sad in the least, because the performance of the X929 are absolutely "breathtaking" and amazing.
You just have to experiment a lot and discover the hidden skills to discover this wonder device.
My conclusion: The part is absolutely awesome, plus for the money!
In one, you should still pay attention: I have one of our X929 here as "used like new" Warehouse Deals bought, a few days after Frank Nielsen had his defective returned. That was good! She is so faulty, defective as it gets, even the switch does not respond when the camera hangs. Not even any other card or anything else! Also lacked the power cord. So be careful with cars!
