Panasonic has revealed the 4K predecessor to their popular DVX100 camera, the large-sensor 4/3″ handheld AG-DVX200, which is intended to be a companion camera to the 4K VariCam 35. Though this compact camera does not have interchangeable lenses, it does come equipped with a Leica Dicomar 4K zoom lens with F2.8 aperture to offer shallow depth of field and a wide field of view.
The AG-DVX200 is a 4K, handheld camera with a 13X image stabilized lens and a 4/3″ sensor. It has 4K/60P recording on SD cards with Varicam-like V-Log L gamma curve with 12 stops of latitude. The lens is a f/2.8-4.5, 28-365mm equivalent zoom with separate zoom, focus, and aperture rings.
The DVX200 will be optimized for 4K/HD production and shares the esteemed VariCam family characteristics of filmic tonality and colorimetry, with natural, subtle rendering of skin flesh tones. It will offer a V-Log curve emulating the natural grey-scale rendition of the VariCam 35.
The DVX200 will record 4K (4096 × 2160) / 24p, UHD (3840 × 2160) / HD (1920 × 1080) 60p / 50p / 30p / 25p / 24p in either MP4 / MOV file formats. There are two SD card (SD card of UHS speed class 3 (U3) for 4K recording) slots, facilitating backup and relay recording. For professionals working worldwide, the camera’s master frame rate is selectable between 59.94Hz (23.98Hz) / 50.00Hz / 24.00Hz.
The DVX200’s three manual operation lens rings—13x zoom (Cam driven), focus and iris—will provide a comfortable manual control similar to an interchangeable lens camera, but without the need for actual lens changes. The zoom ring’s solid feel and smooth action allow delicate ultra-slow zooming. In addition, the camera’s multi-step zoom control provides fast response and smooth zoom action, yielding the creative freedom every camera operator desires. The zoom control on the handle enables variable speed zoom, allowing fine zoom control even for low angle shots. The DVX200 also features an enhanced Image Stabilizer, including a five-axis Hybrid Image Stabilizer and 4x correction-area Image Stabilizer that produces clear images without blurring, and a micro-drive focus unit that improves focus speed, tracking and capture performance, facilitating 4K focusing and shallow focus shooting.
The DVX200 will be available in Fall 2015 with a suggested list price under $5000.
