Panasonic Details Asepcts of New AJ-CX4000 4K/HDR Shoulder-Mount Camcorder

Panasonic’s new AJ-CX4000, a 4K/HDR shoulder-mount camcorder with B4 lens mount and interchangeable lens, will be available at the end of December at a suggested list price of $25,000. Ideal for network news, sports, blue-chip nature films, and travel documentaries, the AJ-CX4000 follows the handheld AG-CX350 to expand the CX Series of 4K camcorders.

Offering many of the features and formats of the AG-CX350, the AJ-CX4000 shoulder-mount also shares key imaging features with Panasonic’s AK-UC4000 flagship studio camera system. Like the AK-UC4000, the AJ-CX4000 is equipped with a large-sized 4.4K image sensor that facilitates ultra-high-definition resolution (horizontal, 2000 TV lines), high sensitivity, low noise, and a wide dynamic range. Also common with the studio camera system is LSSIEL technology, allowing a 2/3 lens to be used without an external adapter, with the internal lens specially designed for large sensors.

The AJ-CX4000 features HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma) for recording of HDR (High Dynamic Range) video in compliance with BT.2100 and BT.2020 standards, and is equipped with such HLG recording assist functions as SDR Monitoring Gamma, HDR/SDR Parallel Output, VF/LCD HDR/SDR Selector and eight-mode Gamma selection.

The AJ-CX4000 has a fast, connected workflow, including RTMPS and RTSP for live streaming and NDI/HX for live production. In addition, its HEVC codec offers extended recording with 4K/10-bit high image quality, all while keeping bitrate and storage size low. The AJ-CX4000 records MOV files that are highly compatible and easy to use. This file format is the same as that used on the AG-CX350 and Panasonic’s AU-EVA1 compact cinema camera, and supports long file names with up to 20 characters, allowing recorded video clips to be easily managed. The AJ-CX4000 also supports the MXF P2 file format for broadcasting, enabling AVC-Intra or AVC-LongG HD recording with fast, reliable expressP2 cards, cost-effective microP2 cards, or low-cost SDXC memory cards.

The camera supports high-quality 24-bit/48 kHz four-channel digital audio recording. The audio source for each channel can be selected, choosing from mic-in, line-in, and wireless receiver. A LAN terminal with a lock mechanism is provided, enabling IP remote control. The AJ-CX4000’s NDI|HX mode allows video transmission and camera control via IP connection, without using an external converter. When connected to a system configured with Panasonic’s AV-HLC100 Live Production Center and HN/UN series PTZ integrated cameras, the AJ-CX4000 realizes end-to-end live video production as well as web distribution.

The standard 12G-SDI output terminal delivers high-image-quality UHD 60p (50p) 10-bit 4:2:2 output. Also provided are XLR audio input (2CH) terminals compatible with +48-V phantom power supply, as well as HDMI OUT, TC IN/TC OUT, GENLOCK IN, USB3.0 (DEVICE) and USB2.0 (HOST, wireless module) terminals.

The AJ-CX4000 can be controlled remotely and wirelessly using the tablet/smartphone app “CX ROP” (downloadable for free from the App Store or Google Play), allowing the user to display camera information and change camera settings. The CX ROP provides a wealth of remote functions for output signal selection, USER button setting, REC S/S and many others. The app can also be used to select which camera to control from up to eight cameras in the CX Series.

The camera’s standard 3.5-type color LCD with approximately 2.76 M pixels allows for high-definition color monitoring, with a touch panel enabling easy operation. The 2.4-type black-and-white organic EL display offers high brightness and clearly shows the status information—such as the timecode and audio input level–even in outdoor environments.

The AJ-CX4000’s shooting assist functions encompass: two optical filters, ND and CC, with four positions each; Chromatic Aberration Compensation; Dynamic Range Stretch; Advanced Flash Band Compensation; 2x/3x/4x digital zoom boost; Focus Assists–“Expand”, “Peaking” and “Focus Square”; Shockless Automatic White Balance (AWB); simplified WFM/Vectorscope display on LCD and VF; High-Brightness Zebra Display; Y-GET to measure brightness at center and display numerical data; Lens Files to store settings for interchangeable lenses; Setup Files; Mode Check to display a list of the camera settings on VF and LCD; Rec Check; and five assignable User Buttons.