Panasonic Adds 24P to AK-HC1800 Camera


Panasonic Solutions Company has added 1080/24p capability to its compact, multipurpose camera, the AK-HC1800, which the company touts as an ideal choice for 3D rigs and episodic production. At CES this week, the company will demonstrate two HC1800 cameras delivering 1080/24p in a 3D rig supplied by Bexel, a leading provider of 3D production gear.

The HC1800 has been widely deployed in applications ranging from broadcast studios, sports and entertainment venues, and houses of worship. It delivers the highest-quality HD video available in a compact, multipurpose camera. With its new capabilities, the 2/3-inch 2.2-megapixel 3-CCD camera will deliver high resolution HD output in 1080/59.94i, 1080/24ps, and 1080/23.94psf. Incorporating an advanced single-channel transfer system and spatial offset processing features that reduce aliasing and provide finer resolution, the camera has an exceptional signal-to-noise ratio of 60dB and a high sensitivity of F10 (at 2000 lx).

The HC1800 incorporates a host of Panasonic technologies, including a 14-bit A/D converter with a 38-bit digital signal processor (DSP) for pristine high resolution images, and a 12-axis color correction circuit that allows for fine adjustments of hue and saturation. Advanced picture enhancing functions include CineGamma curve to produce images that match the look of film, and Panasonic’s exclusive Dynamic Range Stretch (DRS) function to greatly improve results when shooting scenes with widely varying degrees of illumination.

The 3.3-pound camera unit comes equipped with a standard HD SDI output for flexible operation in remote studio production, sports and tower camera applications. It also features genlock, a mini 15-pin connector for power and control, tally function, iris and zoom/focus controls, motor driven optical filters (Clear, 1/4ND, 1/16ND, 1/64ND), DC 12V operation and a low power consumption of 17 watts.

The AK-HC1800 with 1080/24p output will be available in Spring 2011 at a suggested list price of $29,900.

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