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Panasonic AJ-HDC27F 720p Variable Frame-Rate Camera/Recorder

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• Panasonic AJ-HDC27F 720p Variable Frame-Rate Camera/Recorder Home Page
• Panasonic AJ-HDC27F Features and Fuctions
• Panasonic AJ-HDC27F Variable Frame Rates
• Panasonic AJ-HDC27F Specifications
• Awards and Real-World Applications
• Panasonic AJ-HD150 DVCPRO HD Studio VTR

Variable Frame Rates
Selectable shooting frame rate of 4 fps to 60 fps, in 1-fps steps.

Normal shooting at 24 fps
Normal cinematic shooting is done at 24 fps, the same rate as in film cameras. Discrete 720p images and a specially developed film gamma curve create images with the same tonal characteristics as film.

Lower-speed shooting at 4 to 23 fps
For example, shooting at 12 fps lets you attain a 2x fast-motion effect with playback at the cinema speed of 24 fps. This technique can be combined with zooming to create a warp-speed effect, such as for giving special emphasis to flowing water, scudding clouds, or a person standing still amid a bustling crowd. Decrease the shutter speed for a strobe effect, or increase it for a ghost effect. The expressive possibilities are endless.

10-frames Example of in-camera ghosting effect achieved by using a slower rate of capture of 10-frames per second.

Higher-speed shooting at 25 to 60 fps
For example, shoot at 48 fps to attain a 1/2x slow-motion effect with playback at the cinema speed of 24 fps. This is especially effective for high-action scenes such as car chases or spectacular crashes, or for scenes with great dramatic impact. Unlike the slow motion captured at playback speed by ordinary video cameras, the Varicam captures highly dense frames to provide a smooth, naturally flowing slow-motion effect with vivid picture quality.

Recording at 60 fps
Although CCD frame rates may change, the VTR records at a constant 60 fps so that the audio timing is not affected. This is particularly important for avoiding audio synchronizing issues in post-production (unless a second audio recording system is used). Another Varicam advantage is that tapes recorded at 60 fps can be played back directly on any DVCPRO HD VTR -- eliminating the need to invest in a second, special VTR. Plus, because the Varicam's HD SDI out terminal outputs 60-fps non-compressed images, high-quality recording is possible on an extended-bandwidth HD-D5 recorder.

60-frames 60-fps is commonly used to shoot high-speed action. The extra frames available make slowing the motion result in far better quality.

Frame rate conversion
The AJ-FRC27 Frame Rate Converter lets you extract only the frames you want from footage recorded by the Varicam at various frame rates. This lets you play fast-motion or slow-motion effects in their actual timeframes. At the same time, you can up-convert from 720p to 1080/24p or 1080/60i, or down-convert to NTSC or PAL. Edit online with a HD-D5 recorder, or offline with DVCPRO. Again, the possibilities are unlimited.

SXGA resolution desktop nonlinear editing systems are a perfect compliment to 1280 x 720 progressive scan acquisition.

SXGA nonlinear editing
The 1280 x 720-pixel progressive scan images recorded by Varicam are fully compatible with the SXGA-resolution desktop nonlinear editing systems commonly used in high-end image production. User bits mark effective frames for extraction by nonlinear systems.

HD Cinema
Panasonic HD Cinema recording and video projection technologies represent the cutting edge of a new digital age in cinema. The combination of HD digital acquisition with HD digital projection opens up a host of new business and programming opportunities -- such as live pay-per-view concerts, sporting events, theater, and other special events.

AJ-HDC27F Specifications

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