I have just secured funding for a major new documentary about Type One Diabetes which will be filmed using the new Panasonic AG-AF101 FilmLike camcorder. This will be very significant for various reasons but I will be one of the first DPs in the UK to use this new camcorder in anger and gain an inner knowledge of the camera for fellow DPs contemplating the purchase of this new camcorder.

I intend using a newly developed Canon lens mount with my Canon “L” glass to achieve that coveted shallow depth of field for all my interviews. The new Canon mount will allow all the functions of the new lenses including aperture and focus. A unit will be available to allow wireless focus pulling.

I will not only be blogging my experiences with the AF101 but producing a user documentary for HD Warrior and a user review for H Preston Media.

Having worked for over a year researching Type One Diabetes we are now in a position to produce a feature length documentary on the subject covering all aspects of diabetes from various interviews to drama scenarios all filmed with the new Panasonic AF101 FilmLike camcorder.

Why not shoot it with my Canon 5D Mk11…because I have never rated it for serious film work though Philip Bloom would say otherwise but I am a bit longer in the tooth than Mr Bloom and I prefer to work with video cameras like the AF101 as I can also choose the video format better suited to my style of work, 720 50p.

Why not choose 24p…simple I don’t want to give myself a major headache during editing and I prefer working with 720 50p I get great results from 720 and everything else will be filmed with 720, it also transfers cleaner and less problematic to SD DVD than 1080.