Panasonic Releases VariCam 3700 P2 HD Camcorder, 64GB P2 Card

Panasonic has announced the availability of VariCam
3700

(AJ-HPX3700), the company’s solid-state P2 HD camcorder, and the

64GB P2 solid-state memory card
(AJ-P2C064),
providing expanded recording capacity for the company’s line of P2 and P2 HD
camcorders and workflow products.

“With the availability of our new VariCam 2700, and
now the VariCam 3700, professionals in sports production have access to the
qualities they loved in the original VariCam, including flexible off-speed
shooting, plus higher-quality 10-bit 4:2:2 AVC-Intra recording and the
undeniable advantages of solid-state technology,” says Steve Cooperman, product
line business manager for Panasonic Broadcast. “The cameras’ portable,
solid-state design assures flexible and reliable performance for a variety of
applications, from capturing live events to sports production, including
features, interviews, or sports analysis.”

VariCam 3700 teams variable frame rates and subtle tone control with master-quality, 10-bit 4:2:2
AVC-Intra recording and a host of new functionality. The 2/3” 2.2 megapixel
3-CCD camera features full native 1920×1080-pixel acquisition and
independent-frame recording with 10-bit, 4:2:2 color sub sampling. It records
in full-raster 1920×1080 resolution in AVC-intra 100, in lower-bit-rate
AVC-Intra 50 for extended recording, and in DVCPRO HD.

The camera records progressive and interlace HD
formats including native 1080 23.98p/24.00p/25p/29.97p/30.00p, as well as
1080/50i and 1080/59.94i. It is switchable between 59.94-Hz and 50-Hz recording
for worldwide use, and also offers 23.98/24psf output via HD-SDI.

Without
the moving parts of tape- or disc-based cameras, the 10-pound HPX3700 delivers reliable
performance, especially in the challenging conditions of extreme temperatures,
shock, and vibration. It records on reusable P2 memory cards that allow
immediate access to recorded video and metadata, eliminating the time-consuming
digitizing process.

The VariCam 3700 is available at a suggested list
price of $59,950.
The 64GB P2 card,
compatible with Panasonic’s full line
of P2 camcorders, recorders and workflow tools,
offers increased storage capacity for larger high-definition data files.
The new P2 card also features an improved transfer rate of up to 800 Mb/s for
faster transfer and offload of P2 content.
“The
expanded capacity of the 64GB P2 card allows sports professional to spend more
time recording in the field without having to switch cards,” Cooperman says. “Moreover, no
matter what the application is, whether shooting for broadcast, undercranking
for slow motion effects, or recording 24p for a sports documentary, the
solid-state P2 card is compatible across formats and non-linear editing systems
for complete flexibility.”
The reusable 64GB P2 card can hold more than five hours of DVCPRO footage (356
minutes), more than two hours of DVCPRO50 or AVC-Intra 50 recordings (128
minutes), or more than an hour of full raster AVC-Intra 100 or DVCPRO HD content
(64 minutes). With five 64GB P2 cards installed, a VariCam 3700 or
AJ-HPX3000 P2 HD camcorder can record for 10 hours and 40
minutes in AVC-Intra 50, or 5.3 hours in AVC-Intra 100 or DVCPRO HD (6 hours and 40
minutes in 1080/24pN mode).
The 64GB P2 card will work immediately with all P2
HD camcorders purchased from May 2007 forward. P2 and P2 HD products purchased
prior to that date will need a free, downloadable software upgrade available on
the Panasonic website.
The 64GB
P2 card is available at a suggested list price of $2,600.