The Panasonic AG-AC130A AVCCAM HD Handheld Camcorder is an upgraded version of the AG-AC130. The upgrade consists of expanded focus assist functionality and a "turbo speed" one-push auto focus function.

With expanded focus assist you can zoom in on an image to check focus; and one-push auto focus affords the option of very quickly attaining focus in circumstances requiring on-the-go focusing.

As for other features, the AG-AC130A is a high-definition workhorse of a professional handheld camcorder. With an integrated 22x zoom lens and a 1/3-type 3MOS three-element imager, the camera captures AVCHD video to two SD/SDHC/SDXC card slots as 1080p30, 1080i60, filmic 1080p24, and 720p60.

Panasonic's professional-level PH implementation of AVCHD is the top-quality choice at a max rate of 24 Mb/s; several other data rates will conserve card space as you capture hours of HD video. For projects that require standard-def capture, the AC130A has you covered with DV recording, which can then be output via its 6-pin IEEE 1394 (FireWire) port.

The camera offers a bevy of professional-level features, including dual XLRs with phantom power, SMPTE time-code generation, gamma settings for seven different scenarios, and manual control rings for iris, zoom, and focus. To monitor the status of all settings, and to perform critical focusing functions, the AVCCAM camcorder features both a high-quality 3.45" LCD screen and a full-color LCoS 0.45" viewfinder with 1,226,000 dots (852 x 480 x 3 [RGB]) of resolution.

(Current owners of the AC130 can simply have the upgrades added to their cameras. The additions would include a hardware modification and are offered for a total of $300 at a Panasonic Authorized Service Center.)