Panasonic AF100A/AF101A update

It seemed as if Panasonic had forgotten its AF100/AF101 Micro Four Thirds-based AVCCAM camcorder, but it has finally announced an update: the AG-AF100A / AG-AF101A.

The new A series looks identical to the existing model, but will now be able to record 1080p 50/60 (at up to 28Mbps) internally and will produce a 10-bit 4:2:2 output via HD-SDI for recording on an external recorder (compared to 8-bit output on the previous model).

Although this means that the AF100/101 hasn’t been totally forgotten, it is a rather limited upgrade. Given that Panasonic’s own GH3 stills camera can record 1080p 60p/50 at 50Mbps IPB and 24p at 72Mbps ALL-I internally, it seems a shame that the camcorder should lag so far behind a much cheaper stills camera.

Admittedly, the new GH3 only has 8-bit 4:2:0 output via HDMI (although given what hacks have done to expand the recording options on the existing GH2, one would hope the GH3 will be similarly tweakable).

The AF100A/AF101A also gets an expanded focus assist function, which enlarges the centre of the displayed image, and 2.39:1 (cinema scope size) safety zone marker.

Besides the GH2 and GH3, the other option for anyone with an investment in Micro Four Thirds lenses is the upcoming MFT version of Blackmagic Design’s Cinema Camera. It has certain advantages over the stills cameras in terms of faster connections (Thunderbolt), higher bitrate recording and smartphone-like controls (although the GH3 will be controllable from a smartphone), but is not as ergonomically usable as the AF100/101 (nor have its dual XLR audio inputs). However, it does cost less.

The AG-AF100A (the US version) and AG-AF101A (European version) will be available later this month with a list price of €4,150 excluding VAT (about £3,300 or $5,300).

By David Fox

Scene files for Panasonic pro cameras

Panasonic users can change the look of the images captured by their P2 HD and AVCCAM HD camcorder using freely downloadable scene files from the company’s website.

The files can change lots of aspects of how a camera performs, from different frame rate to wide-ranging changes in the colour correction matrix and gamma used to specific create looks without having to manually change individual parameters or experiment to get the look you want. Panasonic’s selection of customized scene files each contain a unique look that can be stored in the camera or read from the camera's built-in SD Memory Card slot.

The latest files available are 18 for each of the following cameras: the AG-AC130 and AG-AC160 AVCCAM HD handhelds; the AG-HPX250 P2 HD handheld; the AG-AF100/AF101 large sensor HD cinema camera; and the AG-HPX370 (pictured above) and AJ-HPX3100 P2 HD shoulder-mount camcorders.

The 18 files come in three packages (styles, filmic, effects), each containing six files per download – except for the AJ-HPX3100, for which the files must be downloaded individually. If you have an AF101, you apparently have to change the camera name to AF101E in each of the three styles text entry (according to a comment on Creative Cow) - something similar might also apply to other variants, like the HPX371.

The Styles package includes: Clean, Portrait, Rich, SoftB (similar to using a black diffusion filter), SoftW (like a white diffusion filter), and Stylin (a bright, punchy look).

The Filmic package, for the film look, includes: Comedy, Drama (darker, grittier, more contrast), Hollywood, Super8, Flat (for grading in post), and Stark (for that Iron Man look… sorry, no, apparently for a highly stylized, brighter, more contrasty, washed out look, so more ‘Tony Stark’ than ‘Iron Man’).

The Effects package includes: DSLR, Ghosty (green and blue), Cold (blue), Night (darker blue), Hot (dusty), and Boost (for shooting in low light).

You’ll also find scene files for other Panasonic cameras on the page: with 33 for the AJ-HPX2700, AJ-HPX3700 and AJ-HPX3000; 31 scene files for the AJ-HPX2000; 16 for the AG-HPX500; 18 for the AG-HPX170 and AG-HPX300; and 20 for the venerable AG-HVX200/HVX200A.

Remember the HVX200 - It's good to see Panasonic still does...

By David Fox

MacVideo Expo on Tuesday

MacVideo Expo takes place in London on Tuesday (October 18), with lots of interesting sessions, with debate, demonstrations and discussions on all manner of Mac-related production and post production.

It begins at 4pm with Expo organiser, editor, director and author, Rick Young presenting an hour-long session on: Getting to grips with Final Cut Pro X.

At 5pm, there is a chance to visit the exhibitor showcase, network, have a drink and tuck in to the buffet meal.

At 6.30pm, the main sessions start, with a heavyweight panel discussion: The state of post-production on the Mac, featuring: Chris Roberts, freelance producer, editor and Apple Certified Master Trainer (pictured), long-time editor, and Avid user, Barry Stevens (who edited Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody and many episodes of Dr Who), filmmaker and Apple Pro Apps Mentor Trainer, Jonathan Eric Tyrrell, and Rick Young.

At 7pm there is Grading in Premiere Pro, when Apple Certified Master Trainer and Adobe Certified Instructor, Simon Walker will share some of the processes he has found useful, how plug-ins help him work faster, and will be showing some tips to get up to speed quickly in Premiere Pro. It is followed by an Adobe presentation on CS5.5

At 7.30pm FCP editor, Philippe Baudet, will look at how to bridge the gap between post production and live event production, and his use of Macs and Blackmagic Design's ATEM production switchers for productions for some of the biggest broadcasters and music acts in Europe.

After a break, at 8.30pm, G-Technology will talk about soon-to-be-available Thunderbolt products, while at 8.50pm Telestream, has a session on advanced distributed transcoding workflows for post using Episode 6 multiformat encoding software.

At 9.10pm Jonathan Richards, talks about shooting with the Panasonic AG-AF101 large sensor video camera.

At 9.30pm, the big finish will be an hour with DoP, director and filmmaker, Philip Bloom (pictured), looking at how to choose the right camera for different shooting situations, with footage shot with such cameras as the Panasonic AF101; Sony NEX-FS100; Sony PMW-F3; and Red Epic.

The Expo will take place at the Royal Society of Medicine (5 minutes walk from Oxford Circus or Bond Street tube stations), 1 Wimpole Street, London W1G 0AE, which is a really nice venue.

It costs £10, with entry from 4pm, and the buffet meal. Register at: www.macvideo.tv/events/Macvideo-Expo-Oct/

By David Fox

Anton/Bauer Matrix Cheese Plate

The new Matrix Cheese Plate from Anton/Bauer can be used to attach its Gold Mount batteries to Sony's PMW-F3, Canon's EOS 5D Mark II, EOS 7D and EOS 60D DSLRs, Panasonic's AG-AF100/AF101 and the Red Epic.

The Matrix Cheese Plate mounts directly on a 15mm or 19mm rod system (15mm or 19mm clamp kits sold separately), to allow for easy mounting of a variety of Gold Mounts including:
- QRC-DUAL PT – Gold Mount with 4-pin XLR and two PowerTap outputs for the Sony F3, which also mounts directly to the AJA Ki Pro Mini;
- QR-DLSR – 7/14 Gold Mount for Canon 5D, 7D and 60D;
- QR-VBG – 7/14 Gold Mount adapter for the Panasonic AG-AF100/AF101;
- QRC-EPIC, for Red's Epic, with auxiliary PowerTap connector, power cable and 6p LEMO power connector.

These Gold Mount systems can also be used on third-party cheese plates and rigs, including Cinevate, Shape, Redrock Micro and Genus.

By David Fox

FCPUG IBC SuperMeet on Sunday

The Fourth Annual Final Cut Pro User Group Amsterdam SuperMeet takes place next Sunday (11 September), to coincide with IBC. It will be at the Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky in Dam Square, with talks and demonstrations from filmmakers, colourists, and editors. 

Speakers include: Michael Wohl, one of the creators of the original Final Cut Pro and an authority on Final Cut Pro X, which he will demonstrate; Adobe's Jason Levine (pictured above at a previous SuperMeet) talking about Adobe Premiere Pro 5.5 for FCP editors; film editor Eddie Hamilton describing the workflow on X-Men: First Class and Kick-Ass, using Avid Media composer; and Autodesk's Jim Geduldick with the latest on Smoke on Mac OS X.

London-based colourist, Dado Valentic, who graded BAFTA winner Flying with Monsters, and the world’s first 3D opera Carmen in 3D, as well as 3D commercials for Panasonic, Red Bull and Nintendo, will discuss his workflow using the latest DaVinci Resolve 8, from Blackmagic Design. He will talk particularly about his work on fashion promos for the likes of Christian Dior and Zara. "The SuperMeet events are always really exciting and it will be great to show how I’ve used Resolve 8 to grade my latest projects," said Valentic.

DSLR Guru, Philip Bloom (pictured above at a previous SuperMeet), will show his best creations from a year that has seen him work for George Lucas, and shoot with many of the most talked about cameras, such as Panasonic's AF101, the Sony PMW-F3 and Red's Epic. Bloom will also be holding an Amsterdam DSLR Meetup, on Saturday (10 September), at 19:00, to talk about filmmaking, DSLRs, and anything else that comes up. RSVP at his Facebook Meetup Event Page. 

Tickets cost €15 online, or €20 at the door – if they are still available. SuperMeets have always sold out.

Doors open at 16:30 with an exhibition of more than 20 software and hardware developers, plus free food, and there will also be the traditional World Famous Raffle, with more than €37,000 worth of prizes from Blackmagic Design, AJA, Atomos, Adobe, Avid, nVidia, Zacuto, Red Giant Software, Telestream, Maxon, Artbeats, Boris FX, Glyph Technology, MotionVFX, Noise Industries, Imagineer Systems, Tiffen, and others.

By David Fox

Gold Mount power for F3 + AF101

Anton/Bauer has introduced new battery packs for the Arri Alexa, Sony PMW-F3, Panasonic AG-AF100/AF101 and DSLRs.

The new additions to its Gold Mount system will include the QR-HotSwap-AR for Arri's Alexa digital camera system, the QR-Locaster for the Arri Locaster light, the QRC-Dual-PT for the Sony PMW-F3 camera, the QR-C80P for the Panasonic AG-HMC80 professional AVCCAM HD shoulder-mount camcorder, and the QRC-VBG for the Panasonic AF100/AF101 series HD camera.

Also new is the QR-DSLR for Canon's EOS 5D Mark II, 7D and 60D digital SLR cameras, which will run monitors, lights, transmitters and other accessories not possible with a standard OEM battery. It uses the Logic Series batteries and can mount to most third-party support rigs, such as Redrock Micro, Zacuto, Genus and Cinevate. It can also be configured in a pouch pack for handheld production.

“The key to our success and foundation of all of our technology begins with the Gold Mount System,” said Shin Minowa, VP of marketing and business development. He called the Gold Mount "the most secure mounting system available for professionals. The last thing Anton/Bauer Gold Mount users will have to worry about is a power failure because of a bad battery connection when shooting on location.”

The Gold Mount, which is claimed to be the industry's most widely used battery mount, is forward compatible to allow for new cell chemistries as they develop, allowing today's battery to perform seamlessly on a charger purchased ten years ago, with only a simple firmware upgrade. Central to the Gold Mount’s performance are three solid mechanical connections that lock into place, providing secure contact, with self-cleaning gold-plated pins rated for high current. It includes an InterActive Viewfinder Fuel Gauge communicating directly with the camera’s viewfinder.

By David Fox

Atomos Ninja Review

The Ninja, by Hong Kong/Australian company Atomos, is one of a growing group of on-camera recorders. These devices enable you to bypass the camera’s compression and record at a higher bitrate on those cameras that have non-compressed HDMI outputs (in the Ninja's case) or HD-SDI. [UPDATE: Atomos now has HD-SDI to HDMI and HDMI to HD-SDI Connect convertors that make it easy to add HD-SDI inputs to Ninja] [UPDATE 2: The Ninja 2 has been launched - better display, HDMI output, compatible with new AtomOS 3.0 firmware]

After a couple of delays due to software problems, the Ninja is now shipping and will be joined eventually by the Samurai, which will record using HD-SDI and have a larger, higher-resolution screen.

The Ninja comes in a handy hard carry case. The kit includes two hot-swappable hard drive caddies, two batteries with a dual charger and a docking station for the drive with FireWire 800, USB 2.0 and 3.0 and eSata connections.

PROBLEM 1 

All of these field recorders have three problems they are trying to solve.

First of all: image quality. For example the new Canon XF305 records 50Mbps 4:2:2 while Sony's EX1 and EX3 record 35Mbps 4:2:0 onto their solid-state memory cards. But, they are more than capable of exporting pictures of higher quality via their HD-SDI and/or HDMI sockets (the EX3 doesn't have HDMI, but the newer EX1R does). Field recorders allow you to tap into those higher quality images.

The Ninja records 10-bit ProRes HQ at 220Mbps, ProRes 422 at 150Mbps or ProRes LT at 100Mbps in hardware, and Apple has checked that it is "bit-for-bit accurate" (and gave its approval) according to Atomos CEO, Jeromy Young.

Most DSLR cameras record in H.264, a great codec for a video project ready for upload to the web, but not much fun to edit with. A separate recorder using a more edit friendly codec should make your editor happy and mean less time hanging around waiting for video to render or be transcoded.

PROBLEM 2

Storage capacity. A 32Gb Compact Flash card will hold around 40mins of video at 50Mbps. Most professional cameras can hold two cards, but if you need to shoot a lot of video you will have to keep swapping cards throughout the day. Plus, you typically only have one copy, which can be worrying, especially if you are new to tapeless recording.

With the Ninja you record to a 2.5-inch 9.5mm-high laptop-sized hard drive – disk or solid state. These are not included in the kit but they are readily available. A 500GB drive will give you around five hours of recording time in ProResHQ, 7.5 hours in ProRes422 and 11 hours in ProResLT. Now you can shoot all day and/or have two copies, just in case.

Atomos recommend fast (7200rpm) hard disks rather than 5400rpm ones. If the disk is knocked during recording you may see the Skippy icon – a kangaroo in a yellow diamond – to let you know there is a problem.

If your shoot involves a fair bit of rough and tumble, you should consider buying the more expensive solid-state drives (SSD). At the moment Atomos only recommends Intel SSDs, but new drives come out all the time so it is a good idea to check its checked and approved list.

The drives fit inside the supplied master caddy for protection. If you buy extra drives you way want to buy an extra pack of five caddies for around £25.

screen grab showing 3.99Gb files

During my test of the Ninja I plugged it into a Canon XF105. With its infrared function I wanted to leave it recording the wildlife in my garden all night. With a large battery on the camera and two large batteries on the Ninja, I managed to record for up to ten continuous hours. When I looked at the drive the video had been chopped into 4GB sized files (around 4min 35sec in ProRes 422).

PROBLEM 3 

Power management: Having 11 hours of recording time is no use if the batteries can’t keep up. The Ninja has a dual battery system, using common Sony DV batteries. The two NP-F570 batteries in the kit offer around 4.5 hours of power. But, these are hot swappable, so when one depletes, it will switch to the second, and the first can be replaced. So, if you intend doing a long continuous shoot you shouldn’t have any problems. I have some spare Sony NP-F970 batteries, which still had plenty of juice to spare after being on for ten hours.

Ninja dual battery system

At the moment the Ninja only shows battery voltage remaining – not time remaining. This will be upgraded in a forthcoming firmware upgrade.

Battery info screen

GETTING ATTACHED 

The Ninja with both batteries and drive weighs in at 700g. It has standard 1/4-inch mounts on the top and base of the unit. You may want to buy a variety of 1/4-inch screw-to-cold shoe connectors – especially if they have a ball and socket joint to easily position the Ninja on the camera. I used a small articulating arm to mount the Ninja to my Canon XF305. Which allows you to position the unit exactly where you want it.

An articulating arm to help position the Ninja

You’ll also need an HDMI cable to connect the Ninja to the camera (it's not included in the package). There really is no need to spend a huge amount on expensive gold cables. If the digits go in and come out of the cable you’re fine. That said cheap cables may be OK round the back of the TV, but, might not survive the rough and tumble of being on the road. If the cable falls out during recording you will get the Skippy icon warning. If you are of a nervous disposition you might want to splash out on a locking HDMI cable.

The Ninja comes with a touch sensitive screen/monitor – so it could be used by a director as a video assist or perhaps by the sound recordist to check for a boom in shot.

DSLR users may find the Ninja monitor helpful when doing very low angle shots – when a typical DSLR screen is almost impossible to see unless you lie down on the ground. 

Ninja with Canon EOS7D

The Hague CamFrame

The monitor is there just for a confidence check that you are getting an image and composition is OK. It is not something I would use to help me with focus. But, if they add peaking in a future firmware upgrade DSLR users will find it more useful.

At the moment playback on the monitor is very blocky and stutters. But, Atomos already has that on its to-do list in a future firmware upgrade.

USER INTERFACE

The Ninja interface is easy to master. So, if you don’t like reading manuals you’ll be OK. That said the manual is well written, with plenty of photos to guide you through the set up process.

Ninja Main screen

All the controls are via the touch screen monitor. When you switch on, four round buttons appear on screen - REC (record), PLAY, MON (monitor) and MENU.

Along the top of the screen the Ninja indicates whether there is No Input and once you plug into your camera what resolution and frame/field rate it is receiving.

Next to that it tells you which ProRes codec is chosen for recording. To change it just tap on the screen and it will cycle through the options. In the top righthand side of the screen you can see which battery is being used. If you tap on this you can find out how much battery voltage each battery has left.

In the bottom righthand side of the screen you get an indication of recording time. Tap on this and you’ll get information on the make and model of the drive, its size and an option to format it. Formating will prepare the disk for recording the first time it is used – but it will also delete everything on the disk too.

Drive info screen

I tested the Ninja with several cameras. Using it with the Canon XF305 and XF105 was very simple. Both cameras have a cold shoe mount and a 1/4-inch screw mount – so you can use either way to mount the Ninja. The shortest HDMI cable I had was 2m – which was too long, half that length would have been fine.

We also tried it with our small Panasonic TM700 1080 50p (or 60p US) camcorder, which normally records at up to 28Mbps AVCHD. This non-standard AVCHD format isn't easily editable by Final Cut Pro, so being able to capture it in ProRes should make it much more practical. However, it doesn't seem that the Ninja can capture 50p, instead recording it at 50i (although the pictures are an improvement).

DSLR 

Atomos will have to disappoint Canon HD DSLR users who were hoping to be able to record perfect uncompressed video via their HDMI ports. The video should still be uncompressed (so long as you don't also record in camera at the same time on some models), but it won't be perfect, as it seems that Canon has helpfully included a white square or a red (recording) dot on a corner of the output, which will be noticeable if you try to use it as full HD.

Canon EOS 7D HDMI output with red dot in the corner of the picture

Atomos has asked Canon about this, but it seems that the spoiler may be deliberate to maintain the distinction within Canon between the photographic and video divisions. 

Canon EOS 7D HDMI output with white "zoom tool" box in the corner of the picture

Atomos hadn't detected it when they tested a Canon 7D initially as they shot some footage in a studio with a white background. It was only during beta testing that users spotted it, and further testing revealed the white square on the 7D and the red spot on other models.

Panasonic TM700 HDMI output with 'helpful' info on screen.

However, some DSLRs apparently have HDMI output that is pristine (the Sony Alpha models and Panasonic's GH2 have been reported as working, although we don't have them so can't check). The Ninja also works perfectly with any video cameras they've tested it with, such as the Panasonic AF101 and Sony's F3.

WELL CONNECTED

It has LANC input/output for control (as well as the 4.3-inch touch screen). For audio, it has a mini-jack stereo input, or can record up to six channels of digital audio via HDMI (if the camera supports it), and a headphone jack.

Ninja connections - HDMI, LANC and audio

Atomos are committed to upgrading the firmware on a regular basis. So, features will be improved and added in the coming months.

Menu screen

If you press on the Ninja's menu button and then the Ninja Info button you can check which firmware version is currently running on your unit. The Ninja we recieved for review was on version 1.02. On the firmware download page they were up to version 1.04 so I thought I'd have a go.The first thing to do is download the zip file from the download page.

Then go to the instruction page and follow the instructions precisely.

The two important things to remember are to format the drive, using the Ninja, before you start and attach fresh batteries to the Ninja so that you don't lose power during the upgrade.

Once the drive was formatted I placed it in the master caddy and copied the firmware file over, which took a few seconds.

copy the firmware file to the formatted drive

Then I placed the drive in the Ninja and switched it on. There were coloured bands flashing at the top and bottom of the screen for about and minute (to prove it was doing something) and then it switched itself off.

coloured bands flash during the upgrade

Version 1.04 successfully upgraded

When I switched back on and checked the firmware was the new version 1.04. All very simple and exactly as outlined on the Atomos website.

EXPORT TO TIMELINE

Once you’ve finished recording, you place the drive in the master caddy into the docking station, which can be powered via the mains or by the FireWire connection.

Ninja Docking station

Firewire and USB 2.0 and 3.0 on docking station

If time is short you can edit straight off the drive. In fact if a whole shoot fits on one drive it could be the editing drive and archive all in one…at least in the short term.

But, us nervous types will be backing up all that data. This is all very simple just connect the Ninja drive and drag and drop the ProRes files onto the drive you usually edit from and away you go.

ATOMOS NINJA - PROS:

• Good value: It costs €795, £695 or $995
• Well built and should be robust, especially with solid-state drive
• ProRes is wonderful to edit (not just for Final Cut Pro users, as other non-linear editors can use it too, even on Windows with a plug-in) – you can even plug in and edit from the drive
• Higher quality video, which might not be easily evident when you just compare the two side by side, but will be once you do anything to the video, especially for something like colour correction, where having the 10-bit 4:2:2 images will allow you do much more subtle colour grading
• Small – it makes the AJA Ki Pro Mini look like the Ki Pro Maxi
• Easy to use interface

ATOMOS NINJA - CONS:

• Uses HDMI, which isn't usually a locking connection
• No HDMI pass through (so you can't plug it in to a better monitor)
• No HD-SDI connection (which is coming in the Samurai)
• Low-resolution monitor (480x270 – compared to 5-inch and 800x400 on the Samurai)
• Limited playback capability – although this will be improved in future, it's a much lower frame rate than normal (not helped by the low resolution)
• No XLR audio inputs (unlike some of its, admittedly more expensive competitors)

IN CONCLUSION 

The Ninja is a well built and easy to use device. It has evolved since we first saw it at IBC2010 and Atomos has obviously listened to feedback from potential customers. If you have a Pro camera with HD-SDI you may want to wait for the Samurai. But if your camera has HDMI output this is a cost effective way to back up your video on the fly at a higher quality than your removable flash media.

If you are a DSLR owner you need to check whether your camera will work with the Ninja… or hope Canon relents and issues a firmware upgrade to remove unnecessary on-screen icons.

So, is it worth buying? Certainly, if you have something like a Panasonic AF100/AF101 (although it will only output 8-bit video), any of the Sony 35Mbps XDCAM EX range (including the PWM-F3), or the little Panasonic HCK10 point-of-view camera, all of which have been approved for HD use by the BBC, but only when they are recording to an external recorder at 50Mbps or above. It is currently the least expensive such recorder on the market, and it works well – although there are still some things to iron out.

In the medium term: There will soon be a lot more recorders for you to choose from. The newly announced Blackmagic Design HyperDeck Shuttle (see our review of the Shuttle) will only cost $345 and will record uncompressed video. If you want the best for less, this is it – however, big caveat: uncompressed images are huge. If you are recording for any length of time, you'll need lots of big, expensive, SSDs. It is a great option for certain types of work where you want the maximum quality and don't need long recording times, but if you want a compressed system, to save space and allow you to edit the pictures as quickly as possible, ProRes is a great choice.

Being able to do real-time ProRes compression in the recorder is where a lot of the extra cost of the Ninja goes. The real choice for many then will be between the Ninja and the Samurai (which could ship sometime over the Summer or maybe in the early Autumn). At £929, €1,095 or $1,495, the Samurai is still very good value (about 50% less than the admittedly excellent AJA Ki Pro Mini, with its XLR inputs, both SDI and HDMI, and Compact Flash card recording).

If you have an HDMI camera, you should certainly shortlist the Ninja. If your camera only has SDI, then the Samurai would be your value choice. If you need to do both, then look to: AJA; Fast Forward Video's $2,495/£1,695 sideKick HD recorder/monitor which also records ProRes to SSDs; or the upcoming sub-$3,000 Sound Devices PIX 240 recorder, which can also record using the Avid DNxHD video format (there will also be a PIX 220 that is HDMI only and expected to be under $2,000). And if you want even higher quality recording, then the more expensive Gemini 4:4:4 (under $6,000) from Convergent Designs will be the one to watch. However, except for the Ninja, the Ki Pro Mini, and Convergent Designs' industry-standard 8-bit nanoFlash, none of those are shipping yet.

[UPDATE: Other reviews are creeping out. Here's one by LA filmmaker, James Boyd.]

[[UPDATE: Atomos has introduced new Samurai Blade with a sharper monitor and upgraded operating system (AtomOS5) – it has also cut the price of both the Samurai and Ninja-2]]

By Christina Fox

AF101 wins BBC HD approval

Panasonic has had three of its cameras approved by the BBC for HD use, although all of them have features that are not what the broadcaster would normally consider desirable for HD production.

The most notable camera approved is the AG-AF101 large sensor camera, although it can only be used with an external recorder, as the internal AVCHD (24Mbps) codec doesn't survive the rigours of the broadcast transmission chain, particularly when dealing with demanding material, as it can exhibit artefacts. [UPDATE: The new AF101A can record up to 28Mbps internally - still not good enough - and output 10-bit 4:2:2 via HD-SDI to an external recorder]

The AF101 has already been used for HD production by broadcasters, including the UK's Channel 4, and for many commercials. It was used by the award-winning producer/director Fiona Lloyd-Davies, of Studio 9 Films, to shoot a documentary in the Congo for Al-Jazeera Europe, where it recorded to a Convergent Design nanoFlash external Compact Flash recorder at 50Mbps, the minimum bitrate that the BBC also insists on. [See story: AF101's first broadcast production]

"The 101 has been a big hit for Panasonic right across the world. Its picture quality, and particularly its control over depth of field, are excellent for a camera at this price point. It is a leap up from a DSLR with its professional controls, ergonomic handling and broadcast interfaces. To be on the approved BBC HD list is a real feather in its cap," commented Allan Leonhardsen, of Panasonic distributor Holdan.

DoP Paul Lucas, who recently completed a number of TV and commercial shoots using the AF101, believes that "the AF-101 represents a serious step forward for cameras in its class. For those who've been shooting professional video on DSLRs, this is unquestionably the way forward. For mid to higher budget shoots - promos, drama, commercials, there's no reason not to use a 101 next to more expensive cameras, and spend money on glass instead."

The AF101 can be used with a wide range of lenses, from Zeiss Compact Primes, to Canon and Nikon stills lenses via an adaptor.

Panasonic's HPX371 has also been approved for HD broadcast use. It records on P2 cards using the H.264 MPEG4-based AVC-Intra format, and is the most affordable shoulder-mount camera, offering the flexibility of interchangeable lenses, on the BBC HD list (it costs about €8,000 with a 17x HD Fujinon lens). It uses three 1/3-inch CMOS sensors, although the BBC previously stated that sensors should be at least 1/2-inch chips – however, it had already moved away from this requirement by approving Canon's XF300/XF305 1/3-inch cameras late last year.

The AG-HCK10 point of view camera and its AVCHD recorder/controller the AG-HMR10 is also BBC approved, although the miniature camera must also be used with an external 50Mbps+ recorder (the HMR10 has SDI and HDMI outputs). The camera has a 12x optical zoom lens, Optical Image Stabilizer, and a 1/4.1-inch progressive 3MOS sensor. The package costs about €3,500 and is approved for such applications as in-car use or wildlife photography.

Sony too

The cameras are joined on the newly updated list by several Sony cameras, including the new PMW-F3 (along with Sony's EX1R, EX3, PMW-320 and PMW-350, it gains official approval only with a 50Mbps+ external recorder), and the Sony PMW-500 (50Mbps 4:2:2 SxS camera - pictured above), which has apparently been bought in large numbers by BBC News.

The full BBC HD list

Studio Cameras
• Sony HDC1500

• Sony HDC1550 

• Sony HDC1400 

• Sony HDC1450 

• Sony HSC300 

• Sony HXC100 

• Grass Valley LDK8000 Elite Worldcam 

• Grass Valley LDK8000 Elite Standard 

• Grass Valley LDK4000 Elite 1080i

HD Handheld
• Canon XF305 

• Canon XF300 

• Sony PMW-EX1R - with external recorder using a bitrate of 50Mbps or above 

• Sony PMW-EX3 - with external recorder using a bitrate of 50Mbps or above

HD Shoulder Mount
• Panasonic HDX900 

• Panasonic HPX371 

• Panasonic HPX3000 

• Panasonic HPX3100 

• Panasonic HPX3700 

• Sony PMW320 - with an external recorder using a bitrate of 50Mbps or above 

• Sony PMW350 - with an external recorder using a bitrate of 50Mbps or above 

• Sony PMW500
• Sony PDW, 700 & F800 

• Sony HDW F900R & 900 

• Sony HDW 790, 750 & 730

HD Specialist
• Panasonic HPX2700 HDC27F & H 

• Panasonic AF101 - with an external recorder using a bitrate of 50Mbps or above 

• Sony CineAlta F35 

• Sony SRW 9000 

• Sony PMW F3 - with an external recorder using a bitrate of 50Mbps or above 

• Arri D21 

• Arri Alexa 

• Panavision Genesis 

• Thompson Viper
• Red

Mini Cameras
• Iconix HD-RH1 

• Panasonic HCK10/HMR10 - with an external recorder using a bitrate of 50Mbps or above
• Toshiba IK-HR1S
• Toshiba IK-HD1

It also adds that "cameras should be chosen in consultation with the DoP and post production facility."

It may also accept other cameras, possibly under special circumstances or newly-released cameras it hasn't listed as approved, but if you shoot for the BBC it's always best to ask them first.

www.bbc.co.uk/commissioning/tv/production/delivery/hd-production-delivery.shtml

Related post: What makes an HD camera? 

By David Fox

AF101's first broadcast production

A production for Al Jazeera's Witness strand is believed to be the first to use Panasonic's AG-AF101 large-sensor camera for broadcast work.

It is being used for a documentary set in the Great Lakes region of Africa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, about how women raped and abused during the conflict are rebuilding their lives.

The production required a robust, agile camera that could capture the beauty of the environment, and the AF101 was chosen because of its light weight, large sensor size and solid-state storage, according to Fiona Lloyd-Davies of Studio 9 Films (pictured on location in the Congo).

"With no tape mechanism and no moving parts, the camera worked faultlessly in all conditions, delivering excellent results," said the award-winning producer/director. "This is a beautiful part of the world and I wanted a camera that could do it justice. Not only did the 101 bring out the vivid colours of the people and their environment, but its four thirds chip allowed me to adjust the depth of field to great effect."

She wanted to step up from the Sony Z1 or Z5 type of camera, but didn't want a larger camcorder, particularly as she is shooting by herself. She did have a fixer working with her, but he's not a camera assistant or sound recordist. "So I had to find something I could work with on my own," in a very difficult place to work.

It was also "very important to use a format that would be visually very strong and would give great pictures," she explained.

"Some people suggested using the Canon 5D, but as far as I understand it doesn't handle movement very well and doesn't have XLR [audio inputs] or handle sound very well."

As she was preparing to leave for Africa for the first part of her shoot, the London-based hire company she was using, VMI, received its first AF101. "They have been absolutely magnificent. They gave me a huge amount of technical assistance."

Working in the Congo there was no chance of getting something fixed if it went wrong, so it was important that everything was reliable (especially as she didn't have the budget for a second camera body, which she would have liked to be able to bring) – fortunately it was.

The main downside with the AF101 is that it doesn't record at 50Mbps in the camera (it records AVCHD at 24Mbps to two SD card slots, which doesn't meet Al Jazeera's technical requirements), so VMI added a Convergent Design nanoFlash rig to the camera, which can record MXF or QuickTime files to Compact Flash cards. Before she left, she did some tests with the AF101 for Al Jazeera, which they were happy with.

The nanoFlash was attached to the camera's HD-SDI connector, and the resulting 50Mbps broadcast-compliant files were downloaded daily onto two separate rugged drives.

She also recorded simultaneously to the SD cards, which gave the security of a high resolution back-up and ensured that the nanoFlash was in sync with the camera, being set up to record when the timecode changed on the HD-SDI output. When the camera recorded, Lloyd-Davies could be confident that the nanoFlash was recording.

Having an external recorder wasn't a perfect solution. "There were occasions where I started shooting and realised it wasn't connected and had to start again." It was also hard to tell how much time she had remaining on the cards when she was concentrating on operating the camera.

The nanoFlash was powered by the main Anton/Bauer camera battery pack rather than a separate power supply to ensure that she could not start shooting only to discover later that the nanoFlash had run out of power.

"This is a new camcorder with a third party recording device. With limited technical support available in Eastern Congo, we needed to know that it would be fool proof. VMI carried out full testing before we hired the unit and gave us an excellent grounding in operating the equipment and getting the workflow right," she said.

A further problem was having enough electricity to charge the batteries and download all the cards to disk each evening. She was staying at a priest's house that only had a small generator on for a few hours each night, luckily it was just about possible to view and back-up everything in that time. She also had to clean all the kit each night, as the conditions were so dusty.

She needed to remain mobile, so needed to limit the amount of equipment she took. She was also on a tiny budget, "which is why I'm self shooting and doing everything myself."

It is her first time working with solid state and she took two 500GB FireWire drives, backing up to both each night. She had wanted to take larger drives but they didn't arrive in time. The nanoFlash can record at much higher bit rates, but "if I had recorded on more than 50Mbps I would have run out of space." She is shooting a lot of footage, hoping to capture some great moments, and took five 32GB Compact Flash cards, for the nanoFlash, although the most she recorded to on one day was four.

Each card took about 25-35 minutes to back up. She also downloaded the video from the SD cards each evening too.

She used prime lenses, which meant she had to think more about what type of shot she wanted and why. However, "the quality of the prime lenses is fantastic," although she was very mindful of how critical the focus was, especially in such bright sunlight, where the LCD screen was hard to see.

Nevertheless, "it was a really nice camera to work with," she said. "The pictures looked great. I felt I was working with a much higher calibre camera than the Z1 or Z5."

She has also been shooting a project for the BBC in the Congo over the last 18 months, but not in HD.

"I'd love to use the camera again. I think it's a great camera and the quality is fantastic, but it depends on the broadcaster as well," she added.

Lloyd-Davies will be returning to the Congo for a second shoot in May, together with an AF101, to finish the film, and then edit it in June on Final Cut Pro.

Related post: AF101 wins BBC HD approval

By David Fox

Birger adapts AF101 to Canon lenses

Birger Engineering is launching a new lens adapter at NAB that allows Canon EF-mount lenses to be fitted to Panasonic's AG-AF100/AF101 camcorder.

It will ship in May and allows users to have automatic and manual control of focus, iris and image stabilization with a variety of EF-mount lenses. Continuous (video-style) auto-focus will be supported on most Canon L-series lenses. Power is provided by the camera for most lenses. Image stabilization is supported on IS lenses, and this can be turned on or off from the lens.

The adapter will cost about £475 ($700 in the US), and optional cinema-style remote control will also be available. Birger also makes a Canon EF mount adapter for the Red One.

The move to large sensor camcorders was started by Canon with the full 35mm frame 5D Mark II, followed by smaller APS-C (Super 35mm sized) models like the EOS 7D. Their success has sold thousands of EF-mount lenses to video users.

Unfortunately, they are still essentially stills cameras, which is why there has been so much interest in the AF100/AF101 (as well as Sony's new Super 35mm camcorders, such as the PMW-F3 and FS100), which offers a full range of video controls.

"This new unit will give producers access to so many more lens options; we believe this will have massive benefits for their creativity," said Erik Widding, CEO of Birger Engineering.

"We think that this is what the industry has been waiting for," added Allan Leonhardsen of Holdan UK, the adapter's European distributor. "While [Panasonic's own] Lumix lenses are very strong optically, obviously the range can't yet match Canon's - after all they have been developing EF mount products since 1987. The Birger adapter opens the way for AF101 users to a far greater choice of lenses."

Holdan has also just been appointed as an official distributor for Panasonic's range of P2 products, including camcorders, drives, decks and media.

"As the distributor of our AVCCAM range, Holdan has already helped Panasonic increase our share of the market and deliver excellent service to the professional community," commented Adrian Clark, General Manager UK & Ireland at Panasonic AV Systems Europe. "Holdan's skills in logistics, marketing and customer support also make them ideally placed to help us drive demand for our P2 technology. This new appointment reflects the hard work that Holdan has put in to earn a reputation as a true value added distributor."

"Panasonic's P2 system is class leading with robust build quality and excellent all round performance, backed up with a mature, efficient workflow. We are delighted to represent a brand such as P2 that has been adopted by broadcasters across the world. We are looking forward to working with the channel to give P2 an even higher profile in the UK market," said Leonhardsen.

Other broadcast products Holdan distributes include: Grass Valley, Datavideo, Sonnet Technologies, HP, Apace and Blackmagic Design.

By David Fox

Format choice: Going tapeless

Virtually every camera now available uses some form of tapeless recording. The few tape-based camcorders still being produced can record to some form of add-on memory or external recorder. However, with choice comes indecision... Moving to a new format or recording media means additional costs and trying to find a new workflow that's efficient and works for you and your clients.

To help put all of this in context, we've talked to camera users and owners about what tapeless systems they use, to find out the benefits and the disadvantages, and have put up a comprehensive (and rather lengthy) page on going tapeless.

Sony NEX-FS100 takes on DSLRs

Sony has unveiled a new lower-priced Super 35mm NXCAM camcorder. The large-sensor NEX-FS100E is an E-mount camcorder (taking interchangeable lenses) and can be seen as Sony's answer to the rise of HD DSLRs.

It complements the recently released PMW-F3, which uses the same CMOS sensor, but with lower-cost recording options. It records AVCHD 4:2:0 at up to 28Mbps internally, either to an optional 128GB solid-state drive (the existing £600 HXR-FMU128 familiar from the HXR-NX5) or to a single SDHC card or Sony's own Memory Stick Pro Duo (which fit in the same slot). It also has a full-size HDMI output, which delivers 8-bit 1920x1080 4:2:2 video, with embedded timecode, for use with an external recorder.

Its Exmor Super 35 CMOS sensor offers shallow depth of field similar to that of a movie camera, and it can record 1080p 50/60 (at 28Mbs) as well as capturing slow and quick motion (enabled via a single button press and thumb wheel). The 28Mbps format is not yet part of the AVCHD standard, so not all non-linear editing systems can cope with it. It also records 50/60i or 24/25p at 24Mbps.

“The NEX-FS100E NXCAM Super 35mm camcorder enables budget content creators and videographers to experience a new level of cinematic expression” claimed Bill Drummond, Strategic Marketing Manager, Sony Professional. “Sony has responded to professional user feedback to create this new camcorder with an ergonomically designed body and accessories offering really flexibility in use.”

Controls and menus should be familiar to anyone used to Sony's EX1 or EX3, and there are six assignable buttons, a top-mounted rotatable 3.5-inch LCD with touch-screen controls for video playback, and two XLR audio sockets built into the camera body rather than in the usual breakout box. It uses the same batteries as the Sony Z1, but is reported to get much longer operating times from them.

The E-mount lens system is used in Sony's NEX-5, -3 and NEX-VG10E cameras and has a very short flange back distance (the distance between lens mount surface and sensor surface – unfortunately this means there is no room for built-in neutral density filters, which would be necessary to make the most of the shallow depth of field in bright light). It allows various A-mount lenses to be mounted via an adaptor. It will also be possible to attach a wide range of other lenses, such as PL-mount, Canon and Nikon lenses, using third-party mounts.

The FS100EK lens kit model comes with an E18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS zoom lens, which gives users optical Steadyshot and auto focus.

The grip, handle and hybrid LCD viewfinder are detachable for use in confined locations. The camera weighs about 2.7kg including kit lens and battery. It includes a built in GPS receiver to geotag footage on location.


Cozi: 'Vertigo' Music Video from Den & James on Vimeo.

"The images coming out of this camera are absolutely stunning," according to Den Lennie, founder, F.Stop Academy, who was the first independent filmmaker to shoot a video with one of the two pre-production FS100 models. "The picture quality is absolutely amazing." He shot a pop promo, mainly at night, and found the sensor worked well in low light (with sensitivity of about 800 ISO). "Where there was noise it was very clean noise, very soft noise," he said. He likened it to a cross between the EX1 and a DSLR.

The first formal review of the camera, by Nigel Cooper, isn't so complimentary. He prefers Panasonic's AF100/AF101, which costs about $1,000 less. Although the FS100's Super 35mm sensor is about 10% larger than the AF101's Micro Four Thirds chip, that will only deliver a marginal difference in depth of field, and the AF101 does have built-in ND filters.


Sony's own promo video shows some nice shots in only candlelight (although it was shot with an f1.2 lens), and some examples of how it handles slow motion.

The €5,500 NEX-FS100E and €6,000 EK model will be available in May.

By David Fox

Vocas introduces PL to M4/3 adapter

Vocas Systems has released a lens mount adapter that will allow PL-mount lenses to be used on Micro Four Thirds sensor cameras, such as the Panasonic AG-AF101.

The new adapter comes with a 15mm support bracket for using the mount on a 15mm rails system, which is also produced by Vocas.

By David Fox

The AF100 (AF101) Book review

Christina reviews The AF100 Book, by Barry Green.

Barry Green, author of The AF100 Book, is an Emmy award-winning producer, who now writes and produces corporate and industrial films, commercials, screenplays and films. Many Panasonic camera owners know him as partner and moderator at www.DVXuser.com a popular and lively forum for content creators. I have seen Barry in action at a press launch for the AF100/AF101 at IBC2010 where he was an energetic advocate for the camera. He has previously written several books on Panasonic cameras and his enthusiasm for the brand starts from page one.

The first chapter is written as a series of articles for the beginner. He explains simply and clearly, focusing, exposure and white balance, which then leads on to depth of field, modes of shooting, lens mounts and adapters, crop factor and synchronising timecode. These first 98 pages are a good introduction to practically any camera – they are the topics the manufacturers always leave out of the manuals because they assume every knows this stuff already.

The more experienced cameraman could probably start from page 109, which starts the next chapter on Scene File settings. There are quite a few parameters that can be changed in the Scene Files from Detail Coring to knee and matrix. Barry takes you through each one. First he explains what it does and then what effect you should see as you change it and, importantly, why you would want to change it from the factory settings. There are before and after images to accompany most of these explanations, but sometimes the printed screen grabs don’t look widely different. Luckily Barry realised that a printed thumbnail is not enough. So, all the images are saved in high quality on the accompanying CD as 5.9MB .bmp files.

Most of the rest of the book is about the buttons and switches you’ll find on the camera, what you’ll see displayed in the LCD and viewfinder, audio functions and timecode options. There are also sections on metadata, dividing it into the data the camera generates automatically and what operators can add themselves.

At the start Barry writes: “This guidebook will occasionally refer back to the camcorder’s Owner’s Manual since subjects adequately covered there will not be repeated here.” The camera's menu structure and options are not covered in the book, so you still need the manual.

The CD that accompanies the book has a readme file and three folders. The first folder contains all the before and after images from the scene chapter, which was very useful. The next directory has frame grabs showing scene file looks explained in the book. Then the final folder has four scene file .TXT docs that you can save to an SD card and import into your own camera. I’m sure it won’t be long before you can download others from the internet.

If I have a criticism of the book it is of the editing and layout. On one page he refers to 3200K, 3200 K, 3200 Kelvin and 3200 degrees Kelvin. A good editor would have ensured some consistency on the page as well as throughout the rest of the book. Plus, (and this is a hobbyhorse of mine) it is not correct to say "degrees Kelvin" - it is an absolute scale.

The chapter numbering is very odd. Chapter one is actually flagged as 18, which counts down to the end of the book so that the last chapter is numbered chapter one. I think this counting down is meant to represent a film leader countdown and once you get to the end you are meant to start filming. Indeed, there is a strong film theme in the design, with film strip images and sprocket holes appearing on the front and back covers and throughout the book. Yes, the camera can do 24p and a shallow DoF but it records to an SD card not film. But I suppose an SD card isn’t as sexy on the cover. My final gripe is the blue dotted background on the main pages (below), which I found distracting to read over.

There are two types of people – those who read manuals and those who don’t. Which is a shame because reading the manual helps to prevent a lot of guesswork and hair pulling. The trouble with manuals is that they are usually very badly written and assume the reader already has a degree of knowledge. Sometimes a potentially good manual gets lost in translation and you wonder if this is some dialect of English you hadn’t previously encountered.

The book does seem very expensive at £65 and that will deter some people from buying it. This would be a shame because this is a good book – which is probably why Panasonic distributor, Holdan has decided to include it with the camera if you buy its AF101 kit, which is great for those who buy one, but anyone who might hire the camera or be brought in to use one would probably find it useful too. Overall, it is well written and full of useful information for the beginner with an easy to read style for those who hate to read the manufacturer's manual.

The Holdan AG-AF101 Kit Promotion includes the camera, a Panasonic SC-200K carry case, IDX high-power battery, and the book, and lists at £4,250 (+VAT), saving almost £200 on unbundled prices, and is mainly being offered by its dealers in the UK, Ireland, the BeNeLux countries and Scandinavia.

By Christina Fox