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Panasonic AF100 at IBC expo
FYI: UrbanFox provides some of the 1st photos of the AF100 working prototype “engineering samples” now at the IBC expo in Amsterdam:
https://urbanfoxtv.blogspot.com/2010/09/new-panasonic-af100af101.htmlI expect more info will be available on Panasonic’s various websites very soon …
https://pro-av.panasonic.net/en/af100/index.html
https://www.panasonic-broadcast.com/en/news/archive.php?we_objectID=4037
https://pro-av.panasonic.net/en/index.html
https://panasonic.net/news/topics/Stay tuned!
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32 Replies
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Cool! AJA has announced a new $2K Ki Pro _MINI_ version of their portable ProRes recorder (use it with the AF100, etc.) at the IBC expo!:
https://www.aja.com/news/index_article.php?id=125 -
Barry Green reports his initial impressions (very positive, no surprise) of the AF100 prototype he’s been using at the IBC:
https://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=222673 -
That is great, I think this camera with ProRes capture is going to be the winner in 2011. This maybe the camera I go into debt to get. 10-bit 4:2:2, real audio inputs, feels and acts like a video camera, shallow depth of feel. I think I would pay 10-12K for a complete system.
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Hi Michael: Panasonic isn’t expected to release final pricing info for the AF100 series cams until later today, but it’s generally expected to sell for considerably less than the “complete system” numbers you mention in your post.
Also, compared to most video-capable DSLRs, the AF100 looks to be a fairly complete solution unto itself. For example, other than your choice of lens, you won’t need to acquire most of the add-ons typically required to make a DSLR efficient for pro shooting. The AF100 has many of those capabilities built-in (e.g.: fairly robust codec built-in, hi-res VF & LCD, 2 XLR audio inputs & live headphone monitoring, live uncompressed HD-SDI & HDMI outputs, ease & low cost of adapting lenses to the m4/3 mount, genlock & TC I/O, and so forth).
The proof will be in the pudding. Hopefully the video quality of the final shipping production units will be a very good value for the price. There’s lots of reason to believe it will be. We shall see.
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Well the Ki Pro mini is 2k, I’m sure lenses will be a couple of 2K to get fully stock and then there are extra batteries, mobile power for the Ki, probably will still need a should brace for handheld, a monitor for sticks, and or course a case, etc. I think you can normally expect to outfit a camera system for twice the cost of a camera. Of course this ratio goes sky-high the cheaper the camera gets. My Z-Finder is 1/2 the price of my DSLR, I still shake my head when I think of that, but I wouldn’t be without the Z-Finder.
There is always stuff to buy :-). But yes there is a lot less stuff, and some of our DSLR gear such come over nicely, like a follow focus.
But to me in a professional camera you really need a 4:2:2 color space, and if you can get 10-bit all the better. Opens up even simple color correcting with FCP 3-way but even better if you finish in Color or the like. The codec is a step in the right direction but it is the biggest disappoint I see with the camera. 4:2:0 long GOP is not what I want. I will gladly pay the 2K to have the ability to by-pass the in-camera codec. This not to say the codec is bad or cannot be worked with, but I think adding 1k to the price of the camera to record on P2 using AVC-Intra would be more inline with a Professional camera. This bridges the gap between professional and prosumer.
Hope you realize I’m not knocking the camera, I’m really excited about this camera and it is going to the next one I buy. Probably will sell my HVX200 to help pay for it. But like everything less it is not a prefect fit. But it is a pretty one.
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Panasonic has posted an IBC expo page for the AF100 including some “dis-assembly” photos showing a few ways the cam body itself can be configured:
https://blog.panasonic-broadcast.com/ibc-product-highlights/ag-af101/ -
An update from UrbanFox:
https://urbanfoxtv.blogspot.com/2010/09/new-panasonic-af100af101.html“UPDATE: Now we’ve had a chance to see the pictures [the AF100 prototype] can produce, we’re even more impressed. Someone from Panasonic in Germany shot a performance/theatre piece, with lots of nice shallow depth of field, and not a lot to trouble the codec. But, the pictures looked very filmic, there was no video harshness, the colours appeared to be very accurate. It was restrained, not flat, but not in your face. More interestingly, they’d given the camera to the ebullient Barry Green, of https://www.dvxuser.com, who had tried it on some of the pictures that normally cause aliasing on DSLRs, repeating patterns such as roof tiles and brickwork, and we didn’t notice any aliasing at all – and on a big screen we would have. Although recording 24Mbps AVCHD does involve a lot of compression, the pictures stood up very well. Certainly, with the advantage of the AF101’s HD-SDI output, being able to record to the Convergent Design nanoFlash, AJA’s new Ki Pro Mini or Panasonic’s own external AVC-I recorders, means that the codec choice shouldn’t be a worry – just that you’ll have to spend more on the extra recorder.”
Also, Barry Green has been updating this thread throughout the day. Lots of good info there:
https://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=222673Any CreativeCOW folks at IBC?
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For those of us who purchased Panasonic GH1s with their array of Micro 4/3 lenses, a body-only AF100 might just be the next step!
John D. Frey
25 Year owner/operator of two California-based production studios.Digital West Video Productions of San Luis Obispo and Inland Images of Lake Elsinore
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SOLD !!!
My only problem with this camera since i’ve seen it at NAB is the codec. BUT, Panasonic could not put AVC intra in ti because it would totally cannibalize their higher model cameras, so that is understandable.
AF100 + Ikan VX9 (which i just ordered) + KiPro Mini or Atomos Ninja (https://atomos.com/) + my Nikkor lenses (which i love) + i have PL Lenses at my disposal + My Micro Matte box and i think i’m cookin’.But that atomos ninja is a nice addition tho. My only grouse is that i want VFR in the Ki Pro/Ninja /whatever i’m using which it seems is not available yet.
If you do TV Alot like me this is a full RED kit
HVX200, RED ONE, FCS and more,
High End, Production & Post Production
in the Caribbean
http://www.bistt.com -
By the way, what are the battery requirements for the camera? Does it use the same batteries as the HVX 200?
HVX200, RED ONE, FCS and more,
High End, Production & Post Production
in the Caribbean
http://www.bistt.com
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