As a GH2 user, what made the AF100 appealing was the promise of a self-contained video camera with all necessary professional features built-in. The GH2 captures great video images, but its DSLR-style audio, instrumentation and controls require a number of bulky workarounds. I use both Lumix auto-focus and Nikon manual lenses, and while the GH2 is flexible, it's not really adept at giving me hands-on control of either type of lens. On practical shoots, I've resorted to using 15mm rails to mount audio recorders, follow focus, filter holders, and external monitors on the GH2 to compensate for its gaps. By the time you add on everything you need, a GH2 rig isn't any more compact than a stand-alone AF100. Here's one example:
P1040600.jpg
When using an external audio recorder, microphone and headphone cables tend to tie down your mobility with tethered constraints. Wireless mics and headphones can eliminate the cables, but there are few good places to hook up transmitters and receivers on a typical GH2 rig. Here's where the AF100 offers a handier solution, with no rails required:
Panasonic AF100 Wireless Sony Rig Right Side.jpg
The cold shoe on the right side of the AF100 is well-positioned for mounting the Sony URX-P2 Wireless Lavalier Receiver next to the camera's XLR input. The Sony UWP transmitter and receiver are compact units that run for several hours on a pair of rechargeable AA batteries:
http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/cat-aud...ct-UWPV1/3032/
The audio signal can be headphone-monitored from either the Sony receiver or the AF100's audio jack. I use the compact Sennheiser MM 400-X headphones, either with a cable or wirelessly via Bluetooth:
http://www.sennheiserusa.com/bluetoo...oldable_504511
The 400-X supports the relatively new APT-X codec which delivers substantially better quality stereo than Bluetooth has previously been known for. (There is, however, a perceptible audio latency that can make Bluetooth annoying in some situations.) While the AF100 lacks a Bluetooth audio transmitter, the remarkably tiny Avantree APT-X Audio Transceiver can be easily Velcroed to the side of the camera:
http://www.avantree.com/Product-Blue...added_632.html
The built-in battery in the Avantree transmitter lasts for several hours and can be recharged via the AF100's USB port. I found a convenient spot to mount it under the top handle of the AF100:
Panasonic AF100 Wireless Sony Rig Left Side.jpg
Another component that mounts conveniently on the top handle is the Manfrotto 521PFI Focus/Iris Controller:
http://www.manfrotto.com/focus-iris-...-for-panasonic
While the Manfrotto electronic controller was not originally designed for the AF100, I've found it works reliably with a number of Lumix and Olympus lenses, including the Olympus 14-35mm f2.0 zoom in manual-focus mode:
http://asia.olympus-imaging.com/prod...s/14-35_20swd/
With the AF100's live read-out of focal length, aperture, and focus distance, the Manfrotto can be used for precise hands-on electronic lens control of the 14-35mm zoom. This makes it a far more responsive lens on the AF100 than on the GH2, which only has in-camera lens controls. The Manfrotto controller also provides a pair of min and max focus distance trimmers, which can be used much like hard stops on a follow focus knob to rack focus between preset limits. This feature alone makes the AF100/14-35mm f2.0 combo unbeatable for wide-angle narrow DOF shots.
For me, the big win with this lightweight rig is how it allows me to position the talent and the camera anywhere at all without the encumbrance of external cables. I can continuously monitor the audio and walk away from the camera at any time without having to unplug my headphones. The freedom of being completely untethered and unburdened by the camera is well worth the technical complexities that make it all possible.
P1040600.jpg
When using an external audio recorder, microphone and headphone cables tend to tie down your mobility with tethered constraints. Wireless mics and headphones can eliminate the cables, but there are few good places to hook up transmitters and receivers on a typical GH2 rig. Here's where the AF100 offers a handier solution, with no rails required:
Panasonic AF100 Wireless Sony Rig Right Side.jpg
The cold shoe on the right side of the AF100 is well-positioned for mounting the Sony URX-P2 Wireless Lavalier Receiver next to the camera's XLR input. The Sony UWP transmitter and receiver are compact units that run for several hours on a pair of rechargeable AA batteries:
http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/cat-aud...ct-UWPV1/3032/
The audio signal can be headphone-monitored from either the Sony receiver or the AF100's audio jack. I use the compact Sennheiser MM 400-X headphones, either with a cable or wirelessly via Bluetooth:
http://www.sennheiserusa.com/bluetoo...oldable_504511
The 400-X supports the relatively new APT-X codec which delivers substantially better quality stereo than Bluetooth has previously been known for. (There is, however, a perceptible audio latency that can make Bluetooth annoying in some situations.) While the AF100 lacks a Bluetooth audio transmitter, the remarkably tiny Avantree APT-X Audio Transceiver can be easily Velcroed to the side of the camera:
http://www.avantree.com/Product-Blue...added_632.html
The built-in battery in the Avantree transmitter lasts for several hours and can be recharged via the AF100's USB port. I found a convenient spot to mount it under the top handle of the AF100:
Panasonic AF100 Wireless Sony Rig Left Side.jpg
Another component that mounts conveniently on the top handle is the Manfrotto 521PFI Focus/Iris Controller:
http://www.manfrotto.com/focus-iris-...-for-panasonic
While the Manfrotto electronic controller was not originally designed for the AF100, I've found it works reliably with a number of Lumix and Olympus lenses, including the Olympus 14-35mm f2.0 zoom in manual-focus mode:
http://asia.olympus-imaging.com/prod...s/14-35_20swd/
With the AF100's live read-out of focal length, aperture, and focus distance, the Manfrotto can be used for precise hands-on electronic lens control of the 14-35mm zoom. This makes it a far more responsive lens on the AF100 than on the GH2, which only has in-camera lens controls. The Manfrotto controller also provides a pair of min and max focus distance trimmers, which can be used much like hard stops on a follow focus knob to rack focus between preset limits. This feature alone makes the AF100/14-35mm f2.0 combo unbeatable for wide-angle narrow DOF shots.
For me, the big win with this lightweight rig is how it allows me to position the talent and the camera anywhere at all without the encumbrance of external cables. I can continuously monitor the audio and walk away from the camera at any time without having to unplug my headphones. The freedom of being completely untethered and unburdened by the camera is well worth the technical complexities that make it all possible.
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