AG-SFU100 Software Update

I record fast action sports (combat martial arts), so this update is awesome for me. However it does feel a lot like Panasonic is borrowing from the video game industry with what amounts to DLC for videocameras. :/
 
Hmmm, so Panasonic does include new features via firmware- at a price :undecided

60p is good for event shooting and sports- areas where the AF doesn't shine IMO.
 
AdamLPhotography said:
I record fast action sports (combat martial arts), so this update is awesome for me. However it does feel a lot like Panasonic is borrowing from the video game industry with what amounts to DLC for videocameras. :/
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That's it exactly .. if you record sports, 50p and 60p are very much desired .. mandatory for broadcast work.

It's a no-brainer IMHO.

jeff
ps: Music videos would also benefit.
 
I feel panny really dropped the ball this year at NAB. This year across the board is about the next level for all levels, from indie to the big boys. I still enjoy the af100, it's a very capable camera for many applications. But Panny is really missing the direction here.

Shooting sports with the AF100? Not really fun. But what the heck. I would have been more excited for a 120fps 720p than the real time 1080/60.

Ummm, hey Panny... You better get designing and thinking right now. You have the wide open chance to announce something special before the summer is over. Forget NAB, lick your wounds. Nice ENG's though.
 
christiangrevstad said:
Why would 50/60p. be good formusic videos? Just curious.
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Shooting a music video performance scene in slow motion, or just a narrative scene in the music video at slow-mo.
But for performance shots, playback of the song would be sped up (a very exact percentage faster actually, in fact, Barry has a list somewhere here showing the song percentage increases in increments with frames per second.), and the performer would sing to that.

Than it would be placed into a the desired timeline 24p/30p. So, the song will still be lip-synced with the performer but would be in slow motion. Although, shooting 60fps on a lip-sync shot seems to be really hard and I am not sure if its done often/ever. Usually I use 48fps/36fps for this type of effect, its a bit more subtle; its more manageable for a performer to achieve a good lip-sync at these speeds as well.
 
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Marc Villafan said:
Shooting a music video performance scene in slow motion, or just a narrative scene in the music video at slow-mo.
But for performance shots, playback of the song would be sped up (a very exact percentage faster actually, in fact, Barry has a list somewhere here showing the song percentage increases in increments with frames per second.), and the performer would sing to that.

Than it would be placed into a the desired timeline 24p/30p. So, the song will still be lip-synced with the performer but would be in slow motion. Although, shooting 60fps on a lip-sync shot seems to be really hard and I am not sure if its done often/ever. Usually I use 48fps/36fps for this type of effect, its a bit more subtle; its more manageable for a performer to achieve a good lip-sync at these speeds as well.
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THe camera already does that stock without the upgrade.
 
@dustylense, I'm with you. I had considered buying an AF100 when it was first announced years back. At the time I had two HMC150s which I was using for event work. Eventually I opted for selling one of my HMC150s and purchasing a small army of GH2s which were hacked shortly afterwards. The work Vitality did in terms of making the little GH2 a monster (ability to max out the codec to insane/unreasonable bitrates, changing the AC3 audio to 320kbps, removing the 30min limit on PAL footage, removing the iso limit) spoiled me bigtime.

As a result, I have been lurking in the AF100 section for years now without posting. I would love to sell one of my GH2s and grab an AF100 JUST for the xlr on-board.. I have been hoping that Panasonic would do something spectacular in terms of an update. 4:2:2, servo-zoom adapter for Panny glass, 50MB codec, super-slo-mo... This upgrade seems a bit silly. This isn't Sony S-Log. Its an nice update, and shouldn't cost that amount, in my mind.

Anyways. I have respect for AF100 users and still think the camera is beautiful, I am just a bit disappointed in Panasonic on this. They need to release something killer at the 4-5k price range, and they need to release a DSLR that can not only shoot great video (GH2) but can actually go toe-to-toe with the likes of the Canon 5Dmkii/iii for stills.
 
jeez, it just really looks like nickle and dime'ing from where i'm sitting. im on +1 of if it were a panny done upgrade i could see the cost(still not 250 though), but really? a software update with a feature that benefits only a portion of its userbase? i just can't imagine the conversation that went on to decide that this was an overall good idea. but yes, good for those who do value that particular feature, i just don't think you should have to shell out for it.

does beg the question.... what IS panny doing right now for the sub 10K market? avoiding altogether because of all the other announcements? still in R&D? out to lunch? it would be nice to have even the tiniest inkling of what they're doing. otherwise, i really am liking me some blackmagic.
 
If i choose to film in 1080 50p and connect an external recorder. What format do i get on the recorder?
 
Panasonic's NAB 2012 was a big disappointment. The AF300 was canceled. The large sensor Varicam was under glass. Only one new 2/3" camera. Clearly Panasonic pulled back the reigns due to financial issues and natural disasters. The ironic part is that Canon and Black Magic Design moved into the digital cine space that Panasonic had a corner on. The Black Magic Design camera is the new AF100, albeit with clunky form factor and missing features, but whereas Panasonic was very strong on the inboard codec side of things, BMD has one upped them there until AVC-Ultra delivers.

Once we knew Panasonic would be absent from the digital cine space as far as new offerings, we bought a Canon C300. I'm sure Panasonic will be back in the game, but with companies like BMD and DSLR's selling for so cheap, maybe it's a space not worth competing in going forward.
 
How do you like the C300 so far Jeff? We picked up a Mark III and have been pretty impressed with that.
We've got a BMD on pre-order .. Sensor-wise, it seems like what we were hoping Panasonic would
refresh the AF line with.

AF is still a good camera and we'll get some good use out of 'em .
 
Hi Jeff,

I had too many clients wanting an S35 camera--too many think that micro 4/3" can't do shallow enough DOF. They obviously haven't shot with an AF100 or GH2 and a fast lens. The wider FOV is nice, but the C300's magic for me is a 4:2:2 internal codec, very low noise, good DR, great resolution, small/easy to use form factor, and of course the true video camera feature set. The Mark III addressed some issues, but the C300 is clearly a real video camera--for a price of course.

We bought the PL mount because I'm not a fan of modern auto focus 35mm SLR lenses. Hard to go back once you've used Cine glass. When renting a camera package, you might as well enjoy the benefits of Cine primes and zooms, especially if close in rental rate to SLR glass.

I'm very happy with the natural looking images, highlight handling is so much better than an AF100, haven't seen banding yet, but I have seen moire a couple of times. The OLPF is not very aggressive as it's amazing resolution shows, but this allows for more moire than an AF100. Menu control for picture profiles is on a different level, very reminiscent of an EX1 in structure and line items. Power consumption is half that of an F3. It does have some fan noise, however.
 
Thanks for the feedback. Have you made use of the Canon-Log yet? We're trying to decide whether to get
the C500 when it comes out ( loving the 3G-SDI ) or get another Scarlet...

jeff
 
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