NEWARK, N.J. – Panasonic has announced the AJ-PX800, a new 2/3-inch, three-chip shoulder-mount camcorder with AVC-Ultra recording. The PX800 weighs in at just over six pounds.
The PX800 has built-in network functions to support wired LAN, wireless LAN and 4G/LTE connections, enabling on-site preview, streaming and uploading data to a server with a PC/Mac, tablet or smartphone; or users can connect to the camera via WiFi to control, add or edit metadata, view proxies, or watch live streaming for logging or monitoring.
Panasonic’s multi-codec AVC-Ultra offers master-quality and/or low-bit-rate 10-bit, 4:2:2 recording in full raster HD. The high-resolution AVC-Proxy encodes in parallel with higher bandwidth production formats at bit rates from 6 Mbps down to 800 kbps.
The PX800 records in AVC-LongG to provide on-air content direct from the shooting location and for workflows using content transferred over the Internet. The camera offers three AVC-LongG bit rates: AVC-LongG50/25 providing10 bit/4:2:2 quality at bit rates of approximately 50/25 Mbps, and the more economical AVC-LongG12, which is optimized for field wireless workflows.
Power consumption is 22 watts. The 2.2 megapixel 2/3-type 3MOS image sensors offer 1920 x1080 HD resolution, F12 (59.94 Hz) or F13 (50 Hz) sensitivity and low noise with an S/N of 62 dB (with DNR ON). The design allows the use of a variety of interchangeable B4 mount 2/3-inch lenses.
The PX800 can record in AVC-Intra100/50 (1080/60i, 50i, 30p, 25p, 24p and 720/60p,50p, 30p, 25p, 24p), DVCPRO HD, DVCPRO50, DVCPRO and DV, and is 50 Hz and 59.94 Hz switchable for worldwide use. The camcorder will be equipped with Chromatic Aberration Compensation to maximize lens performance; Dynamic Range Stretch function to help compensate for wide variations in lighting; a flash-band detection and compensation algorithm that minimizes this effect; and a 12 + 3 skin tone Axis Matrix Control. The PX800 delivers seven-mode gamma selection; there are two P2 card slots (microP2 cards can be used with an adaptor) and an SD card slot for proxy/metadata recording.
Professional interfaces include MON out (can be set to output HD-SDI), HDMI out, HD/SD-SDI in/out, genlock in for multi-camera operation, timecode in/out, USB 2.0 (Host and Device) and a two-channel UniSlot compatible wireless receiver.
Additional features include a smart user interface that permits accessibility to the camera’s extensive functions from an LCD display on the side of the camera; an (optional) 16:9, 3.45-inch, 920,000-dot resolution LCD color viewfinder, which doubles as a LCD monitor when open; a simplified waveform and vectorscope; a 10-pin remote terminal enabling remote camera operation; and an optional camera studio system.
Audio capabilities include two XLR audio inputs, and recording up to four channels of 48kHz, 24-bit audio in AVC-Intra formats (16-bit in AVC-LongG, DVCPRO HD, DVCPRO and DV).
Standard features include Scan Reverse for use with a cinema lens adaptor; Digital Zoom function for 2x, 3x and 4x magnification; Presettable Shutter Speed from 1/12 to 1/2000 sec plus fully variable Synchro Scan; and a four-position (CLEAR, 1/4 ND, 1/16 ND, 1/64 ND) optical neutral density filter wheel.
The AJ-PX800 will be available in October, configured as three versions; suggested list prices are:
AJ-PX800PJ (Body only) $15,000
AJ-PX800PJH (Body + CVF15 viewfinder) $17,250
AJ-PX800PJF (Body + viewfinder + lens) $19,500
