Panasonic’s 4/3″ camera AG-AF100

[Dan Brockett]

I think it will be a very interesting camera. Wide angle fast lenses will be a challenge. While you can adapt just about any lens to the 4/3 mount, the crop ratio is 2.0 so your 20mm 2.8 Nikon, Zeiss or Canon becomes a 40mm 2.8. It also means that you will need to use a wide angle lens to be a normal view lens and a normal view lens will become a short tele.

I have not shot much with AVCHD but I have edited some footage and it can look very good. You wouldn’t want to shoot a lot of green screen or do a lot of compositing with it, but most of the projects I shoot and produce do not have green screen or a lot of compositing. It will be nice to have the option of an AG-HPG20, Nanoflash or Ki-Pro to record it’s output.

Since this camera is using the same imager as the consumer GH-1 camera, I will have to be convinced as far as noise and skew levels. I hope that with the better DSP engineering and better codec, that the output will be superior to our current DSLRs. I own the 5D MKII and really dig it, but it is a really limited camera as far as what I shoot with it and how I can use it. If this camera mitigates all of those factors, while keeping extreme low light capability and has a very nice image, I would buy it. Having all of the great parts of a DSLR system combined with XLRs, phantom, time code and video ergonomics sounds like the holy grail. We’ll see what Panasonic can actually deliver and what the shooting experience will be like.

Dan

Dan

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[Mike Jeffs]

I’m with you this camera is really exciting!!! I don’t care about codec either, my plan would be to connect via a Nano Flash record 220 mbit. i think panasoinc has hit the nail on the head a DSLR-like camera but in a Real Video camera form factor, can wait to see some test footage 🙂 I know what they had at NAB was a early early test model but i wonder what else the’ll put under the hood when all is said and done.

Mike Jeffs
Video Coordinator
BYU-Idaho

[Jeff Regan]

I will add this camera to our rental inventory as soon as I can get my hands on it!

Dan, Academy frame is 22X16mm, 4/3’s is 17X13mm, so it’s not a big difference to me–I’m used to shooting Academy with our Letus Ultimates and B4 Pro 2/3″ relay. I find the DOF to be plenty shallow with Academy and FF35 to be over the top unless shooting at f4-5.6.

I think Panasonic is on the right track here and everything I’ve read about pricing rumors is $6K or less. This will have a big effect on VDSLR’s and DOF adapters in 2011.

Jeff Regan
Shooting Star Video
http://www.ssv.com

[Dan Brockett]

I now have had my 5DMKII for over a year. I also have a Letus Extreme sitting around, collecting dust. Guess I should sell it, if anyone out there is even buying these anymore?

Dan

Providing value added material to all of your favorite DVDs

[Jeff Regan]

Dan,

Don’t know how DOF adapters are selling, but our two Letus Ultimates still get rented a lot. I’m sure they will slow down at some point, but it hasn’t happened yet–even with the 5D’s and 7D’s being so prevalent. I believe it’s because many DP’s prefer shooting with real video cameras and that’s the strength of the AF100, as you know.

Jeff Regan
Shooting Star Video
http://www.ssv.com

[Emre Tufekci s.o.a.]

I’m even more excited about the ALEXA. As soon as ARRI starts delivering, I am getting one.

Emre Tufekci
http://www.productionpit.com

[Jeff Regan]

Yes, at 10X the price of the AF100, the Alexa should offer some advantages! I’m happy Arri provides inboard ProRes recording via SxS cards, this is very convenient, in addition to raw outboard options.

Dynamic range and low noise for Alexa and Red Mysterium X look to be big advances and Scarlet will also be of interest.

Jeff Regan
Shooting Star Video
http://www.ssv.com

[Dan Brockett]

Emre:

If you have the amount of business to support buying an Alexa, I am very happy for you, you are one of the few. With everything needed to make a shooting package, are you at around $100k? Or would the Arri just replace another body that you already have? Would be great to see some footage and hear about your experience with it if you buy one.

I think that this new Panasonic will be more my speed, I paid off my HPX170 with four months of charging it as a camera package to clients. If I put $10k into this new camera including building up various mounts and lenses and perhaps adding an AG-HPG20 so I can keep using my P2 cards, I think it will be a good investment. I am done buying expensive cameras, I had a BVWD600 in the late 90s, that cost me close to $80k after glass and a tripod. After I replaced it with a DVX100A, I never looked back, I now really dislike shooting with large, heavy and complex cameras. In my business, cameras over $10k are rented, I will never own one again.

Cheers,

Dan

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[Noah Kadner]

Saw this cam briefly at NAB (well a mockup anyway) and having shot a bit with the GF1 which uses the same 4/3 mount, this looks like a big winner from Panasonic to me. Will definitely grab when it comes out.

Noah

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[Emre Tufekci s.o.a.]

Hey Dan,

I completely understand your business model and in fact apply the same at our shop. We have kits (we dont do rentals) that include everything except the camera and just rent cameras depending on the clients need.

At the same time we have high-end clients who require certain cameras systems for their productions. Buying a F-35 is too expensive of a return to try to make that money back in productions. The Alexa seems like it will provide us with a affordable package that we can actually make a profit over the years and not waste our money on rental.

Of course we have our HVX w/Letus for the clients with less money as well. They pay themselves off very quick. I am excited to see what the AG-AF100 will look and shoot like but it’s still some time away.

PS: I would be more than happy to share all my results if we do end up getting the Alexa.

Cheers,

Emre Tufekci
http://www.productionpit.com