Coming This Fall, Camera Will Record 4K Internally; Post-Release Upgrade Will Enable 5.7K Raw Output
Specifically targeting the gap between the $1,999 Lumix GH5 mirrorless camera and the substantially more expensive VariCam LT cinema camera, Panasonic said it will ship the new 2.6-pound EF-mount AU-EVA1 this fall at a body-only MSRP under $8,000.
The key feature of the EVA1 is a new 5.7K Super 35 sensor, offering superior downsampling to 4K and UHD output than a native 4K imager, Panasonic said. The company also said the new camera will inherit Dual Native ISO for especially high low-light sensitivity from the VariCam line-up above it, but has not yet announced the final ISO specs.
Panasonic AU-EVA1
In a Q&A with Panasonic Cinema Product Manager Mitch Gross provided by the company, he explains the benefits of Dual Native ISO, which Panasonic says gives VariCams two different native ISOs with the same level of noise. “First, you can shoot with zoom lenses when normally you would have to shoot with primes becaue zoom lenses generally aren’t as fast. Instead of having to switch prime lenses, you have more versatility while still getting the right exposure,” Gross said. “Another way of using Dual Native ISO is the ability to lower your light levels. In shooting with lower light levels, you will save money, time, and you can shoot with more practical lights in your surroundings.”
The EVA1 will also support VariCam colorimetry, including V-Log and V-Gamut capture.
The EVA1 will record 10-bit 4:2:2 4K to standard SD cards at up to 400 Mbps. Panasonic said high-speed recording at up to 240fps will be available when shooting 2K but won’t specify the complete range of recording formats, including the read and write speeds that will be required of SD media, until closer to launch.
Among other features, the camera supports electronic image stabilization, holds an integrated ND filter with three stops of filtration, and allows the IR Cut filter to be disabled. Dual XLR audio inputs are included, and 4K can be output over both HDMI and SDI.
At some point after the camera’s release, Panasonic said, it will support 5.7K raw output for use with third-party recorders. Atomos, for example, said that its Shogun Inferno will (eventually) support capturing 5.7K raw data from the AU-EVA1 via 6G-SDI, recording Apple ProRes, Avid DNxHR, and CDNG Raw.
Panasonic: business.panasonic.com
