During its heyday in the 1990s, the Panasonic WV-V3 Color Video Camera was a prominent broadcast camera in the market. Incorporating Panasonic's most recent video technology of the days, it boasted user-friendly features while maintaining its status as a professional camera.
And while HD cameras are in the limelight now, the "in" gizmo of then is still a great product. This camera provides a decent professional performance at a modest price.
Professional Design and Functionality
The V3 offers operational convenience and system flexibility. Its low-profile design permits good viewing and ample working space for the camera operator. Made of durable lightweight alloys, this camera's compact size and lightweight construction allow mobility and flexibility, especially for handheld shooting. As a self-contained, well-balanced, compact ENG/EFP portable color camera, it has a die-cast chassis for rigid alignment of the optical system and a metal camera exterior for durability and RF rejection.
The V3 uses a high-performance, middle-index prism optical system. It features an easy-to-operate three-tube construction with half-inch Newvicon tubes that offer a resolution of 570 lines with low risk of burn-in.
It has full studio adaptability with five-inch studio view finder (4.5-inch actual image size, measured diagonally) and a remote control unit (RCU) for professional shoots.
Power Sources
The V3 operates from five different power sources: body-integrated NiCad battery pack, body-integrated AC adaptor, optional RCU, optional portable VTR (operated by AC adaptor) and external DC. There is also an easily accessible standby switch for reduced power consumption during idle modes.
Key Features
With horizontal resolution of 570 lines, the image produced with the V3 is generally good whether in a professional or amateur setup. It also performs well in low lighting. It has user-friendly built-in filters (including color temperature conversion filters: 3200 K, 5800 K, 5600 K with 1/8ND and closed) and a manual/auto switch for zooms. The camera's lightweight chassis contains all the automatic functions.
The 1.5-inch electronic view finder (1-3/8-inch actual image size -- measured diagonally) promotes virtually optimum results while allowing tilting and other adjustments for convenient viewing. This view finder also confirms operating conditions and provides various details including the necessary warnings while camera is in use.
The V3 also provides a clean NTSC output for use with most VTRs.
Sound Specifications
The V3 uses a side-mounted unidirectional electret condenser microphone. The switchable audio output level is -20dB or -60dB. It also offers an audio monitor output (for earphone) and an audio fade in/out effect function.
Professional Auto Functions
The V3 incorporates the ATW continuous auto white balance system in its professional functions. This system has a color temperature sensor. Automatic tracing of the white balance requirements accurately provides the light source color temperature of the subject.
A conventional auto white balance function is also included for basic use. Two memory settings (AWC1 and AWC2) allow the camera operator the option to present the balance for two different lighting conditions.
The auto beam (feedback beam) control and auto black setting (with memory) enable quick and accurate operations in various shooting modes and conditions.
With a one-touch auto-centering function, the auto-centering circuit gives a precise registration even when the V3 is handheld.
Other Advanced Functions
The V3 provides full-color bar generation with a 7.5 IRE setup. The camera's minimum illumination is three footcandles (30 lux) at F1.4 with +12dB gain.
The camera also features a servo control, power zoom lens with automatic iris control; a fade color selection switch with three options for fade-in/out effects (white, black, ext); a negative/positive picture selection; a Rec Review option for quick review of recording; a +6dB and +12dB high gain selection switch; an internal sync generator and gen-lock operation with optional RCU/gen-lock adaptor; a positive/negative VTR trigger polarity switch; and a number of attractive titles and dates for production use through an optional full-keyboard titler WV-KB12A.
Tags: color temperature, view finder, white balance, actual image, actual image size, auto white, auto white balance