Panasonic Launches 4K Varicam 35 And Varicam HS Production Cameras In India

It is not just that TV companies are pushing for 4K TVs; 4K cameras are already being launched in India to get the party ready. Panasonic has launched two professional cameras in India aimed at the media and broadcasting industry. The two variants of the Varicam series are the 35 and HS. Both these cameras sport 4K movie recording. The Varicam 35 features a V-Log gamma covering wide latitude of 14+ stops. It can also record to two different formats and codecs simultaneously with its in-camera colour grading function. The camera also incorporates the new super35mm MOS image sensor capable of handling variable frame rates up to 120 fps. Supported recording formats include 4K and UHD in AVC-Ultra 4K, and 2K and 1080p in AVC-Intra 100.

Olympus Aims To Bring Professional Image Quality In A Compact Body With The STYLUS 1 For Rs 44,990

Olympus has launched its flagship compact camera - STYLUS 1 today. The company is touting this to be a gamechanger that will bring professional image quality in a compact body. This camera also marks the company's entry into the premium imaging category in India. The camera sports a f2.8 constant aperture 28-300 mm i.Zuiko digital lens with 10.7x optical zoom. A high-res Electronic Viewfinder is present along with built-in Wi-Fi and OM-D style shooting but in an ultra-slim body.

Panasonic Launches HC-MDH2 And HC-MDH2M Wedding Cameras For Rs 79,990 And Rs 84,990

Panasonic has launched two new movie cameras in its Wedding Camera line-up in India well in advance of the wedding season. The models HC-MDH2 and HC-MDH2M unveiled today differ in only the storage aspect with the former having two SDXC card slots, thus at least theoretically supporting up to 2 TB in each slot, while the maximum capacity of such a card available today is 256 GB. The latter sports an internal storage of 32 GB and an SDXC card slot for expandability. In my opinion, it does make better sense to have internal storage as well as external storage when it comes to Full HD recording that these cameras support. Other than the storage factor, the cameras are virtually identical.

Manish Sharma, MD, Panasonic India said during the event,

"With technology constantly changing it allows our brand to push boundaries and create new and exciting products that are customised according to the needs and requirements of the Indian market. With the newly launched wedding camcorder in our AVC cam range, we plan to take customer experiences to the next level making it special by providing them with a rich photographic experience".

The new cameras feature powerful 21x optical zoom and 50x Intelligent Zoom, along with advanced shooting performance for photos as well as movies in Full HD (1080 pixels height). The 5-Axis Hybrid O.I.S. + (optical image stabilisation) and Level Shot Function make sure that you don't have to worry about blurry images due to shaky hands. Additionally, it supports simultaneous recording in the dual memory devices so that videos and images are always backed up. Low light performance has been improved, thanks to the new high-sensitivity sensor that is 1.3 times as sensitive as sensors used in conventional models.

The cameras come with an easy-to-view large 3.0" LCD screen with intuitive touchscreen interface. The recording can be backed to an external hard drive without the need of a computer. With Eye-Fi compatibility, these can also connect to Wi-Fi devices to save files recorded on the card to a PC or upload them to social networks. They are designed with ergonomics and hours of sustained usage in mind with the acclaimed "Ergonomic Stable 4-point Support Design", which are essential attributes while capturing lengthy special occasions such as weddings. Here are some of the salient features of the two cameras:

• 1/2.33-type (17.52M) S-FSI sensor
• 5-Axis Hybrid O.I.S. + Level Shot Function 
• F1.8-F3.5 
• 3.0" LCD (460K) 
• Manual ring (Focus, Zoom, Iris, White Balance, Shutter Speed) 
• 28 mm wide-angle lens for covering a larger shooting area in indoor shooting 
• 21x optical zoom for capturing close-up images of subjects that you cannot get close to and 50x iZoom (1400 mm) 
• Large lens and lens-emphasized design 
• Light weight for easy handling & easy to use LCD layout

The Panasonic HC-MDH2 and HC-MDH2M are available at Rs 79,990 and Rs 84,990 respectively. You can get to have a closer look at the HC-MDH2 before buying if you happen to visit the Gujarat Photo Fair being held from the 20th to 22nd of September 2013, in Ahmedabad.

In case you wish to purchase one of the above cameras, or any Panasonic camera, you can find out the contact nearest to you from the below contact list:

Olympus Launches OM-D E-M1 Flagship Mirrorless Camera For Rs 1,05,000

Olympus has launched its new flagship mirrorless camera OM-D E-M1 in India. This is an upgrade over the E-M5. The company had first launched a camera in this category back in 2009 with the PEN E-P1, which was, in fact, the first in a pocketable size with a small lens. The E-M1 features a High Speed Dual fast Auto Focus, which uses phase detection as well as contrast detection. Thus, when phase detection technique doesn't work, contrast detection is employed for the purpose. The company calls this "On-chip Phase Detection Auto Focus".

This 16.3 MP camera with a magnesium body, has an Electronic View Finder (EVF), which the company claims, is as good as the optical viewfinder of a DSLR, meaning that what you see is what it clicks. The EVF features Adaptive Brightness Technology to adjust its brightness as per lighting conditions. Additionally, the company states that the camera is "Dustproof, splashproof, and freezeproof". Of course, the company execs were quick to point out that it cannot be used underwater or in the sand. This means that it is merely resistant to these elements. It can, however, be used up to -10 ° C. Being a flagship product, it is priced steeply at Rs 1,05,000, putting it out of reach of most mirrorless camera aspirants. The pricing takes it deep into DSLR territory and it remains to be seen if it can hold its own against DSLR competitors in the price range even though the E-M1 is more compact.