Panasonic Australia unveils new Varicams
Sydney, October 21, 2014: Panasonic Australia has launched the much anticipated 4K Varicam 35 and High Definition Varicam HS cameras.
These third generation cameras arrive in two new variants – the super35mm, 4K Varicam 35, and the 2/3 type, high speed HD Varicam HS. Both have a modular design which gives them flexibility in configuration, and they also retain features from Panasonic’s original Varicams, such as V-Log Gamma to cover a wide latitude. The latest generation cameras also feature an impressive .14+ stops of dynamic range.
Matthew Alexander, Product Marketing Manager – Broadcast, Panasonic Australia, said: “The Varicam 35 can simultaneously record in two different formats and codecs and has an in-camera colour grading function. This means it is possible to record a 4K master and HD simultaneously and begin colour grading on site, which will greatly help production companies to streamline their workflows. The 14+ stops of dynamic range across all ISO settings also sets the Varicam35 apart and allows cinematographers to get much more latitude in their images.”
The Varicam HS provides smooth slow motion effects, with high speed 1080p image capture at up to 240fps without a cache memory. It is aimed at the production of extraordinary high-definition imagery, for the most demanding documentaries, sports or SFX slow-motion applications.
The Varicam 35 incorporates a newly-developed super35mm MOS image sensor and images can be handled in variable frame rates up to 120 frames per second (fps)*. It delivers a variety of recording formats, including 4K and UHD in AVC-ULTRA 4K, and 2K and 1080p HD in AVC-Intra 100.
Future firmware upgrades will allow HD recording with Apple ProRes** and V-RAW recording with a Codex V-RAW Recorder. This means a wider variety of creative choice for image creation and a faster workflow, due to the ability to simultaneously record in multiple formats.
Panasonic has also developed a next generation of P2 solid-state recording for these Varicam series products. Specifically designed to capture 4K or high speed HD images, the expressP2 card and drive offers fast transfer speeds (up to 2.4Gbps). The expressP2 card (AU-XP0256A) provides 72 minutes recording time in 4K/25p mode with high data reliability by containing a flash memory error correction system, equivalent to a RAID system, to recover from a failure in a sector, page, or entire block.
The Varicam35 and Varicam HS are available now to buy from specialist Panasonic Professional Video Resellers and to rent from leading rental houses.
For more information contact Panasonic on 132 600 or visit www.panasonic-broadcast.com.au
*4K 120fps will be available by firmware upgrade in the near future.
**The Apple ProRes format is licensed from Apple Inc. The Apple ProRes codec component is licensed from ATOMOS Global Pty. Ltd.