NEW CAMCORDER PANASONIC AG-AF101 HD

Camcorder Panasonic AG-AF101 HD

The Panasonic AG-AF101 is an interchangeable-lens digital video camera that takes Micro Four Thirds lenses. Demonstrated to attendees at the Panasonic stand at IBC, ahead of its introduction to the market in December, the Panasonic AG-AF101 has a Four Thirds MOS sensor optimised for HD video recording. The camera can record video in Full HD (1080i/p)/720p formats including 1080/24p native mode with Full HD Variable Frame Rate function. The video can be recorded on SDXC memory cards in professional high quality PH mode (up to 24Mbps). Two SD card slots allow relay recording from one card to another to give large recording capacity of up to 12 hours in PH mode or 48 hours in HE mode. The Panasonic AG-AF101 will be released in December at a recommended retail price of €4,900+VAT.

Panasonic Press Release

Panasonic introduces cutting-edge AF101 camcorder to European market at IBC Four-thirds camera simplifies approach to cinematic style production Panasonic introduces cutting-edge AF101.

Amsterdam - 10. September 2010 - At this year’s IBC in Amsterdam, Panasonic Marketing Europe GmbH is bringing one of its latest camcorders to the European market for the first time. First previewed at NAB in April, the AG-AF101 will be demonstrated at the Panasonic stand at IBC, ahead of its introduction to the market in December. The AF101 is designed to allow production industry professionals to achieve a cinema-like footage in HD more simply than would be possible using other techniques.

Panasonic is using IBC to introduce the AG-AF101 4/3 HD camcorder, the world’s first*1 professional HD camera recorder to come equipped with a four-thirds MOS image sensor and is the first model in the Panasonic AVCCAM series to offer the possibility of exchangeable lenses. Optimised for high-definition video recording, the large image sensor on the AF101 enables professional users to achieve cinema-like wide-angle footage with shallow depth of field.

Film and Video Producer, Barry Green commented: “The AF101 promises a huge step forward for cinematographers who want a cost effective camera that delivers the look and feel of 35mm film, but without all the compromises and headaches that come from shooting on DSLRs. It lets filmmakers and video professionals seamlessly achieve the cinematic look they’ve long sought after, without having to resort to using light-hungry add-on lens adapters, or trying to work around the shortcomings of using a stills camera for a video application.”

The AF101 uses a Micro Four Thirds digital single-lens or cinematic lenses such as prime lens with a conversion adaptor, as well as professional audio input (XLR), giving it the degree of flexibility that professionals require.

The camera can record video in full HD (1080i/p)/720p formats including 1080/24p native mode with Full HD Variable Frame Rate (VFR)*2 function. The video can be recorded on the bigger capacity SDXC memory cards in professional high quality PH mode (up to 24Mbps). Two SD card slots allow relay recording from one SD (SD / SDHC / SDXC) card to another to give large recording capacity of up to 12 hours in PH mode or 48 hours in HE mode*3.

Green added: ” Panasonic’s kept the professional videographer’s needs in mind; this camera has all the necessary connections, controls, and features that working professionals expect and demand from their cameras, and added the ability to achieve cinema-style shallow depth of field. This camera could very well be the embodiment of what independent filmmakers and videographers have been waiting for.”

The camera recorder is equipped with interfaces that of a professional video camera, including HD SDI output, XLR audio 2ch (48 V phantom power source compatible) inputs. Time code recording feature is also available to deal with professional video operations.

Engineering samples of the camera recorder will be displayed at the Panasonic Stand #11.E60 at IBC in Amsterdam.  Available in December with a tentative RRP of 4,900 euro. Excl. VAT

*1:Research by Panasonic (as of September 2010)
*2: variable frame rates available in 1080p, selectable in 20 steps from 12p to 60p at 60Hz and 20 steps from 12p to 50p at 50Hz. Playback is available at 1080/24p, 1080/25p or 1080/30p. Playback at 1080/60p and 1080/50p are not available on this product.
*3: using 2pcs of 64GB SDXC memory cards.