Excitement about the new Panasonic AG-AF100 professional camcorder (Price $6000)

The recent Panasonic AG-AF100 announcement created a lot of enthusiasm. Almost every MicroFourThirds user and professional videographer is getting really excited. Also Philipp Bloom is expressing his positive feelings on his blog!
According to him the camcorder should cost $6000.

The picture above shows the camera with the Olympus Zuiko 14-35mm Lens!
I believe that camera will add a huge value to the MicroFourThirds system. Of course there are also some challenges:
1) We need more video dedicated lenses (like the Panasonic 14-140mm)
2) We need also very fast zooms. That will be a very difficoult hurdle because of the bigger image sensor. Normal camcorder do have zooms which do start with f/1.7 aperture.
3) The AVCHD codec. The bitrate is a little bit to low. I hope Panasonic will find a better solution until the final release of the camera.

Let’s see the reactions on the WorldWideWeb:
On dpreview you can find a long discussion about the AG-AF100. Someone also made their own camcorder mockup!
The DVXuser thread is now 14 page long.
Only RED users seems to not be happy with the camcorder

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YouDidntDidYou

4 years ago | Reply

The Leica 25mm F1.4 works great with the GH1 so should work just fine with the Panasonic AG-AF100, I think another 2-3 video dedicated lenses are in the pipe line and will be released about the same time as this camcorders launch.
The AVCHD codec looks just fine in the real world and is now fully supported in most video editing applications, the Panasonic AG-AF100 comes with a quite high bitrate.
Features I’m hoping for are very large range of white balance options, various aspect ratios including square, film modes/art filters that can be fully customised and using with various aperture/shutter settings* customisable gradient maps and live spot colour would be awesome*. Lots of other things too but I’m gonna assume they are already going to be in there…

D&RFilms

Actually Phillip got the price from a post at DVXUser. Just like the image above is from Mikko at DVXUser.

The AVCHD codec used in the AVCCAM line is actually BETTER than Sony’s XDCam-EX… It’s a dang good codec!

at

First of all, it does not deserve US$6k, because it is not 3MOS or 3CCD, supports 4K or 1080,50/60p, but it will push the production of more video lenses in M4/3 format. Therefore, it will be a better investment to its GH-series for more lenses, especially cine lenses, and fast primes.

It is a strange product built with ultra high-res of 12MP, but far too much for 2K or HD. I can’t gain too benefit in video from such high-res resulted from higher noise from high pixel density. If GH2 can support 1080,60p 28Mbps H.264, I can’t see too much benefit of AF100 if its price is set to much higher level than entry prosumer camcorder.

If I am a video producer, there are other options from Panasonic if we need cheap solutions, or Sony if we need relatively better quality and compatibility with Sony standard.

Raj Sarma

The lens pictured there is 14-35mm F2 lens, NOT the 12-60mm lens.

SiriNeos

I thing US$6k is too high for this camera. I would not pay more than US$3k (2.5 times the GH1 price).

Panasonic, please think in the prosumers also. I have been dreaming a long time for a GH VCR, a GH designed for video recording, based in the fantastic m43 standard, but not a still camcorder with video recording like the GH1.

Give us a GH VCR.

Spiny Norman

That is not the (wonderful) Zuiko 12-60. It’s the (even better) 14-35/2.

dcloud

the avchd codec is robust and professional unlike the ones you see on consumer dslrs/p&s.

don

Interesting picture of the future AG-AF100 m4/3 cam with the Zuiko 14-35/2. This is much nicer than the block depicted in the Pany announcement! Unintentional leak?

Last year Oly was rumored to be working on a fast small zoom with similar focal length and speed designed for video and that is what might appear on the next GH2? The lens shown by Pany in their announcement appears to be a new 14-140 lens possibly f2.8 was large element converter added to front of lens?

Now the rumored and predicted 12-75/2.5-3.3 lens designed for video and use in GH2 and GP1 looks a lot more reasonable as would be similar size to existing 14-140 lens.

Pany is smart to show this cam for $6000 for serious video enthusiasts and film makers then debut the hybred pro GP1 with many of the same features and same lens for half the price at same time and it will feel like a bargain.
Hopefully Pany will make all these models available body only so one can pick their own lenses to use and substantially reduce the initial cost. Ie use with fast legacy lenses or existing procured lenses will be very very attractive

jeff

ouch , unless this camera does sexual favors no way would i pay more than 1000 for it

George

I wonder if this will have the global shutter, and if so if this will be in the GH2. I like the one comment that the rendered image looks like bad clipart. Ouch!

NoName

“Almost every MicroFourThirds user and professional videographer is getting really excited”
…this is just bullshit…

Mark

They should be getting excited. This has proper I/O for picture _and_ sound, unlike the GH1, 5D MkII etc. Good enough codec. It has a larger sensor than anything else in this pro video price range. They must be onto something because, as you can see from the link, the people at RED raised the shields immediately. Thread closed.

Paul

“the avchd codec is robust and professional”

LOL. All professionals transcode AVCHD to another format before loading the resultant file into their favourite video editor.

video of announcement of Panasonic AG-AF100 here http://www.panasonic.com/promos/NAB/2010/index.asp see video showcase then 5th one down

Rabot

Paul, AVCHD is a recording codec, not a editing codec.

Of course they transcode, cause not everyone can afford storage that use 1gig a minute. (ala 422 or other codecs)

clark

I think the $6k price is pretty out there as well. “at” said this thing shoots 1080p… well that’s at 30p, and only 60i. Don’t get me wrong that’s a great spec but I really don’t get the price when I thought the GH2 was going to integrate this same tech for the $1800 price point the gh1 body+lens came as…

misu

I also wonder about 12mp sensor. it might be that the camera uses an adapted gh sensor with a different AA filter (for budgetary reasons) or it can also work as a dslr, but adding controls and body of a video camera. another thought is that the sensor works the same as a sony F35 (a new type of mosaic) sensor and maybe even produces hdr image (similar to the fuji system).
sony will come next year with a real 1920*1080 x3 35mm sensor in a similar body, with base sensitivity at 1600-2000iso and 12 f-stops of latitude. again panasonic is opening an area the others will benefit from.
considering this I would still buy the camera only to use oly lenses (or any that I wish, via adapter).
the price seems ok to me. sony ex1r is 7000usd.

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