Panasonic Unveils New 4K and High-Speed Varicam Models with Modular Design

This is from the press release and no really clear good images of the cameras have been released yet. Just these mysterious ones. I’m sure we will see some very soon. We knew about the 4K S35 VariCam but this new 240fps high speed Varicam is a surprise and the AJ-PX270 P2 HD Handheld Camcorder that uses the AVC-ULTRA codec. The camcorder will be available in March at a suggested list price of $6,350.00. The Varicam’s are modular and share the same recorder so if you need to shoot high speed just take the 4K head off and pop on the HS Varicam head. The 14 + stops of dynamic range is very impressive as well as the ability to record in RAW. More on their implementation of RAW should be available by NAB 2014. All said and done. Welcome back Panasonic! Good to see you in the game again. These cameras look very impressive on paper and I sure hope the form factor didnt get by you. If they are ergonomic as well as great image makers they will be very well received.

Key Features of the Varicam 4K

• 14+ Stops of Dynamic Range
• 4096 x 2160 S35mm CMOS sensor
• RAW Enabled
• PL Mount
• Records Internal 4K up to 120FPS
• 4K & UHD with AVC-ULTRA 4K
• 4 – 3G-HD-SDI Outputs for 4K QUAD
• 2 –  3G-HD-SDI Outputs for RAW
• HD-SDI out for monitoring in HD and down-converting 4K
• OLED Viewfinder with Optical Zoom Feature

Check out the release below.

Company’s First P2 HD Handheld Camcorder with AVC-ULTRA Recording, New ExpressP2 Card for High-Frame Rate Recording, 2 M/E Live Switcher among Other Advance Announcements

NEWARK, NJ (February 27, 2014) – Panasonic today made several announcements about products that will debut at the upcoming National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show, April 7-10 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Headlining the news is a pair of the company’s signature VariCam® cameras, one a 4K VariCam that incorporates a newly-developed super 35mm MOS image sensor, the second a third-generation, 2/3” VariCam that features high-speed 1080p image capture of up to 240fps to produce extraordinary high-definition imagery for the most demanding documentary, sports or SFX slow-motion applications.

Both new VariCam models (the VariCam 35 and VariCam HS) boast an inventive design innovation whereby the 4K and 2/3” camera heads are separate from but dockable to the recording module, enabling professionals to switch between s35mm and 2/3” camera heads to best suit their creative needs. Both VariCams include Panasonic’s AVC-ULTRA family of advanced video codecs.

“Building on the esteemed VariCam legacy of breathtaking image rendition and versatile off-speed effects, this next-generation modular design will deliver unprecedented flexibility to users, who can move between the worlds of sports, documentary, and other content creation with extraordinary ease and efficiencies,” said Steve Cooperman, Product Manager, Panasonic System Communications Company of North America.

Other NAB introductions include a new generation of P2 solid-state recording media, the expressP2 card, specifically designed to accommodate high frame rate recording as well as 4K capture; the AJ-PX270, the company’s first P2 HD handheld camcorder with AVC-ULTRA recording; and the AV-HS6000, a powerful, cost-effective 2 M/E switcher with 32 HD-SDI plus two DVI-D inputs and 16 HD-SDI outputs.

The Panasonic VariCam: A Legacy of Cinematic Image Rendition

The VariCam 35’s superb image handling in multiple formats including 4K, UHD, 2K and HD make it an unparalleled tool for high-end filmmaking and commercials and episodic production as well as live 4K events. With an expanse of formats ranging from flawless 4K RAW output to more practical 4K, UHD, 2K and HD capture, the VariCam 35 represents a matchless option for premier digital capture

The VariCam 35 utilizes a new Panasonic super 35mm MOS sensor for 4096 x 2160 (17:9) 4K image capture; this imager when combined with the AVC-ULTRA codecs for 4K enables very manageable and practical 4K production file sizes. The new imager boasts an impressive 14+ stops of latitude, and faithfully captures high-contrast, wide dynamic range imagery without compromise.

The VariCam HS utilizes three newly-developed, 1920 x 1080p MOS imagers with an extraordinary 14 stops of dynamic range, providing full control over wide range lighting conditions for unparalleled 1080p native recording/operation. Among the camcorder’s key features are real-time high frame rate and off-speed recording to 240fps in 1080p (using AVC-Intra Class100), plus the ability to ramp / change frame rates during record.

The VariCam HS will feature a range of high-quality recording formats including AVC-Intra Class100 (recording as 1080/24p, 30p or 60p format with VFR (up to 240p), AVC-Intra Class200 (up to 30p/60i) and AVC-Intra Class4:4:4 (up to 30p). Both AVC-Intra Class200 and AVC-Intra Class4:4:4 deliver spectacular performance in applications where image quality is the utmost consideration.

The 4K  and 2/3” VariCam will both use Panasonic’s new expressP2 card for high frame rate recording; each camera is  equipped with four total card slots, for two expressP2 cards and two microP2 cards. Both VariCam models will launch fall 2014, with pricing to be announced.

New ExpressP2 Drive Allows Fast Transfer of High-Speed Footage

The 256GByte expressP2 Card facilitates the 4K VariCam 35’s recording of  4K video at frame rates up to 120p, as well as the 2/3” VariCam HS’s 1080 HD recording at frame rates to 240fps. The expressP2 card offers fast transfer speeds (up to 2.4Gbps.), and contains a flash memory error correction system, equivalent to a RAID system, to recover from a failure in a sector, page, or entire block.

The simultaneous introduction of the expressP2 card drive will facilitate the fast offload of material from the expressP2 card at speeds up to 2.4Gbps. The expressP2 card drive incorporates one card slot compatible with both expressP2 and standard P2 cards The expressP2 card and drive will be available in fall 2014, with pricing to be announced.

AJ-PX270 Offers Flexible 3G/4G/LTE Wireless Mobility

Combining the high quality and incredible efficiency of low bit rate recording and the flexibility of 3G/4G/LTE wireless mobility, the five-pound PX270 provides all the key functionality of Panasonic’s high-end, shoulder-mount camcorder (the AJ-PX5000 with AVC-ULTRA). It also features newly-developed high-sensitivity, low-noise 1/3” 3-MOS imagers to produce stunning pictures, even in low light conditions.

With its innovative AVC-ULTRA codec, the PX270 features a wide range of recording modes. For high-quality recording, the camera records in 100Mbps AVC-Intra100, as well as optional 200 Mbps AVC-Intra200. For applications where file size is critical, e.g., for wireless feeds, the camcorder incorporates a choice of AVC-LongG quality levels: these 10-bit, 4:2:2 sampled codecs record in much smaller file sizes, saving storage cost and transfer time while maintaining equal or better video quality to existing legacy codecs. Addressing the need for high-speed file exchange, the PX270’s high-resolution AVC-Proxy encodes in parallel with higher bandwidth production formats, enabling fast, efficient offline editing.

A newly designed, compact, 22X zoom lens offers a wide 28 mm to tele 616 mm (35mm equivalent) zoom range. The camcorder will be available in March at a suggested list price of $6,350.00.

This video is from IBC 2013 and shows the prototype of the Varicam 4K We don’t know as of today if the camera looks the same but it is verified that both high speed and 4K Varicam’s are modular.

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Filed in: 4K • Panasonic
Tagged with: Varicam 4K