Panasonic has pulled the curtain on its new entry-level handheld camcorder, the AG-AC30. Weighing just over 3 pounds, the AC30 contains many features one would expect to find on a high-level professional camcorder. Thanks to its 20x zoom and 29.5 mm wide angle lens, the AG-AC30 allows you to capture beautiful zooms and engaging wide shots.

The AG-AC30 records up to 1080p Full HD (AVCHD up to 28 Mbps and MP4/MOV up to 50 Mbps) and is capable of simultaneous recording via dual SD card slots. The AC30 also has the ability to switch from one card to the other for extended recording times. One of the stand out features of the AG-AC30 is the built-in LED light with color conversion and diffusion filters. With an output of 300 lux at 1 meter, the built-in LED light is perfect for nighttime shooting and interviews.

The 1/3.1-inch Back Side Illumination (BSI) sensor is smaller than a 1-inch and MFT sensor, but it packs a punch with an increased effective area with 6.03M effective pixels and a new Noise Reduction function for clear and vibrant images, even in low-light.

Another key attribute is the 5-Axis Hybrid Optical Image Stabilization (O.I.S.) that assists in obtaining smooth footage when shooting handheld. Zoom, Focus, and Iris can be precisely controlled with the AC30’s 3-manual, multi-purpose lens rings.  The AC30 incorporates Intelligent Auto Focus and includes an array of Focus Assist Functions such as Focus Expand, Focus Peaking, and Area Mode. An LED ring serves are a tally light and recording verification.

The 3-inch retractable LCD touch-panel offers HD monitoring, and the 1.55 million dot EVF can tilt to accommodate multiple shooting positions. The AC30 features two XLR audio inputs with +48V phantom power and an HDMI output for external monitoring and recording.

Panasonic states that the AG-AC30 will ship in August 2016 for a retail price of $1,799.

Pre-Order the Panasonic AG-AC30 from Texas Media Systems here!