4K cameras needn’t be big or bulky, at least not if you’re handling Z Camera’s E1 4K UHD Interchangeable lens camera. The E1 is the first 4K small form factor camera and has a die cast magnesium housing, 2000mAH customized battery and a weight of less than a ½ pound. Checking the specs reveals that it has built-in WiFi (802.11N), Bluetooth and employs an Ambarella A9 image processor for communicating between camera and app — for example, when set in stand-by mode, it can be remotely powered up regardless of whether it’s been turned on or off. The camera can also be controlled for live streaming and content management. An ultra-low latency of 2-300 milliseconds ensures a seamless connection between the camera and the proprietary Android and Apple apps now already available on the Apple store/Google Play.
The E1 features cinema-quality 4K resolution of 4096×2160 video at 24 frames per second or ultra-high definition video of 3840×2160 at 30 frames per second with H.264 compression. To reduce noise and jitter, advanced 3D noise filters using motion compensated temporal filtering are employed, so as to maintain high-image quality for low-light shooting at up to 102,400 ISO, with a total possible of up to 6400 ISO. The filter also aids in removing ghost and blurring. Still images can be captured with 16MP with RAW (DNG) and JPG, and time-lapse photography is supported. Storage is provided through an internal micro-SD card and, as the camera is not designed for hand-held use, there is a standard 1/4”-20 tripod mount.
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Thanks to its lens interchangeability, the E1’s micro four-thirds lens mount is compatible with auto-focus (AF) lenses from Olympus, Panasonic Lumix, Leica, and Sigma (with a number of existing manual focusing lenses also compatible). Continuous autofocus for both photos and videos is complimented by access to an automatic on-screen zoom preview for those preferring to pull manual focus instead (the rear-facing LCD screen’s resolution is 320×240 pixels). The internal microphone is supplemented by an external 3.5mm MIC input.
Availability is to be late Fall 2015, with an MSRP of $699.00.