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Panasonic AG-AF100A topic
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    Panasonic Introduces The AG-AF100A Series Micro Four Thirds Camera Recorder Featuring Full HD Progressive Recording And 10 Bit 4:2:2 Camera Live Output Via SDI Terminal

    Osaka, Japan (November 5th, 2012) — Panasonic Corporation will release the new AG-AF100A Series Memory Card Camera Recorder in November 2012.

    The AG-AF100A Series is the professional HD camera recorder with a Micro Four Thirds mount. As with the conventional model AG-AF100 Series, AG-AF100A Series can use a wide range of lenses including Micro Four Thirds compatible DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) lenses and Cinema lenses with a mount adapter. AG-AF100A Series also features two-channel XLR audio input terminals and more functions to meet the professional needs.

    In addition to the professional high quality PH mode (average approx. 21Mbps, maximum 24Mbps), AG-AF100A Series complies with the AVCHD ver. 2.0 (AVCHD Progressive) standard in its new PS mode (average approx. 25Mbps, maximum 28Mbps) for recording, playing and outputting (via HDMI only) Full-HD progressive (1080/59.94p, 1080/50p) images. The PS/PH modes support uncompressed 16 bit LPCM 2-channel audio recording.

    The AG-AF100A Series can newly output HD signals with 10 bit 4:2:2 quality via the camera’s live output function and record onto the external devices, such as P2 Recorder, compatible with 10 bit high quality recording through SDI. P2 Recorder also syncs Rec Start/Stop with the AG-AF100A series trigger.

    The AG-AF100A Series is newly equipped with the expand focus assist function, which enlarges the center of the displayed image, and 2.39:1 (cinema scope size) safety zone marker.

    The AG-AF100A Series will be available in November 2012 at an open price in Japan.

    Via: http://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/20121105_570918.html

  • 44 Replies sorted by
  • nomadnomad

    To cite Frank Zappa: "It's not dead, it just smells funny."

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @GravitateMediaGroup

    Yep, it is not dead dead, it is walking dead :-)

  • GravitateMediaGroupGravitateMediaGroup

    @vitaliy_kiselev

    I wouldn't say it's dead, and their are various pros and cons of the camera, but it don't matter either way. I'll settle for a cheaper BMCC. lol

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @GravitateMediaGroup

    May be it is possible (you can find my simple firmware unpacker). But no one will do it.

    This camera was born deep in the grave, so let it go peacefully.

  • GravitateMediaGroupGravitateMediaGroup

    BH is now selling this at

    http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/905777-REG/Panasonic_AG_AF100APJ_Ag_Af100a_Digital_Cinema_Camera.html

    any ideas yet on a possible hack? since af100 wasn't hacked i'm assuming no?

  • JaskettiJasketti

    It is a shame that no one has the skills to boost the thing.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @LPowell

    Thanks for info.

    In fact it is post about three things that must go to dump - AF100, AF100A and Jan Crittenden.

    So, guys stay away from all three, they smell bad.

  • LPowellLPowell

    Jan Crittenden wrote:

    Hi all, Sorry I have been adjusting to a new job at Panasonic. I am now in sales, having moved out of Product Management. The AF100A is/was my last product. So the AF100A/105A/101A are virtually all the same except the numbers. The 10bit output is 4:2:2, but I want to clarify that 10bit output. It is an enhanced 8Bit. It has a bit of dithering to it to help in those banding situations. And it does help. It also has the enlarged 2X expanded focus that everyone said they wanted and you can set it up to toggle between the Focus on Red and the Expanded view. It has the 60P built in and the 2.35 display. The only chip that has been changed is the microprocessor. It continues to offer the best bang for the buck in the industry. In other words the cost/performance ratio is very high.

    The original AF100 had 10-bit 4:2:2 SDI/HDMI outputs as well. The downside, however, was that the bottom two bits were blanked out, restricting the AF100 to 8-bit resolution.

    According to Jan's explanation, Panasonic has added dithering to those two blanked-out bits. This superimposes an interpolated 2-bit gradient on the camera's 8-bit output, which can make transitions between color bands look smoother. This may produce comparable results as 10-bit transcoders such as 5DtoRGB, which use similar digital signal processing techniques to enhance the conversion of 8-bit data into a 10-bit transcoded format.

    The good news is that the original AF100 is far from obsolete. The sad news is that the AF100A will not have the true 10-bit output we were hoping for.

  • Jim_SimonJim_Simon

    "That camera with a 4/3 sensor would be just fine."

    YESSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    (But it has to keep the same 20x zoom range, only make it a constant 2.8 parfocal.)

  • vicxvicx

    The Panasonic HPX-250 has 10bit AVC-Intra. That camera with a 4/3 sensor would be just fine.

  • kazuokazuo

    Sad if Panasonic doesnt upgrade the sensor. Their finances have really taken a seismic hit and if they continue to churn out white elephants like this, chances are they will buckle under come next year's technical recession

  • AriaAria

    IMO there has to be some new hardware or else why call it AF100A? Why not let just make a new paid upgrade if it's all software? My guess is that they did change something and hopefully it's a new sensor.

  • everoevero

    This is really strange. No one will jump on this update if the sensor is the same? SDI 10 bit 422 would only be useful with a new up-to-date camera sensor. For day to day use with internal recording, this is basically the same camera.

    So this is how panasonic plans to deal with sony FS700 and canon c100? Even when the af100A beats the c100 spec wise, the IQ will not hold up with an old sensor.

    Lets hope @Ze_Cahue is right about an AF200 :)

  • John_FarragutJohn_Farragut

    It seems, nothing too fancy. If priced at $3000. Sure, why not. It would be an option. But for $4500?

  • paglezpaglez

    japanese language Vitaliy. Anyone could explain something new?. Perhaps, a new sensor?

    VK: Use online translation :-)

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    http://panasonic.biz/sav/avccam/ag-af105a/index.html

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    Would be great if it had ETC mode

    It can't have ETC mode as it has video AAF in front of sensor :-)

  • Ze_CahueZe_Cahue

    This was the only way panasonic found to sell out thousands of af100 already assembled and stoned at their warehouses, after a couple months we will see the af200.

  • TheNewDealTheNewDeal

    Trip. Fall. Face plant.

  • fosterchenfosterchen

    Would be great if it had ETC mode

  • JaskettiJasketti

    Agreed.

    But it still makes me wonder why (if it is possible) not to allow the 10bit update for current AF100 users too. Since not so long ago they did come up with the 50/60p paid update.

  • svartsvart

    Most companies don't like hacking their products because they are afraid that the user will return the product if it becomes broken. If this happens during the warranty period then this is lost revenue. They also don't like when their products are tampered with and then used because it could cause false advertisement. While the hack helps panasonic right now, if the hack somehow blew up the camera and somewhere on the internet a potential customer reads that a "panasonic camera blew up", then that is going to hurt their revenue as well, regardless of the truthfulness of it.

  • JaskettiJasketti

    @svart I hear you on the corporations using exuceses, not too hard to believe that and it is true the information is more or less hearsay. Could this then disprove the word on "AF100 is not hackable" too.

    And if not hackable I hope someone finds a way to make the new firmware fit into af100 models... but makes me also wonder why panny dont allow it?

  • svartsvart

    That depends too. When I do hardware updates, things usually work or they don't. There are no in-deterministic states like what are possible in software. I can usually load a schematic, make the changes, give to the PCB layout guy, and send it to the PCB manufacturer within a day. From there, a week for PCB and stuffing and I'll know if it works.. I then give it to the software guys who spend months blaming hardware for stuff not working before they find their bugs and it works. :)

  • Brian202020Brian202020

    In either case it would be faster than a hardware update. A hardware update has more time and cost factors involved than a software update.

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