A couple of weeks ago JVC introduced a 4K video camera at the IBC show in Amsterdam. Now there's nothing particularly noteworthy about 4K itself - Red One's been producing 4K cameras for a while now, and a number of major Hollywood productions have been shot with this camera (including The Social Network and District 9). What really remarkable about the camera is who it's designed for.
Up until the coupleof years 4K has usually been restricted to the very highest of high-end productions. At this point, it's almost impossible to view 4K video without specialize equipment, and with good reason. 4K has almost 4 times the amount of image information as 1080P HD. Processing imagery of that quality takes some serious power.
Yet here's JVC introducing a 4K camera aimed squarely at independant/documentary filmmakers. How 'aimed', you ask? The camera's expected to retail for less than $6,000 when it's released early next year. That puts the ability to create 4K footage squarely into the hands of most working filmmakers.
For the past year or two Panasonic has been teasing something like this, and today they announced the brand new HDC-Z10000 3D camcorder. Featuring a form factor and specs on par with the Sony NX5u and Canon A1u, this camera's obviously aimed at a similar market.
Of course, 3D isn't what makes this camera special (they've had that for a while). What makes this camera unique is the fact that you can monitor the 3D without 3D glasses.
So Panasonic is releasing HD cameras and mixers designed for 3D this fall. Here's the problem - no one has 3D TVs yet. There are no 3D Blu-ray standards in place yet, let alone any discs coming out. Avatar isn't even going to be released in a 3D disc. ESPN is hoping to launch a 3D channel . . . next year (maybe).
In my world, there are only a hand full of megachurches that have jumped into HD at this point. COR has 15,000 active members and we weren't even shooting in HD until I asked for a Sony Z1 to shoot with. It will likely be a decade or more until HD is the standard.
And Panasonic already thinks we're ready for 3D workflows!?!? That's . . . quite a gamble.
