EVA1: Panasonic AU-EVA1! Announcement and latest updates

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Does a camera have to have the same sensor to carry the Varicam badge? Varicam is just a cinematic line of cameras and not specifically tied to any sensor type as far as I know. Varicam can also be a 2/3" sensor. Varicam is just a more cinematic line of cameras to mimic a film look and lots of methods can get an image to that point. That doesn't mean a camera like the GH5 can't be as cinematic just because it doesn't carry the same badge. Even if this new camera doesn't carry the Varicam name that honestly doesn't mean squat to how it can and will be used in the right hands.

Whats important is that the camera fills in the ergonomic gaps of using a DSLR and brings to the table some key advantages over a camera like the GH5. There are oodles of advantages that not everybody sees or appreciates without making use of a more robust professional camera. I now use a GH4 but I started my career with ENG cameras and yes there are plenty of things I still miss. I can make do with the GH4 in complex situations but the point of a more serious camera is not to make do.
 
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Some companies - Blackmagic and Sony come to mind - stream their events (which should be the norm IMO), but not sure that will happen at this one.
 
I'm sure the event won't be officially streamed but, that doesn't mean we're not going to immediately hear the details from the scourge of "news" peeps updating their twitters and blogs live on their phones. I'm sure one or two of them will be holding their phones up for the duration streaming to their own personal accounts, as well.

Also, I'm pretty sure a camera earning a Varicam badge is a lot more involved than its sensor size.
 
puredrifting said:
This is why cameras are not typically crowdsource designed and funded. When you look at all of the vaporware cameras that have been on Kickstarter, this is always the issue, people are unrealistic about what it would cost to create a camera that is all things to all users. I am pretty sure that it will be a great camera, Panasonic is one of the best and they know what users want and need. The only spoiler that sort of makes this new mystery camera impressive are the GH5 specs, which are amazing for the price range. So if Panasonic is positioning this camera in between the GH5 and Varicam LT, it is not impossible to map out what is should have. It has already been specualted that it is an S35 imager and most probably will have an EF mount. It will probably speak with EF lenses through electronics, hopefully activating IS and obviously will have to control aperture. As far as AF or DPAF, that is sort of wild card, the Varicam LT doesn't and the GH5 does have AF. Only the Mitch knows. So I would mark that as a maybe. The other big speculation is media, if it only takes SDXC cards, that probably determines which codecs at which bit rates it supports. If it had CFast or P2 Express cards, etc. that would allow for higher end media with a higher end codec and bit rate, although this Summer's firmware update to the GH5 is supposedly going to include a 400MB/S codec???? So that's another one that could go a lot of different ways.

From the marketing position, it shouldn't have dual ISO or at least at 800 and 5000 and it shouldn't support too high frame rates, that feels as if it would intrude too much into the LT area and the Mitch has already said that this new camera doesn't replace or subsume the Varicam LT. I am really hoping it has Varicam look and color science. It will support V-Log and hopefully will have some good quality audio goodies. I am beginning to agree with those who think this will be a DVX-200 with a removable lens, which I hope it is not because the DVX-200 color science is nothing to write home about IMHO. I have yet to see footage from the DVX-200 that blows me away. The more we discuss it, that seems to be the market segment they are going for unless it turns out to be more in the $9k to $10k range, but I am betting on the $6k to $8k range as more likely.
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I would be surprised if it used SDs for media, and the "affordable" media part of the initial description seems to nix either Cfast or Express P2 cards...so I'm still wondering if they may not go with SSDs...robust and affordable and perhaps most importantly....can handle Prores...personally I would be happy with 1 more stop of DR...a more robust and simpler body style that can withstand the rigors of production...60p in 4K would be adequate as with a robust codec one could slow it down in post further if need be and the S35 sensor would give you that extra usable stop or 2 in low light and as the GH5 is already usable at 3200 ISO to my eye with a bit of neat video in post, that would almost start pushing this cam into that Dual ISO terrotority anyway...personally if the project I working on getting developed gets funded, I would just buy the Varicam LT...the LT has everything I can imagine wanting in a camera for a long time to come....besides....as the technology is improving we are slowly reaching the point where image quality becomes almost academic and usability becomes the next paradigm
 
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puredrifting said:
It is still the case. Have you shot any reality programming? I have quite a few hours with these on my shoulders, it's what made me decide that I don't want to work in reality, you're basically a human tripod for 14 hour days, it's awful. But this form factor and size/weight is simply what works. That's who is buying all of these and they buy a lot of them.

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I do mostly documentary-style stuff. When I shoot for Lifetime they specify FS7. For Motor Trend, Autoblog and action sports stuff I get to pick. I have one friend who produces docs for NY Times and he uses an old P2 camera -- but he shot a magazine-style show on an NBC affiliate for years and it's what he's used to. He's the only guy I know in the business still rolling with such classic hardware. At one point I understand that Deadliest Catch used NX5Us, which are three Chíp, but I wouldn't put that hardware in the category as betacam. Small 3-chippers I can definately see used in that space.
 
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What if the new camera is the vehicle that launches a new proprietary mount similar to Sony FZ, with a flange distance so short to the sensor that you can adapt the mount to anything? Add to that a 135 format sensor that can crop in for anything from 135 to Super 16 or maybe 2/3 or 1/3" chip. They could call it the Panasonic P mount or PX mount and you could use a 1/3" B4 Fujinon servo zoom lens like the one from the HPX300...all the way up to "full frame" EF or Nikon lenses like the Sigma Art. I don't know. It'd be killer if the shipping mount were interchangeable somehow, or more robust than a fixed EF one. I just incested in PL lenses and I don't have a Super 35 camera! lol
 
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