14 DAY TRIAL // The NAB show is an annual trade show produced by the National Association of Broadcasters “Where Content Comes to Life.” It involves pre-screening of upcoming films and the release and new photo and video devices, among other things.
Panasonic will, naturally, be one of the companies at the site in Las Vegas, Nevada. That means that you can expect at least one new video and photo device to be introduced.
In fact, a fairly high-end photo and video capture device will be released there, one capable of ultra-high definition video recording.
We do not know the name of the camera yet, since the report that exposed its approach did not include it, but we do know the primary specifications.
From what we can see, it will be a powerful stills camera indeed, one that nonetheless has what it takes to record 4K video.
The new Micro Four Thirds hybrid
Back at IFA 2014, the 4K video recorder we saw was a fairly large camcorder, something that only professional movie makers are likely to be interested in.
The product coming at NAB 2015, however, will be a Micro Four Thirds hybrid photo and video camera that will be easier to use and carry about on a trip.
The sensor is unknown at present, but it can snap pictures in 18-megapixel quality and record film at 4K resolution easily.
In fact, it will also have better skintones, improved highlight rendition, and improved lowlight capabilities compared to most of its peers. The usable ISO range is up to 12,800 with almost no grain.
The bottom line
The upcoming Panasonic stills and video camera will have superior quality in both areas compared to all others on the market, or at least most of them. The color rendition, dynamic range, and video images will look better and clearer.
Unfortunately, the price will be a pretty hefty thing at three to four thousand dollars / euro. It will be interesting to see what, if any, competing products get launched by Panasonic's rival companies.