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Panasonic DC-BGH1 m43 Cine camera, stone on Z-CAM grave
  • 98 Replies sorted by
  • @Vitaliy_Kiselev I'm a technical counsel at a public broadcaster, and would never recommend this camera for studio work (even if we weren't exclusively Sony). The issue is the focus/zoom connection over LANC (or Panny protocol, whatever). Studio focus/zoom controllers are on 12/8-pin Hirose connectors. While adapter cables exist, I would never allow connections through a 2.5'' jack, for reliability reasons. Also, broadcasters don't want to use m43 photo lenses in production. It's inconceivable. It's a versatile package and I will get one for myself, but a studio or OBVan camera it's not.

    I found out why they included genlock; it isn't for studios, but for professional 360 VR capture, where they build an array of cameras and genlock them. This way stitching just works. For actual multicam use cases, not many will bother to genlock them, and will rely on the timebase corrector in the switcher, just like they always did.

  • @radikalfilm

    And I think it is clearly not for large broadcasters, but for small studios.

    As far as I understand you can drive focus and all via ethernet. With proper computer, usb controller and multiple monitors it will work ok.

    And 360 VR capture is falling market lately, Z-CAM, for example sell around 10x more cameras for sports and other multicam usages, but not for VR.

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  • @Vitaliy_Kiselev wrt focus over ethernet: comedy. Yes, I've seen the dpreview where they show it. They also mention the live view skips frames, and the feature is basically unusable. Where this will work is for stationary angles. I understand AF is finally good enough (when face tracking), so that's another use case, if mostly stationary. It will find success as a high end webcam.

  • @radicalfilm

    I see no comedy in this for any small studio. As powered ethernet used for both signal, power and service is the future.

    Yet, camera has small issues for now, but it'll be kicked out.

  • Crappy buttons; iffy focus. No screen.

  • @DrDave

    Crappy buttons; iffy focus. No screen.

    You mean that it is finally good proper design from Panasonic?

    As I do not care about buttons and screen on remote camera that is not near.

    No.1 request for Z-CAM had been to remove top screen for settings, btw.

  • @Vitaliy....oh....so you will be able change out this cameras sensor...or lsi ? ...never.....and "will turn in quite short time into modular devices....etc".... Remember you said it ! Maybe in the future of your dreams, but now this camera is what it is, and all the wishful thinking in the world won't make it any different. You won't be able to tell the difference between this cam and gh5s, even after 4 hours. Maybe for locked down studio rigs. Or maybe pany suspects zcam might disappear and wants to be ready to sit in their space, like you said. But it's a small chair.

  • @kurth

    Not in dreams :-) But in next similar cameras.

    Even this camera happened in large part due to PV and few PV members (plus Z-CAM as reaction catalyzer) :-) But it took big time.

    Panasonic also is tracking Z-CAM issues and can pick up some tech stuff after shipwreck.

  • @Vitaliy_Kiselev "Yet, camera has small issues for now, but it'll be kicked out." To my knowledge no one has done focus over Ethernet to date. For example, the ATEM CCU does it with the return SDI, on the talkback channels. That's a synchronous link. Sony and Grass Valley do it over optical fiber, with dedicated synchronous protocols. Centralized focus controllers exist, but they are their own thing, on dedicated links. For aperture and PTZ, sure, Ethernet is fine. Focus, I don't think so, but I'd like to be proven wrong.

  • @radikalfilm

    I do not think large guys will change any soon.

    But for small studio modern solution is clear. All control and image, plus power via Ethernet cables.

    Lot of stuff don't work as should or works bad, but it'll all be fixed.

  • @Vitaliy....film camera history is filled with beautiful deadends.... https://www.eastman.org/technicolor/technology/three-strip-camera

  • Lumix BGH1 = Lumix Bovine Growth Hormone One

  • This camera is the future of camera formats. Future iterations. Will have small screen and changeable parts.

    And yes this was mainly a development by Panasonic from personal view!!!!

    Think about it . Perfect format for low cost production additional fees for changeable parts no more research in anything big profits for panasonic you can put eva1 sensor on it

    Grate hacks Can come from This little beast vitaliy don’t be Pussy, the NDA is over now!!

  • @endotoxic....big claims there. Any proof ? ""And yes this was mainly a development by Panasonic from personal view!!!!"" and ""the NDA is over now!!"" @Vitaliy...and "This box cameras are pro cameras future, as they will turn in quite short time into modular devices where you will be able to buy new motherboard to old sensor or upgrade both, while keeping all other body intact.""...that worked out well for red didn't it ?

  • Excited to see the next releases of this form factor , like VK stated if we move into new modular lego plug and play parts than many will move to pansonic

  • I actually think, going to the title of this post, that one reason to release this camera is to block off Z Cam. Z Cam does have the 6K and the 8K option, however.

  • @DrDave

    They have 6K and 8K, they just sell bad. And no one is sure if they'll see within month at all.

    Core income of Z-CAM is their cheaper cameras (almost 90%).

    Any corporations or company also will select Panasonic 100% now if they want similar cameras, as Z-CAM service had been bad anyway (with sending to HK and back for weeks), now it will be just not existing as no parts.

  • "Panasonic recently announced that they are still committed to the Micro Four Thirds format and confirmed that they are still developing a GH successor."

    Next step a DC-BGH1 brother with stabilizer in MFT format (GH5) ?????? It would make sense

    It would make sense Next Big Step to use an L-mount cube with a 35 mm full-frame CMOS sensor (36.0 x 24.0 mm)

    Read more: https://photorumors.com/2020/09/25/new-panasonic-dc-bgh1-camera-registered-in-russia/#ixzz6awbvlAJh

    " The better is the good enemy and gravedigger "

  • @Bob_Hawk

    Like is to old post.

  • Another practice Video in German by Martin Krolop on the application of the DC-BGH1

    youtube's automatic translation works quite well

    the already uses more than 4 DC-BGH1 !!!!!His Zcam seem to be sidelined

  • @Bob_Hawk the most interesting bit I learned from the video (thank you) is the feature set of Shogun 7, which not only has a 4-way vision mixer, but it takes Genlock (so it can be phase-locked with the BGH1s), does ISO recording of all streams AND exports FCPX XML/EDL. The thing costs like 1000 EUR. Mind, blown.

    As the reviewer said, it's a fair bit of investment at 10,000 EUR for a 4-way setup. OTOH I'm not aware of any other Professional field/battery powered kit at any price point. You can walk into any environment with two pelican cases of gear, a couple of battery powered TV LED lights, tripods/stands, and set up a streaming mobile studio in 30min. This hasn't been possible before, not on batteries, and not this self contained. All this gear fits in the boot of a car.

  • I ask Martin.........without genlock only 1x RG58 Kabel per Cam