Panasonic lifts the expectation of IBC with the third generation of Varicam

Panasonic once again demonstrates at IBC that it plays in the league of the greats with the commercial presentation of the new Varicam 35, a 4K camera with a super 35 mm sensor, and VariCam HS, a 2/3 type camera for high-speed capture.

Panasonic He comes to this IBC at a good business moment with sales recovering and debt decreasing by leaps and bounds. Compared to other multinationals that are still undergoing readjustments in their oversize, Panasonic tightened its belt a long time ago, entering the takeoff runway as the first glimmers of joy have appeared in the market.

Masaki Arizono, General Director of Panasonic System Communications Europe Company, began the presentation press conference at this outstanding fair the good path that the Japanese company follows managing to reduce its debt by half in just one year. B2B units are good for this change in trend since they already suppose around 70% of billing against B2C, with just 30%. Another determining factor is its strong commitment to R&D, investing more than 3.00 million euros in 2013, which resulted in more than 2,880 patents.

For his part, Kunihiko Miyagi, director of the professional video division and AVC networks, highlighted that "the change from the world of celluloid and tape to a digital media environment involves changes both in the speed of processes and in cost optimization. Two aspects in which Panasonic provides value to the user."

As an example of the implementation of Panasonic technology in various fields, the multinational invited executives from Light Iron (a company that is betting on the new Varicam in its productions) and ITN (the British broadcaster is testing wireless capture solutions for sending news online) to share their experiences.

Within Panasonic's line focused on offering its customers value-added services more than mere equipment, the company has closed a strategic agreement with the German company SAP. Panasonic's big data results analysis technology and capture systems come together to offer both broadcasters and sports clubs various tools aimed at the statistical analysis of the sports performance of players and teams.

In this aspect of Panasonic as a service company, the launch of Panasonic Network Solution stands out, an area dedicated to the development of a capture, cloud and transmission ecosystem.

During the Panasonic press conference in IBC, it should be noted that most of the cases of successes presented correspond to the Spanish market with brand solutions on television (What would you do for your children, Telecinco) or business or institutional spaces such as the Zarzuela Racecourse (Madrid) or the Parliament of the Canary Islands.

Varicam 35 y Varicam HS

In its third generation, Varicam will be shown in this IBC 2014 in two different versions: Varicam 35, a 4K camera with a 35 mm super sensor, and Varicam HS, a 2/3 type camera for high speed collection. Its innovative modular design allows the head of the recording module to be separated, allowing users to choose the most suitable collection device for each application, be it a super 35 or three 2/3 sensor sensor.

Varicam 35 (AU-V35C1) stands out for its ability to process images in various formats, including 4K, UHD, 2K and HD, becoming an excellent tool for both high quality digital cinema, advertising and television series, and for live events in 4K. With a range of formats that cover from the 4K RAW departure in the highest quality to more practical catches in 4K, UHD, 2K and HD, Varicam 35 generates 4K production files with a manageable and practical size, thanks to the AVC-Ultra codecs for 4K.

The VariCam 35 uses a new Super 35mm MOS sensor to capture 4K images with a resolution of 4096 x 2160 (17:9). The camera offers an impressive 14 stops of latitude and faithfully captures high-contrast images without sacrificing quality. Powerful color management functionality provides expanded color gamut, ensuring images with impeccable fidelity. It supports the recently developed ACES (Academy Color Encoding System) color coding system, which makes it easy to master the original material with maximum fidelity.

The VariCam HS (AU-V23HS1) offers a 2/3 type module for high speed acquisition. It incorporates three MOS sensors with 1920x1080p resolution with 14 stops of dynamic range, which allow total control of light even in the most adverse scenes. Like any three-sensor camera, the VariCam HS includes an RGB separating prism that provides three-channel (RGB) color processing, each at full resolution.

The camera is optimized for operation and recording in native 1080/50p format. Among the key functions, the high speed collection of 240 tables per second in 1080p (with the AVC-INTRA 100) stands, to create spectacular slow-chamber effects with the highest quality. In addition, it allows increasing or changing the frame speed during recording, even creating speed ramps. To complete the excellent video quality, the new Varicam includes LPCM Audio recording at 24 bits. A powerful image control, with matrix, detail, gamma and logarithmic record adjustments, allow a precise adjustment of image parameters, with great creative possibilities.

Varicam HS will include a range of high quality recording formats, including AVC -int Class100 (for recording in 1080/50p, 25p and 24p) with variable speed (up to 240p), AVC-TC -int Class200 (for recording in 1080/50i) and AVC-INTRA CLASS4: 4: 4 (up to 30p). Both AVC -int Class200 and AVC -int Class4: 4: 4 offer spectacular performance in applications in which the image quality is of vital importance.

AVC Ultra

Avcintra and AVC Ultra are being used every day in TV, ENG and sports production. Both AVC Intra and AVC Ultra lines of Panasonic are winning market in television, ENG and sport production.

This IBC presents a new AVC Ultra camcorder, the AJ-PX800. It is a P2HD camera, lightweight and with very fast network transmission (wired and wireless LAN networks, as well as 4G/LTE mobile telephony). With a main body weight of only 2.8kg, the AJ-PX800 is currently the lightest shoulder camera with three 2/3 type sensors on the market. It is noteworthy that the camera generates in real time a full quality version and another at low bitrate that can be used either for direct streaming broadcast or as a proxy to speed up editing processes. Among other functions, it includes an advanced CAC (Chromatic Aberration Compensation) chromatic aberration compensation system.

On the other hand, highlighting the launch of the AJ-PG50 recorder, designed to accelerate the workflow in the field in AVC-Ultra environments.

Multipurpose

Within the range of multipurpose cameras, highlight the launch of an interesting base destined to complement the popular AW-HE60. This base has a mini-chamber that offers a wide angle. Lincada with an app, allows the user just by marking a point in the angular image direct the AW-He60 camera towards that point. This approach opens interesting possibilities both in the production of programs such as Realties Shows or the capture of video on radio programs since the announcer himself with just clicking on his tablet will direct the camera obtaining the plan you want.

Lastly, we would like to highlight a new 4K multipurpose camera of which Panasonic has hardly given details since it is still a prototype, although at IBC you can already see the spectacular quality of its images.

For medical and scientific environments, the GP-US932 mini camera stands out at IBC 2o14, also in 4K.