Angus Farquhar, Online Video Producer

Panasonic AG-AF100 - Finally a proper video DSLR

With the launch of the AG-AF100, Panasonic has become the first manufacturer to make a proper connection between the new breed of video DSLR and Micro 4/3 cameras and a professional video machine.

Much has been made over the last year or so about the fantastic video quality that you can get by using the video function on the likes of the Canon 5D, 7D or Panasonic GH1 and these cameras are great as a journalists tool as I’ve already written about and they do produce some seriously nice images.

The trouble is that when you want a properly specced, video-specific, setup you have to delve so heavily in to the accessory market that you have to seriously ask whether it’s worth the hassle over a self contained pro camera like the Sony EX1 that I use now.

I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who has been wishing hard for someone to make a ‘proper’ video camera that mounts film lenses and many people thought it would be Canon as they were the first off the block.

But the launch of the Panasonic AG-AF100 puts Panasonic way ahead of the game with the advantage that it uses the more compact Micro 4/3 format as well.

For your money (estimated around the $6000 dollar mark but not announced) you’ll get a camera body that shoots DSLR quality 1080p 24/25/30 video, with professional audio and video connectivity and access to all the video controls you would expect from a pro camera. It also shoots on the SDXC cards instead of the overly large and hideously expensive P2 media.

The body will likely be sold on it’s own but will fit all of the Micro 4/3 lenses already on the market as well as pretty much any other DSLR or Prime lense with the addition of a whole bunch of adapter rings that are already available.

The only fly in the ointment that I can spot so far is that I’m not a big fan of Panasonic’s current pro-sumer camcorders. I played with the HVX-200 a while back and found it felt a bit basic and it wasn’t comfortable to use. I’ll give the AG-AF100 the benefit of the doubt though because the DMC-GH1 is a very nice piece of kit and would be in my arsenal already of I could justify the spend.

The AG-AF100 isn’t out until the end of 2010 which gives me enough time to pursuade the powers that be that the then two-year-old Sony is in need of a companion. 

Check out the video of the Panasonic AG-AF100 from the launch at the NAB show.