DVuser review of the AF100

Awesome. Keep the reviews coming.

Okay, don't make me beg... let's see some footage.
 
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The DVX100b was a benchmark for 25p? Is that true? Is he from Europe?

which made achieving narrow depth of field next door to impossible...
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Is that a phrase in Europe? He uses it multiple times. Is our version a shortened version?

A camcorder with a large sensor also makes pull-focus shots more obvious and easier to achieve. We have wanted a camcorder that can do this for 20 years or so, but because there is no such camcorder (unless you can afford to hire a Panavision 35mm film camera), we have been forced to use camcorders with tiny sensors, or more recently and worse still, DSLRS; until now that is!
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Uhhh. I'm pretty sure a Panavision Millennium and a 5DmII are not the only options. :P

The AG-AF101 is a serious digital SLR killer. It is a PROPER HD camcorder. The big deal (and this is a very big deal) is that the AG-AF101 uses a full size 35mm MOS sensor, well almost 35mm size.
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I know what he meant, but somewhere a sound guy is freaking out.

The nice people at Panasonic UK were kind enough to send me one of two preproduction prototypes of the all-new AG-AF101 HD camcorder.
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Hahaha, question solved.

Overall, it was a nice review...Nothing new and he's no Barry Green... :) And he could benefit from a proof read.
 
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In the review, he mention's that Panasonic shipped the AG-AF101 with TWO Olympus lenses... anyone know which ones?

Maybe Nigel Cooper--the Reviewer--can chime in here... and post a link to some footage.
 
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"digital SLRs have made serious in-roads into the world of video since the launch of the EOS 5D MK2 in 1998"

Not sure he researched this part too well though.
 
I think all these reviews are a bunch of hype. Let's see some real footage, raw and let's judge the quality. They never mention any negative issues with the equipment and every reviewer discovers yet another "holly grail" of video production. For the past 2 years people were spraying in these reviews how wonderful DSLR's are for video, in this one we find out DSLR's are "next door to useless"- so which one is it?
AF-100 looks like decent camera, but the hype build up is nauseating.
From the still presented looks like there are some important ports are located on the back of the camera (including HDMI HD-SDI, headphones and remote), so attaching something like Ki Mini without rails will present an obstacle. Also deep pocket for a "battery" plus the port location will make use of AB (and many other 12V standard systems) next to impossible.
Also something to look into is cleaning of the sensor- is there any self cleaning mechanism on it?
Microphone on the body- behind the handle? why bother wasting space? I have never seen on-board mic producing usable sound.
 
my god FINALLY a thorough review with someone that doesn't skirt every issue for political reasons (Bloom's intentional vagueness on many questions including dynamic range as compared to 5dmkii, etc).

What a breath of fresh air, in depth, intelligently written, thorough. I'm impressed. 5/5 stars review. Brilliant!

800 lines resolved, 10 stops+ dynamic range.

confirmation of 800 lines resolving matches EX1 so all those questions whether it will be as sharp as EX1 are here answered and the cam isn't even finished yet. One can see by the body of it that it's the older 70-75% model not Barry's 85% with the newer styled body
 
Does this photo mean micro 4/3 lens focus control is now back as a spec?! (see focus/iris port) If so thats amazing.


outputs.jpg
 
Looks like the same wheel controls aperture and focus and WB/ISO, instead of having separate controls- maybe Mr Green can confirm this?
 
hunter richards said:
Does this photo mean micro 4/3 lens focus control is now back as a spec?! (see focus/iris port) If so thats amazing.
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yes that's what that means. m43 lenses, 43 lenses using the adapter, and -- very likely, Canon and Nikon lenses through the Birger adapter when it arrives. That isn't known for sure, obviously, but it's what I've been asking them for so I do think it's likely.
 
robertrogoz said:
Looks like the same wheel controls aperture and focus and WB/ISO, instead of having separate controls- maybe Mr Green can confirm this?
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All separate controls.

Aperture is controlled by a dedicated wheel at the front.
WB is set by manual or automatic or preset; if you want a custom white balance you use the "FUNCTION" joystick to dial it up or down.
ISO is set in the menus to switch positions on the Gain switch, so you have L,M,H which can be set (in VIDEO CAM mode) to settings like +3dB, +12db, etc... or in VIDEO CAM mode, you can set three ISO values on that switch.
Focus isn't done on the camera body, it's done on the lens ring (or through the remote focus port).

So no controls are shared. The only shared control is that wheel on the back that lets you choose frame rate, shutter speed, or syncro scan shutter speed.
 
Thank you for explaining.
I am still bit surprised by the position of the ports in the back and the placement in a recessed compartment of the battery. I think HD-SDI/battery location will prevent mounting such units as KiPro Mini, or even lager wireless receivers in the back without some rail system. Also there was talk of possibility of AB setup (for Dionic batteries with adapter plate), but taken into consideration size of Dionic or similar batteries (IDX) any such plate will block the access to HD-SDI or HDMI. So there will be an issue with powering such units as Ki or Nano, as they utilize D-tap connection on adapter plate. So unfortunately looks like there is going to be no possibility of using industry standard 12V batteries.
 
Barry,

does the camera come with a remote control? Starting and stopping the camera without introducing vibrations into the camera?
 
Homunculus said:
my god FINALLY a thorough review with someone that doesn't skirt every issue for political reasons (Bloom's intentional vagueness on many questions including dynamic range as compared to 5dmkii, etc).
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Word!! His review was a little odd to me - too cautionary. I mean this is THE camera that almost everyone is gushing about that addresses all the issues that true indies want in a cam and his response was well luke warmish - not a dslr killer. I cannot second guess Phil's motives but if Barry says this is the camera and he has even shot with RED.Hmmmmmm - I think I know which horse to back.

Sure the 5D has a look but my feeling is that the look has been aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaabused anyway. Video after video on Vimeo,youtube of about 10 % of the frame in focus. No Hollywoood flick I have ever seen is shot like that. Add to that moire, aliasing crappy audio etc...........how can the edge still be given to DSLRs?

I don't buy it. This is theeeeeeeeeeeeeeee camcorder. Yes Scarlet promises much much more. But for now..........nothing else comes close for value and features in this bracket.

Just placed my pre - order by the way......
 
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Hi all.

Yes, I (DVuser) am based in England, UK.

For the record robertrogoz, I'm not pushing the AG-AF100 as the best thing since sliced bread, but for £4,295 it is amazing. If it cost twice that I'd be picking a few more holes here and there. And I personally NEVER said DSLRs where any good for HD video, a few years ago when I got an EOS 5D MK2 I slated it publicly, to the dismay and attack of EOS owners everywhere.

There are a few little issues with the AF100, but nothing really worth mentioning if you think about how much it cost. A full size 35mm sensor would be nice, so would frame-ramping etc, but even Varicam don't do that and they cost 10 times the price. A bitter codec would be nice also, etc, but if you want all that, a RED is the way to go, or perhaps wait and see what Sony offer next year. For the money, the Panasonic is amazing and they where the first to market and they have set a very good benchmark at the price for others to try and beat. Oh, the AF100 is butt ugly too, but it is growing on me.

1998 is a typo, sorry, oops, should have been 2008.

I'm not sycophanting the AF100, it really is surprisingly excellent for the money and I am definitely going to buy one.

I shot footage and some samples of it are on my site, but compressed for web and small. I don't want to let anyone have native footage, or links to it as it was only a pre-production model that I had and I'm fully aware of what Panasonic Japan are still doing with the firmware/codec etc to get the picture even better so it would not be fair. I only published my findings on dynamic range and resolution because it was so good; and if it gets better; great.
 
robertrogoz said:
Thank you for explaining.
I am still bit surprised by the position of the ports in the back and the placement in a recessed compartment of the battery. I think HD-SDI/battery location will prevent mounting such units as KiPro Mini, or even lager wireless receivers in the back without some rail system. Also there was talk of possibility of AB setup (for Dionic batteries with adapter plate), but taken into consideration size of Dionic or similar batteries (IDX) any such plate will block the access to HD-SDI or HDMI. So there will be an issue with powering such units as Ki or Nano, as they utilize D-tap connection on adapter plate. So unfortunately looks like there is going to be no possibility of using industry standard 12V batteries.
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Of course you can use it with standard 12v batteries.

I have seen a few photos already with a ki-pro mini/AB battery setup on rails.

To expect a camera that is half the size of a full size HD camcorder to put a battery on the back when they needed that real estate for in and out connections is unreasonable at best.
 
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