Daufenbach Camera Rental Bringing the Native 5000 ISO 4K Camera to Midwest Market

The Chicago-based Daufenbach Camera announced today it has added Panasonic's VariCam 35 native 4K camera to its equipmental rental offerings, giving Chicago-area filmmakers the chance to shoot with the camera's dual native 800/5000 ISO, a potential game changer in extreme low-light conditions.

“When we first saw the presentation that showcased the VariCam 35's dual native 800/5000 ISO, we were all very impressed,” said Director of Operations Lawrence Daufenbach, left, in a prepared statement. “Having the ability to record at multiple resolutions at the same time is a huge time saver on set as it eliminates the need to transcode for post, plus allows a production to have 2K or proxy files for dailies or quick editing while retaining a pristine 4K master." Daufenbach said his rental facility is committed to staying "future-forward" in terms of evolving 4K workflows and the VariCam 35's advanced feature set fits the bill. “My favorite feature is the ability to wirelessly live color grade a LUT with the Pomfort Livegrade software as well as the Livegrade Air app," he added.

Watch Light Iron CEO Michael Cioni, who wowed viewers with this live VariCam 35 test at a Digital Cinema Society event earlier this year, demonstrate what a difference 5000 ISO can make with a mere one foot-candle (10.764 lux) of illumination. A similar demo by Cioni convinced cinematographer Theo Van de Sande, ASC, to shoot the Amazon series Salem Rogers last year with the 4K camera.

Daufenbach will host a free VariCam shooting technique workshop with Panasonic on May 21 at its N. Damen Avenue facility. RSVP here to receive more details.