Pro video blog…Produced by Philip Johnston DoP/Editor

HDSLRs will be dead in the water come September by all those using them for convenience, size and shallow depth of field. Professional DPs have had fun tinkering with HDSLRs but now a far better professional alternative is just round the corner we will see a major departure away from the HDSLR technology.

I put my hand up, I don’t use my 5D2 for video as they were never designed by Canon as a professional video tool, some people would have you believe otherwise.

Panasonic for once have been very astute by developing the AF100 to take micro 4/3″ lenses, prime lenses and 35mm lenses, the camcorder on paper looked like an old cine  camera when it first appeared in illustration form but as we are now seeing it in real life its looking fantastic.

The AG-AF100 series features HD-SDI output, XLR audio 2-channel input, and other interfaces that are typically found on professional camcorders. Time code, in addition to its compact, lightweight body, the AG-AF100 series’s professional camcorder design with grip, handle and large viewfinder.

A wide variety of lenses for Micro Four Thirds standard digital SLR cameras can be used for filming shallow depth of field productions. With the mount adaptor, it is also possible to mount 35mm film camera lenses and prime lenses, to render images that maximize lens characteristics.

The AVCHD recording format used by the AG-AF100 series includes a professional PH mode with maximum AVCHD bit rate for stunning image quality. Two SDHC card slots allow continuous recording for up to 12 hours in PH mode and up to 48 hours in HE mode with two SDHC/SDXC cards on board.

The AG-AF100 series records in

1080:59.94i/50i/29.97p/25p/23.98p

or 720:29.94p/50p/29.97p/25p/23.98p with its multi HD format.

The Dynamic Range Stretcher, Gamma Select and other image features have also been inherited from previous Panasonic professional camcorders.

Prices and availability during IBC in September.

author

Having been working in the video business since 1988 I have amassed a great amount of knowledge of both the kit and production values over the last 30 years.

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