SECAUCUS, NJ (October 25, 2005) - Panasonic Broadcast has introduced the AG-DVX100B 24p/30p/60i Mini-DV Camcorder with more than two dozen enhancements.
The successor to the highly-popular AG-DVX100A and AG-DVX100, which have made serious filmmaking affordable for a new level of content producers, the AG-DVX100B is among the first professional camcorders to be RoHS-compliant, i.e. a product that is virtually free of lead, arsenic and other hazardous substances. Compliance with the RoHS directive becomes mandatory in July 2006 in Europe.
"Our objective with the AG-DVX100B was to create an environmentally-conscious camcorder while improving upon the outstanding feature-set of its predecessors," said Jan Crittenden Livingston, DVCPRO/DVCPRO50 Business Line Manager, Panasonic Broadcast. "While making it RoHS compliant, we revisited the product design and enriched the camera with many improvements that video professionals have been requesting."
The 4-pound, hand-held AG-DVX100B boasts new specifications that are tailor-made for full-fledged video production. For instance, it is the industry's first DV camcorder to allow camera-to-camera time-code syncho and user-settable file transfer over IEEE 1394, facilitating the AG-DVX100B's use in simultaneous, multi-camera shoots. Other innovations include 16:9 Letter-box Display Mode on the large electronic viewfinder (EVF) and 3.5" color LCD monitor for distortion-free Squeeze Mode or Anamorphic Display; Remote Control of Focus and Iris (wired) for easier operation when mounted on a jib or tripod; Single Button Character Off for LCD and EVF displays; improved Video S/N for better low light recording; and higher resolution LCD (210,000 pixels) and EVF (235,000 pixels) monitors.
Other key improvements include: a more sensitive on-camera mic; the re-location of the speaker to nearer the LCD screen to make audio easier to hear during playback; slower middle zoom speed; a heavier duty, easily replaced tripod connection; audio off tape or live E-E mode for delay free (echo free) monitoring; an End Search Camera Function to speed up search; a "what you see is what you get" image in the LCD and EVF; a new design for the scene file dial's rib protector to prevent unintentional file changes; a color drop-down display mode for menu choices; and a new color (Black Sapphire).
The camcorder's standard accessories include a CGR-D54 battery, AC adapter/charger, microphone holder, remote control, shoulder strap, lens cap, cleaning tape and instruction manual.
Incorporating exclusive CineSwitch technology that supports 480i/60 (NTSC), cinema-style 480p/24fps and 480p/30fps image capture, Panasonic's DVX100 series of mini-DV camcorders has set the standard for affordable 24p acquisition and been proven performers with hundreds of independent movies, TV programs, commercials, and documentaries to their credit. Like its predecessor, the 1/3" 3-CCD AG-DVX100B offers outstanding audio performance, extensive auto and manual controls, and a CineGamma curve that truly emulates the rich look of film.
The AG-DVX100B is available at a suggested list price of $3,995. For more information, visit www.panasonic.com/dvcinema.
