Panasonic Releases Firmware Upgrade For VariCam 35/HS

Panasonic announced a free firmware upgrade for its VariCam 35 4K and VariCam HS camera/recorders that expands recording options and enables a multiplicity of post-production workflow scenarios.

Panasonic VariCam 35

Improvements encompass uncompressed RAW capture for the VariCam 35 with the new Codex V-RAW recorder, support for the Apple ProRes* 4444 codec in both the VariCam 35 and VariCam HS, and anamorphic lens support for the VariCam 35.

This firmware upgrade Version 4.0 is immediately available for downloading at the Panasonic service support website, http://eww.pass.panasonic.co.jp/pro-av/support/content/download/EN/ep2main/soft/upgvaricam_e.htm.

“We have largely developed these new features based on numerous set visits as the VariCam 35/HS have gained traction in commercial, narrative and documentary production,” said Steven Cooperman, Senior Product Manager, Panasonic System Communications Company. “We’ve listened closely to the real-world requirements and observations of cinematographers, DITs, rental and post houses and other VariCam partners.”

The Codex V-RAW recorder adds uncompressed RAW capture to the VariCam 35 camera platform by enabling the recording of 4K RAW at up to 120fps, greatly bolstering the camera’s suitability for high-end cinema applications. The Codex V-RAW recorder directly connects with the VariCam35, eliminating cabling completely to facilitate greater efficiency, superb reliability and higher mobility.

(For complete information on the newly-available V-RAW recorder, visit http://www.codexdigital.com/products/recorders/v-raw-recorder.)

With newly added support for HD recordings in the Apple ProRes 4444 industry-standard codec, VariCam 35/HS users will enjoy the advantages of well-established workflow options as well as premium HD image capture. The addition of 1.33:1 and 2.0:1 anamorphic lensing support for the VariCam 35 is enhanced by the simultaneous recording of squeezed and de-squeezed images in the VariCam 35’s main and sub-recorders, eliminating cut-out operations during post. Anamorphic lens support also enhances on-set monitoring by displaying de-squeezed images in the viewfinder and HD monitor outputs.

Broad Software Support for AVC-ULTRA Codec
The powerful versatility of Panasonic’s scalable AVC-ULTRA codec is on full display in the VariCam 35, with AVC-Intra4K422 providing 4K recording up to 60fps, AVC-Intra4K444 12-bit recording up to 30fps for the highest-quality field production and graphics flexibility, and AVC-Intra4K-LT optimized for high-speed capture up to 120fps.

The following products and versions support all the above formats:

Assimilate
Scratch 8.3
AVID
Media Composer 8.4
Blackmagic
DaVinci Resolve 11.3.1
Colorfront
Express Dailies, On-Set Dailies, Transkoder 2015
Digital Vision
NuCoda 2015.1
Filmlight
BaseLight, DayLight 4.4m1
GrassValley
EDIUS 7.5

Additional AVC-Intra4K422 support is provided by:

Adobe
Premiere Pro CC 2015.1 (4k422 and 4k444 are both supported)
Apple
Final Cut Pro X 10.2.1
Autodesk
Flame/Smoke 2016 (4k422 and 4k444 are both supported)
Quantel
Pablo Rio v2.0

If specific post / grading software or software versions does not work with certain VariCam codecs, Panasonic P2 Viewer Plus v2.3 can bridge the gap by converting the camera original content to RGB 4:4:4 DPX files, which are commonly used by major grading tools. For a free download of P2 Viewer Plus v2.3, visit http://pro-av.panasonic.net/en/sales_o/p2/p2viewerplus/index.html

* The Apple ProRes format is licensed from Apple Inc. The Apple ProRes codec is under license from Atomos.