NAB 2019: Panasonic debuts 8K Multi-Purpose Camera

Panasonic at NAB brings its latest camera comes in the form of a box-type camera dubbed the AK-SHB800GJ. This new 8K camera should help capture live events or sports games more efficiently as part of Panasonic’s new 8K ROI (Region of Interest) multi-camera system.

To get more specific, the AK-SHB800GJ sports an 8K full-size CMOS image sensor and EF lens mount. Additionally, an 8K ROI multi-camera system can be configured by connecting the AK-SHB800GJ to an AK-SHU800 Image Processing Unit and a PC installed with Framing Control software. The camera is capable of outputting a full 8K image usable for 8K ROI reply systems.

Four HD cameras in one

While the camera can shoot in 8K, it can also be used to capture four different HD video streams. The HD videos are cropped from the camera’s original wide-angle 8K image. All four of the cropped images can be panned, tilted and zoomed individually. This basically means the 8K ROI camera can function as four HD cameras at once.

Support for up to 8 camera

You can connect up to eight AK-SHB800GJ cameras and operate them all in one integrated system. By linking a crop area in one camera to multiple crop images in other cameras, pan, tilt and zoom on the multiple crop images can be linked with the panning, tilting and zooming on the main frame.

Betters sports broadcasting

One of the best advantages the AK-SHB800GJ has over the current sports broadcasting systems is its size. Going back to the point that it’s practically four HD cameras in one, one unit can save so much space. It opens up all the seats that multi-camera setups take up. Let’s not forget to mention it’s much easier to transport and set up one camera than four.

Panasonic also announced the AW-HE42 pan/tilt/zoom camera

Panasonic AW-HE42
Panasonic AW-HE42. Image courtesy Panasonic.

Panasonic at NAB also annouced the AW-HE42. It is a full HD pan/tilt/zoom camera that offers interfaces like 3G-SDI/HDMI/IP. Panasonic claims the camera to be a “cost-effective integrated PTZ” that will bring significant “improvements in lensing, stabilization and interfacing versus prior Panasonic models in this class.”

The HE42 offers 1080p FHD output, a wide horizontal viewing angle of 65.1 degrees, a 20X optical zoom and 30X i.Zoom. It also uses a 1/2.3-type FHD MOS sensor. To keep its shot stable, the camera uses an Optical Image Stabilizer that keeps vibrations from messing up the video.

Our impression is this camera is geared towards places like houses or worship or conference rooms.

This camera will be out this June for around $5,000.

Image courtesy Panasonic

Sean Berry
Sean Berry
Sean Berry is Videomaker's managing editor.

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