Af101a

I beleive this was announced a while ago but hadn't heard anything about shipping dates.

From what I remember it just an AF100 (AF101) updated with 10bit output over the HD-SDI (previously 8bit) and the inclusion of 1080 60p from the AVCHD 2.0 spec which bumps the bitrate to 28 as the max.
 
No, that's what the AF100 (and basically all other low cost) cameras output. All SDI output is 10 bits, but there's only 8 bits of data in most cameras, and two empty padded bits at the end.

On the AF100A, they somehow synthesize data (uprezzing? interpolating?) the last two bits of data. So they're not zeroes, but it's not a "true" 10-bit signal either, it's somewhere inbetween.
 
IMHO, The AF100a upgrades are a little lackluster. A couple nice improvements, but compared to the competition that has come out since the AF100, it doesn't seem like it is as appealing.

Still nice for anyone who was going to buy a AF100, they can now get the improvements in the AF100a. Or get a used AF100 for just that much cheaper.

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Barry_Green said:
No, that's what the AF100 (and basically all other low cost) cameras output. All SDI output is 10 bits, but there's only 8 bits of data in most cameras, and two empty padded bits at the end.
Click to expand...

Barry, do you know about the 10bit of the EX1 & HPX250? I know the HPX250 has some different hardware than the AC130/160 (which only do 8bit), so it processes 10bit for AVCIntra & SDI out, but is this similar to the AF100a or true 10bit?

Do you know how true the 10bit in the EX1 is?
 
The HPX250 outputs a true 10 bits. It isn't the same hardware that's in the AC160, it's the hardware chipset from the HPX370.

The EX1 also outputs 10-bits. Those are about the only video cameras under $10,000 that output 10 bits. I think there's also an NXCAM Sony that does it, don't remember the model number, and the BMC records raw with 12 bits or ProRes with 10 bits. Other than that, as far as I can remember, under $10k every Canon, every JVC, every Sony other than the EX1/EX3 and that NXCAM, and every Panasonic other than the HPX250/370, all output 8 bits.
 
The Sony 10-bit camera is the NX5U. I always wondered why Sony put 10-bit on the NX5U but gave the FS100 a measly 8-bit HDMI output only, when the cameras have the same codec. Very frustrating.
 
So current Af100 owners won't be able to upgrade then I guess?
If it's less than a grand it would be a worthwhile update.
 
Rob Moore said:
So current Af100 owners won't be able to upgrade then I guess?
Click to expand...

I think it is a hardware upgrade, so you couldn't just do a paid firmware upgrade. Though nothing to stop Pannasonic to do a trade in AF100 + cash for AF100a, but my guess is that is unlikely.
 
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