There is only speculation at this point. Panasonic has announced a new cinema camera at NAB Show 2017 this week. However, that’s all anyone really knows. There are exactly zero details about the camera released by Panasonic during the tease. Panasonic representatives on the NAB Show floor have offered only scanty hints of what this new camera is all about.
A mock-up of the new camera rests under veil within a thick glass case at the Panasonic booth at NAB Show between the new GH5 and the current Varicam line-up of LT, 35, and Pure. This suggests a camera that fills that void, offering more capability than the GH5, a stills camera, but not as robust (or expensive) as the Varicam LT. The bullet points above the veiled prop admit the camera is “small and light,” has “cinematic imagery,” will feature “low-cost media, workflow,” and will be “available Fall 2017.” That’s it. When asked what to call this new mystery camera, Mitch Gross, Panasonic North America’s Cinema Product Manager, during an interview stated simply it is Panasonic’s “next camera.”
How soon until the full reveal? Thankfully, that will come the first week of June at Cine Gear Expo in Los Angeles, only five weeks away.
Personally, I have been dreaming of a successor to the venerable, yet under-appreciated, AF100 from 2010. Being an owner/operator of DVX200, I am in love with the fixed-lens camcorder for video projects and some cinema-style work such as TV commercials and music videos. However, the DVX200’s biggest advantage is also it’s biggest obstacle: the fixed lens. It’s a great lens, but having a uni-body camcorder means I never will have the option to use something else. I’m stuck with that lens. Don’t get me wrong: it’s actually wonderful to never worry about changing lenses, carrying those lenses with me everywhere, risking dropping them during a change, dirtying up the sensor, and other things; but, man, it sure is nice to change lenses sometimes.
For the majority of my work over the past few years has been reality in-nature. I’ve shot a lot of corporate videos, event videos, wedding videos, interviews, news segments, et cetera. Before I purchased DVX200, I was using my current cinema camera, the Blackmagic Cinema Camera 2.5K EF which I purchased in 2013. Also, a great camera, but hell to use in a reality situation. The cage and rigging makes it bulky and heavy, the lenses need to be changed. There’s no ND wheel. White balancing is a chore. Audio has to be recorded externally, and there’s a big brick battery lazily affixed to the cage. It’s fine for a controlled set, but daunting when covering an event; something that only happens once.
With DVX200, since May of last year, I’ve only shot a few projects with the Blackmagic Cinema Camera as the majority of my work has been videography. 2016 was also the year I finally purchased a set of proper cinema lenses: the PL-mount SLR Magic APO Hyperprimes. Now, I need to start looking at upgrading my cinema camera. Lately, I have been eyeing the Blackmagic Ursa Mini Pro. However, I most likely will not be in a position ready-to-buy until end of the year. With Panasonic’s tease of a new cinema camera that just might be a spiritual successor to the AF100, or a straight-up AF200, my interest is piqued.
Panasonic Pro Europe posted this to their Instagram account.
I left the following comment:
So, I’m going to go out on a limb and guess it’s [basically] an AF200: DVX200 body and features, m4/3 lens mount (with Super 35 sensor?), internal 10-bit 4:2:2 ProRes (please!) up to DCI 4K, and that flipping LCD has a snap-on loupe. I imagine it’d actually be the same 4/3″ sensor in the GH5. Not a Varicam, but would play well with V-log L. 13 stops of dynamic range? Probably aiming to compete with FS5 and 7, and C100-300. Might even be a non-raw competitor to Ursa Mini, and if it’s priced lower, all bets are off. Whatever this thing is, I am excited. We’ll know at Cine Gear Expo…
Looking at the lens in the silhouette image, it is definitely a Sigma 24-35mm F2 DG HSM Art. I’m going to venture that is a fixed EF mount. I would imagine it is a M4/3 sensor, however, Panasonic might be alright with letting us have a Super 35 sensor. It’s not going to be a Varicam. It’s going to be a spiritual successor to the AF100 (or, the AF200). It has the same silhouette as the DVX200, minus the rear EVF and affixed lens. AF100 was basically an HVX200 body. This seems like the logical progression of things. It took forever for a successor to DVX100, and it was announced in 2015. I think this would make sense to announce an AF100 successor (again, either spiritually or a literal AF200), that would share the concept of the DVX200, but with an interchangeable lens and, hopefully, better internal codecs. Has anyone noticed that the LCD swivels horizontally (yaw roll)? That, by itself, is exciting.
Personally, I’d love an Ursa Mini Pro…unless something better comes along at the same or better price when I’m ready to buy. And, technically, i am doing just fine with my current cameras so I don’t want to upgrade my cinema camera until I can afford to do so, and with a product I know will serve mine and my clients’ needs. But, I have a cinema camera. I needed to upgrade the video camera I bought in 2010, so I bought the DVX200 (again, I would LOVE a cinema camera in a DVX200 body). Then I needed cinema glass, and then a nicer field audio recorder, etc. Late 2017/early 2018, I’m looking to upgrade the cinema camera I bought in 2013. Ursa Mini Pro has been the top contender. Who knows about this new Panasonic? I like Panasonic very, very much. So, even if it doesn’t do internal raw, if everything else is very strong, my choice could definitely go in Panasonic’s direction.
Meanwhile, user Osslund on DVXuser posted the following rumor yesterday:
Just got this info about the new camera. It will have a S35 sensor and 14 stops of dynamic range. 4k up to 60fps. 1080p up to 120fps. All the usual stuff like ND, SDI/HDMI out. The body is very light weight at about 1 kg. Media used will be SDXC cards with dual slot capacity.
The camera pars [sic] can be broken down and the shape of the camera is a mix of C100 and FS5. As is the price in the league of a C100 mkII.
If even parts of that are actually correct, Panasonic’s “next camera” could very well be an Ursa Mini Pro killer for me. Regardless, the prospect of an “AF200” is super exciting. Too bad I can’t be in Las Vegas this week to try and peak through the cloth.
