Panasonic AG-HMC150 Installation guide

SCHOOL OF FILMMAKING
1533 S. Main Street
Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27127
BASIC INSTRUCTIONS ON THE SET-UP OF THE
PANASONIC AG-HMC150 VIDEO CAMERA
SOUND DEVICES MIX PRE AUDIO MIXER
AND
TASCAM DR-40 RECORDER

BASIC INSTRUCTIONS ON THE SET-UP OF THE
PANASONIC AG-HMC150 HD VIDEO CAMERA
SOUND DEVICES MIX PRE AUDIO MIXER
AND
TASCAM DR-40 RECORDER
Table of Contents
Panasonic AG-HMC-150 HD Video Camera
1
Procedure to White Balance the Camera
6
Formatting SD Cards
7
Setting the Time Code
8
Basic Playback Operation
10
Sound Devices Mix Pre Audio Mixer & Tascam DR-40 Recorder Setup
11
Tascam DR-40 Recording Instructions
14
Copying Sound Files to Laptop Computer
16
Quick Formatting the SD Card
17
Importance of Slating
18

1
CONNECT BNC
VIDEO CABLE (with
BNC to RCA Adapter)
TO
VIDEO INPUT/OUTPUT
OTHER END CONNECTS TO VIDEO INPUT ON
FRONT OF TV/VCR CART
SCHOOL OF FILMMAKING
1533 S. Main Street
Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27127
SET-UP OF PANASONIC AG-HMC150P VIDEO CAMERA
The following pages contain basic instructions on the setup of the video camera that
you will be using on your fall and spring semester projects. If you follow these
instructions carefully you should have no problem with the setup and use of this
equipment. For more detailed instructions on the camera, mixer or recorder please
refer to the operating instructions which can be found at www.uncsafilm.net/manuals.
NOTE: THE CAMERA RECORDS TO AN SD OR SDHC MEMORY CARD. IT IS
RECOMMENDED TO USE AN SD CARD AT LEAST 8 GB IN SIZE. STUDENTS ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING THEIR OWN SD CARDS FOR SHOOTING.
Panasonic HMC-150 Camera
•Set up camera on tripod or dolly
•Attach battery
•Level and Balance Camera on Head
•Connect the BNC Video Cable with BNC to RCA Adapter to VIDEO INPUT/OUTPUT
of the Camera
CAMERA RIGHT

2
In order to shoot in the “NORMAL” mode, set the Scene File switch to F1.
Set Audio Input Switches to “LINE”
INPUT 1 – Set to “LINE”
INPUT 2 – Set to “LINE”

3
Set switches on camera left side as follows:
IRIS – Pressing this button switches between Auto Iris and Manual Iris
Use the Wheel to the left of the Iris button to adjust the F-Stop when in
Manual Mode
GAIN – Set to “L”
WHITE BAL – Set to “A” or “B”
RING – sets the operation of the outer lens ring (FOCUS adjusts the lens focus,
IRIS adjusts the F-Stop)
DISP/MODE CHK -During recording or while recording is paused, pressing and
holding this button displays recording functions, setting
status and functions assigned to the USER buttons.
AUTO/MANUAL – Set to Manual

4
FOCUS – Set to “A” for Auto Focus
Set to “M” for Manual Focus
FOCUS ASSIST – Pressing this enlarges the center of the
frame allowing easier eye focusing.
ND Filter – Set to OFF
USER BUTTONS – You can assign specific features to
each button using the MENU selection SW MODE.
MANUAL-SERVO – Controls the ZOOM lens switch. Set
to MANUAL to zoom by hand and set to SERVO to use
the zoom control on the hand grip or the zoom lever on
the handle.
BARS – Push to select Color Bars.
SHUTTER – Set to “OFF”
CH1 SELECT – Set to “INPUT 1”
CH2 SELECT – Set to “INPUT 2”
INPUT 1 – Set to “OFF”
INPUT 2 – Set to “OFF”
ZEBRA – Set to “OFF”, unless you are familiar
with how to use the ZEBRA setting
OIS – Set to “ON”

5
•Insert SD card into slot on back of camera and format card according to the
following instructions.
1. Turn camera power switch to OFF.
2. Tilt viewfinder upwards and open the SD Memory Card Slot by sliding the
cover to the left.
3. Fully insert an SD Memory Card into the card slot.
4. Close the SD Memory Card slot cover.
SD Memory Card Slot
SD Memory Card Slot Closed
SD Memory Card Slot Open
Before shooting, you must perform the following:
•Format SD Card according to instructions on the following pages.
These instructions are taken from the HMC-150 Operating Manual which can be
found at www.uncsafilm.net/manuals.
•Reset the TIME CODE to ZERO. Follow the instructions on the next pages.
These instructions are taken from the HMC-150 Operating Manual which can be
found at www.uncsafilm.net/manuals.

6
•White Balance the camera according to the following procedures.
1. Turn Power Switch to ON.
2. Set White Balance Switch to “A” or “B”
3. Point lens at White Card or White Object.
4. While looking in Viewfinder, push AWB Button on Front of Camera. Message on
screen or in viewfinder should read “AWB Ach OK” or “AWB Bch OK”
•Record Color Bars. Press BARS button and Color Bars should appear.
When you have color bars on screen, record the bars for approximately 30 seconds.
•Check your SD card before shooting to be sure you have picture (COLOR BARS)
•Check SD card after shooting your first shot to be sure you have picture.
NOTE: The native recording format for the camera is 1080/24P
The Panasonic HMC-150 contains many menus which can be set for various shooting
situations. For more information you may check the full manual of the camera at
www.uncsafilm.net/manuals.

11
IMPORTANT - THE SOUND CART SHOULD COME PRE-WIRED. IN THE EVENT IT IS NOT
PLEASE FOLLOW THE FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS.
SOUND DEVICES MIX PRE AUDIO MIXER & TASCAM DR-40 RECORDER SETUP
Sound Devices Mixer Left Side – Input Panel
1. Plug microphone XLR plug into Mic Input 1
2.
•Set Phantom to 48v (up)
•Set Lowcut to 80 (up)
•Set Limiter to ON (down)
Sound Devices Mixer Right Side – Output Panel
3. Plug the XLR-F

¼” TRS cable into Line Output 1
(other side connects to Tascam Recorder Line In – See Next Step)
Tascam Recorder
4. Plug the ¼” TRS XLR-F cable into Line In on Recorder
(other side connects to Sound Devices Mixer Line Output – See Previous Step)
48v 80 ON

12
Sound Devices Mixer Right Side – Output Panel
5. Plug 1/8” TRS 1/8” TRS into Tape Return on Mixer
(other side connect to Tascam Recorder Headphone out – See Next Step)
Tascam Recorder
6. Plug 1/8” TRS 1/8” TRS into Recorder Headphone Out
(other side connect to Tape Return on Sound Devices Mixer – See Previous Step)

13
Sound Devices Mixer Front
7.
•Assign Channel 1 to Center (middle of LCR)
•Set Power to EXTernal
•Plug phone splitter into PHONES jack (for mixer & boom operator’s headphones)
•Adjust Mic 1 gain for correct recording level
•Adjust PHONE level to taste
Note: In between takes, the mixer can talk to the boom-op by switching the Slate switch to the right
which opens up an on-mixer mic.
SET TO
CENTER
SET
TO
EXT
PHONE
SPLITTER
ADJUST TO
RECORDING
LEVEL
PHONE
LEVEL

14
TASCAM DR-40 RECORDER
RECORDING INSTRUCTIONS
BEFORE you turn the DR-40 on, check:
1. On left side of unit (near headphone jack), EXT IN should be set to LINE (far left)
2. HOLD switch should be set to right (otherwise you can’t use any buttons)
SET TO LINE
SET TO THE RIGHT
3. To turn unit ON or OFF, hold the [O/I
Home] button for 3 seconds
4. A screen will ask to select BUS POWER
or STORAGE. Choose BUS POWER by
pressing Enter

15
5. Check input & output levels:
6. On left side of unit, press the “Input level” – key until input level is set to minimum value of 0. The
screen temporarily reads 1 / 2 input level: 0
8. To record a take:
• Press the RECORD button once to enter “record ready” so you can set levels with mixer
• Press RECORD again to begin recording (counter rolls, and •|| turns to •)
• Press Home button to stop recording (counter resets to
 00:00:00)
There is a PEAK led on the right front of the unit that shows when you are recording TOO LOUD!
The meter shows the recording level (you should be recording at least to the – 12 tick mark)
INPUT LEVEL KEY
7. On front of unit, press + or – keys to set playback level
to four units down from max (which is unity gain from input
to output).
The screen temporarily reads Vol

+ KEY
– KEY

16
Screen Display (when in record ready):
BWF 24 / 48K MONO
•|| 00:00:00
“””””””””””””””^””””” lowcut
off
EXT effect
--db
UNCSA1_0001.wav
What this means is the files are 24 bit/48k broadcast wave files, we are using the MONO EXTernal
line input, and the file about to be recorded is called UNCSA1_0001.wav. We are in record-ready
with the file length counter reset to 00:00:00 (hrs:min:sec). The – db is the peak level of input. The
lowcut, off and effect are not being used.
To copy files to your laptop:
Turn unit OFF
•Plug the USB transfer cable between the unit and your laptop (replacing the power USB cable)
•Turn unit ON (select STORAGE by using +/- buttons, then Enter)
•When SD card mounts, copy files from the unit’s MUSIC folder to an appropriate folder on your
•laptop
•After copying, drag SD card image to trash (un-mounting) and re-plug USB power supply cable
•As a safety, copy your audio files from your laptop to a USB jump drive
•See “Quick Formatting SD card” on the next page

17
Quick Formatting SD card
(And Initializing FileCounter)
Once you’re SURE you have safely copied your audio files from the SD card to your laptop (and a
safety jump drive), you should Quick Format the card as follows:
•Press Menu (on front)
•Use + / -buttons to select OTHERS, then Enter
•Use + / -buttons to select SYSTEM, then Enter
•Use + / -buttons to select QUICK FORMAT, then
Enter, Enter, Enter
•Press Home (to get back to the home screen)
Lastly, you need to reset the filename counter:
•Press Menu
•Use + / -buttons to select OTHERS, then Enter
•Use + / -buttons to select FILE NAME, then Enter
•Use + / -buttons to select COUNT INIT, then Enter,
Enter, Enter
•Press Home (to get back to the home screen)

18
Importance of Slating
After the lighting, blocking, rehearsals, etc., you are finally ready to “Take One”.
The point of slating is to give a visual and aural starting mark to the camera and sound recorder. To
make sure everyone is on the same page, a simple set of call-outs lets everyone know you’re ready.
The sequence is roughly:
1st AD “Quiet on Set”
“Roll Sound”
Sound Mixer “Sound Speeding”
(if your record button is not solidly lit, you are not speeding!)
1st AD “Roll Camera”
1st AC “Camera Rolling”
2nd AC “Scene 3A, Take 5” “Marker”
[clapping the slate in front of the camera while the boom-op picks
up the sound]
Camera Operator “Set”
Director “Action”
Without a slate, syncing sound to picture becomes a nightmare instead of a piece of cake.