Unit supports AVC-Intra, AVC-LongG and AVC-Proxy Recording

Panasonic is shipping its first field recorder that supports AVC-Ultra recording. The AH-PG250 can be used for back-up recording and file copying as well as for outboard recording of footage from older P2 cameras to AVC-Ultra codecs.

The PG50 supports AVC-Intra recording at up to 100 Mbps as well as AVC-LongG at 12, 25, or 50 Mbps. An AVC-Proxy file can be encoded in parallel, at bit rates ranging from 6 Mbps to 800 kbps. For those who love the classics, legacy support is included for recording to DVCPRO HD, DVCPRO50, DVCPRO, and DV formats.

The device has HDMI and 3G SDI IO, USB 3.0 connectivity for making backups to external storage, and XLR inputs for audio recording, and it writes to cards via two microP2 card slots, one standard P2 slot, and one SD slot. Ethernet connectivity is enabled via LAN port, and the optional AJ-WM30 module takes the device wireless, allowing proxy preview, file transfers, playlist editing and more to be controlled from a connected computer or mobile device. FTP transfers are supported, as well as proxy image streaming over a wired or wireless LAN or, with a forthcoming firmware upgrade, 4G and LTE networks.

The unit weighs 2.4 pounds and power is provided by a back-mounted 5800-mAh battery or (included) AC adapter.

The AJ-PG50 is shipping now at a suggested list price of $5,400.