On​ ​September​ ​14th,​ ​the​ ​new​ ​Super35​ ​EVA-1​ ​from​ ​Panasonic​ ​was​ ​presented​ ​for​ ​evaluation​ ​at the​ ​Academy​ ​of​ ​Motion​ ​Picture​ ​Arts​ ​and​ ​Sciences,​ ​along​ ​with​ ​three​ ​shorts​ ​in​ ​the​ ​lovely​ ​Linwood Dunn​ ​Theater​ ​to​ ​show​ ​off​ ​the​ ​images​ ​it​ ​can​ ​produce. I stopped by to see what they looked like.

My​ ​main​ ​camera​ ​is​ ​a​ ​Canon​ ​C100mkII​ ​and​ ​I’ve​ ​been​ ​eyeing​ ​this​ ​new​ ​Panasonic​ ​as​ ​a​ ​potential replacement​ ​since​ it was ​announced.​ ​I​ ​absolutely​ ​love​ ​the​ ​image​ ​I’ve​ ​been​ ​getting​ ​out​ ​of​ ​the Canon,​ ​especially​ ​after​ ​modifying​ ​some​ ​color​ ​and​ ​gamma​ ​settings,​ ​so​ ​I​ ​wasn’t​ ​in​ ​any​ ​hurry​ ​to switch​, ​but​ ​I​ ​might​ ​be​ ​now.​ ​This​ ​thing​ ​is​ ​pretty​ ​cool.

Right​ ​off​ ​the​ ​bat,​ ​it has​  ​14+​ ​stops​ ​of​ ​latitude​ ​that​ ​the​ ​films​ ​showed​ ​would​ ​seem​ ​to​ ​corroborate. If​ ​there’s​ ​one​ ​thing​ ​I​ ​want​ ​in​ ​a​ ​camera,​ ​it’s​ ​as​ ​much​ ​latitude​ ​as​ ​possible.​ ​I’ll​ ​take​ ​1080p​ ​if​ ​I’ve​ ​got a​ ​10bit​ ​4:2:2​ ​image​ ​with​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​dynamic​ ​range.​ ​This​ ​camera​ ​ticks​ ​both​ ​boxes.​ ​The​ ​cameras used​ ​to​ ​shoot​ ​the​ ​films​ ​were​ ​pre-production​ ​models,​ ​but​ ​you​ ​wouldn’t​ ​think​ ​it​ ​with​ ​how​ ​well​ ​the shorts​ ​came​ ​out.

In​ ​Elle​ ​Schneider’s​ ​film​ ​​Near​ ​to​ ​Superstition,​ ​​there’s​ ​a​ ​scene​ ​in​ ​which​ ​a​ ​character​ ​approaches​ ​a group​ ​of​ ​women​ ​sitting​ ​around​ ​a​ ​campfire​ ​(the​ ​only​ ​source​ ​of​ ​light)​ ​and​ ​in​ ​the​ ​wide,​ ​amazingly, you​ ​can​ ​see​ ​stars​ ​in​ ​the​ ​background.​ ​That’s​ ​the​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​sensitivity​ ​afforded​ ​by​ ​the​ ​Dual​ ​Native ISO​ ​in​ ​the​ ​EVA-1,​ ​coming​ ​in​ ​at​ ​800​ ​and​ ​2500.​ ​On​ ​top​ ​of​ ​that​ ​rather​ ​amazing​ ​feat,​ ​the​ ​fire rendered​ ​beautifully,​ ​which​ ​is​ ​something​ ​many​ ​cameras​ ​simply​ ​fail​ ​at.​ ​The​ ​ISO​ ​switching​ ​feature and​ ​great​ ​color​ ​space​ ​also​ ​made​ ​it​ ​easy​ ​for​ ​both​ ​Elle​ ​and​ ​Johnny​ ​Derango​ ​(director​ ​of​ ​the second​ ​film,​ ​​Radio​ ​88​)​ ​to​ ​shoot​ ​in​ ​caves,​ ​outside​ ​under​ ​streetlamps,​ ​and​ ​other​ ​traditionally difficult​ ​situations.

In​ ​regards​ ​to​ ​that​ ​color​ ​space,​ ​it​ ​exceeds​ ​the​ ​BT2020​ ​allowing​ ​for​ ​HDR​ ​acquisition​ ​and​ ​as​ ​far​ ​as color​ ​looks​ ​essentially​ ​like​ ​the​ ​rest​ ​of​ ​Panasonic’s​ ​higher​ ​end​ ​line,​ ​making​ ​it​ ​a​ ​solid​ ​B-Cam choice​ ​for​ ​a​ ​Varicam​ ​shoot​ ​if​ ​need​ ​be.​ ​Or,​ ​if​ ​you​ ​simply​ ​just​ ​like​ ​Panasonic’s​ ​colors,​ ​this​ ​is​ ​right up​ ​your​ ​alley.​ ​I’ve​ ​never​ ​been​ ​their​ ​biggest​ ​fan,​ ​as​ ​being​ ​a​ ​first​ ​adopter​ ​of​ ​the​ ​AF100​ ​left​ ​a​ ​bad taste​ ​in​ ​my​ ​mouth,​ ​but​ ​the​ ​EVA-1​ ​is​ ​having​ ​me​ ​seriously​ ​reconsider​ ​that​ ​position​ ​with​ ​how​ ​good of​ ​an​ ​image​ ​it​ ​can​ ​produce​ ​in​ ​such​ ​a​ ​small​ ​package.​ ​It’s​ ​also​ ​got​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​features​ ​I​ ​seriously love,​ ​which​ ​I’ll​ ​get​ ​into​ ​here​ ​in​ ​a​ ​bit.

One​ ​thing​ ​I’d​ ​argue​ ​after​ ​seeing​ ​the​ ​unfiltered​ ​​Near​ ​to​ ​Superstition​ ​​right​ ​behind​ ​the ProMist-heavy​ ​​Radio​ ​88,​ ​​is​ ​that​ ​this​ ​camera’s​ ​image​ ​wants​ ​to​ ​be​ ​softened​ ​up​ ​a​ ​bit.​ ​The​ ​recent popularization​ ​of​ ​vintage​ ​glass​ ​and​ ​diffusion​ ​won’t​ ​stop​ ​with​ ​the​ ​EVA-1.​ ​That​ ​being​ ​said,​ ​there are​ ​plenty​ ​of​ ​situations​ ​where​ ​you’ll​ ​want​ ​to​ ​shoot​ ​clean,​ ​and​ ​in​ ​that​ ​case​ ​you’ll​ ​be​ ​well​ ​served here​ ​as​ ​the​ ​picture​ ​is​ ​tack​ ​sharp​ ​but​ ​not​ ​in​ ​a​ ​“video”​ ​way.

Some​ ​features​ ​I​ ​immediately​ ​liked​ ​were​ ​the​ ​focus​ ​and​ ​horizon​ ​assistants,​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​the​ ​three built-in​ ​ND​ ​filters​ ​rated​ ​at​ ​0.6,​ ​1.2​ ​and​ ​1.8.​ ​In​ ​regards​ ​to​ ​the​ ​assistants,​ ​Panasonic​ ​has developed​ ​a​ ​new​ ​way​ ​to​ ​judge​ ​focus​ ​by​ ​placing​ ​green​ ​squares​ ​over​ ​the​ ​areas​ ​of​ ​the​ ​image​ ​that are​ ​in​ ​focus​ ​that​ ​get​ ​larger​ ​as​ ​that​ ​area​ ​becomes​ ​sharper.​ ​This​ ​works​ ​well​ ​in​ ​most​ ​of​ ​the situations​ ​we​ ​tried​ ​it​ ​in,​ ​but​ ​didn’t​ ​really​ ​work​ ​in​ ​very​ ​dark​ ​scenes​ ​as​ ​it​ ​would​ ​appear​ ​to​ ​be contrast-based,​ ​so​ ​there​ ​is​ ​that.​ ​The​ ​room​ ​we​ ​were​ ​in​ ​was​ ​pretty​ ​dark​ ​already,​ ​but​ ​I​ ​had​ ​to​ ​point the​ ​lens​ ​at​ ​some​ ​duvetyne​ ​in​ ​the​ ​shadows​ ​for​ ​it​ ​to​ ​stop​ ​working,​ ​so​ ​take​ ​that​ ​as​ ​you​ ​will.​ ​The camera​ ​includes​ ​traditional​ ​focus​ ​peaking​ ​as​ ​well.

In​ ​the​ ​image​ ​above​ ​you​ ​can​ ​also​ ​see​ ​two​ ​yellow​ ​lines​ ​on​ ​either​ ​side​ ​of​ ​the​ ​image:​ ​that’s​ ​your horizon​ ​assist.​ ​As​ ​you​ ​tilt​ ​the​ ​camera,​ ​the​ ​vertical​ ​lines​ ​extend​ ​in​ ​either​ ​direction​ ​showing​ ​you​ which​ ​way​ ​you’re​ ​angled.​ ​I​ ​shoot​ ​handheld​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​and​ ​on​ ​my​ ​Canon​ ​I​ ​have​ ​the​ ​middle-frame​ ​line overlay​ ​up​ ​on​ ​my​ ​image​ ​at​ ​all​ ​times​ ​and​ ​have​ ​to​ ​judge​ ​it​ ​against​ ​something​ ​in​ ​the​ ​frame,​ ​so​ ​this is​ ​a​ ​big​ ​plus​ ​for​ ​me.​ ​I​ ​also​ ​love​ ​the​ ​fact​ ​that​ ​all​ ​the​ ​information​ ​is​​ ​outside​ ​​of​ ​the​ ​image​ ​on​ ​your monitor.​ ​Nothing​ ​is​ ​more​ ​annoying​ ​than​ ​having​ ​to​ ​clear​ ​your​ ​display​ ​just​ ​to​ ​see​ ​what’s​ ​going​ ​on.

Another​ ​feature​ ​I​ ​love​ ​is​ ​the​ ​“home”​ ​button.​ ​Aside​ ​from​ ​simply​ ​bringing​ ​you​ ​back​ ​to​ ​the​ ​main screen,​ ​a​ ​second​ ​press​ ​shows​ ​you​ ​an​ ​Arri-esque​ ​information​ ​panel,​ ​the​ ​settings​ ​of​ ​which​ ​you can​ ​modify​ ​by​ ​simply​ ​touching​ ​the​ ​screen.​ ​Very​ ​nice,​ ​and​ ​very​ ​handy​ ​in​ ​the​ ​field.​ ​The​ ​rest​ ​of​ ​the menus​ ​are​ ​similar​ ​to​ ​the​ ​Varicam​ ​line.

Now,​ ​you​ ​may​ ​notice​ ​that​ ​there’s​ ​no​ ​viewfinder.​ ​This​ ​may​ ​or​ ​may​ ​not​ ​bother​ ​you,​ ​but​ ​after​ ​the initial​ ​shock​ ​I​ ​had​ ​to​ ​admit​ ​that​ ​I​ ​almost​ ​never​ ​use​ ​the​ ​one​ ​on​ ​my​ ​Canon​, ​so​ ​it​ ​wouldn’t​ ​be​ ​that big​ ​of​ ​a​ ​deal.​ ​Your​ ​preferences​ ​will​ ​obviously​ ​dictate​ ​how​ ​that​ ​affects​ ​you.​ ​The​ ​placement​ ​of​ ​the LCD​ ​is​ ​really​ ​nice,​ ​however,​ ​being​ ​located​ ​right​ ​around​ ​where​ ​it​ ​is​ ​on​ ​a​ ​C300.​ ​It​ ​also​ ​comes​ ​with its​’ ​own​ ​sun​ ​shade,​ ​an​ ​accessory​ ​I’ve​ ​wished​ ​existed​ ​for​ ​the​ ​Canon​ ​for​ ​years.​ ​I​ ​tend​ ​to​ ​shoot around​ ​waist-height​ ​when​ ​running​ ​and​ ​gunning,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​screen​ ​is​ ​in​ ​prime​ ​position​ ​for​ ​that​ ​type of​ ​shooting.​ ​At​ ​just​ ​a​ ​hair​ ​over​ ​4.5lbs​ ​with​ ​a​ ​battery​ ​and​ ​lens,​ ​it’s​ ​light​ ​but​ ​feels​ ​substantial enough,​ ​and​ ​along​ ​with​ ​the​ ​ergonomic​ ​side-handle​ ​allows​ ​for​ ​very​ ​comfortable​ ​handheld operation​ ​in​ ​that​ ​position.​ ​The​ ​handle​ ​itself​ ​has​ ​2​ ​of​ ​the​ ​9​ ​user-assignable​ ​buttons​ ​both conveniently​ ​placed​ ​by​ ​where​ ​your​ ​fingers​ ​rest,​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​a​ ​fingerwheel​ ​in​ ​the​ ​index-finger position​ ​as​ ​one​ ​would​ ​expect.

The​ ​top​ ​of​ ​the​ ​camera​ ​is​ ​completely​ ​flat​ ​after​ ​removing​ ​the​ ​top-handle​ ​and​ ​has​ ​numerous screw​ ​holes​ ​open​ ​for​ ​you​ ​to​ ​attach​ ​any​ ​number​ ​of​ ​accessories.​ ​Zacuto​ ​seems​ ​to​ ​be​ ​the​ ​brand partner​ ​of​ ​choice​ ​in​ ​this​ ​case​ ​with​ ​their​ ​Gratical​ ​and​ ​other​ ​accessories​ ​intended​ ​to​ ​take advantage​ ​of​ ​those​ ​mounting​ ​points​ ​on​ ​display​ ​next​ ​to​ ​the​ ​cameras.

Blissfully,​ ​the​ ​camera​ ​shoots​ ​to​ ​simple​ ​SDXC​ ​or​ ​SDHC​ ​cards​ ​in​ ​MOV​ ​or​ ​AVCHD,​ ​using​ ​the​ ​5.7K sensor​ ​to​ ​deliver​ ​4K,​ ​UHD,​ ​2K,​ ​1080p​ ​or​ ​720p​ ​and​ ​can​ ​do​ ​so​ ​to​ ​one​ ​or​ ​two​ ​cards simultaneously.​ ​In​ ​almost​ ​every​ ​case​ ​you’re​ ​getting​ ​your​ ​image​ ​in​ ​10bit​ ​4:2:2.​ ​Frame​ ​rates​ ​span from​ ​23.98​ ​(and​ ​24!)​ ​all​ ​the​ ​way​ ​up​ ​to​ ​a​ ​very​ ​respectable​ ​240p​ ​in​ ​2K.​ ​As​ ​someone​ ​who​ ​would probably​ ​shoot​ ​2K​ ​most​ ​of​ ​the​ ​time​ ​anyway,​ ​that’s​ ​fantastic.​ ​A​ ​128GB​ ​card​ ​will​ ​get​ ​you​ ​a​ ​little under​ ​two​ ​hours​ ​of​ ​recording​ ​time​ ​in​ ​most​ ​formats,​ ​unless​ ​you​ ​shoot​ ​something​ ​like​ ​422Intra 400M​ ​4K​ ​(40​ ​minutes)​ ​or​ ​AVCHD​ ​720p​ ​(35​ ​hours).​ ​If​ ​you’re​ ​shooting​ ​a​ ​doc​ ​or​ ​something​ ​and 1080p​ ​works​ ​just​ ​fine,​ ​you​ ​can​ ​shoot​ ​for​ ​11,​ ​12,​ ​or​ ​17​ ​hours​ ​on​ ​that​ ​same​ ​128GB​ ​card depending​ ​on​ ​what​ ​flavor​ ​of​ ​AVCHD​ ​you​ ​choose.​ ​Everything​ ​else​ ​comes​ ​in​ ​MOV.

If​ ​you’re​ ​in​ ​the​ ​latter​ ​situation​ ​you​ ​will​ ​either​ ​need​ ​a​ ​separate​ ​power​ ​solution​ ​or​ ​a​ ​handful​ ​of batteries​ ​as​ ​the​ ​largest​ ​brick​ ​they​ ​offer​ ​lasts​ ​for​ ​a​ ​relatively​ ​respectable​ ​5.5​ ​hours,​ ​whereas​ ​the bundled​ ​one​ ​clocks​ ​in​ ​at​ ​almost​ ​3​ ​and​ ​a​ ​half.

Overall​ ​this​ ​camera​ ​looks​ ​great.​ ​It​ ​nicely​ ​fits​ ​in​ ​between​ ​the​ ​Varicam​ ​and​ ​the​ ​introductory-level GH5,​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​being​ ​a​ ​solid​ ​contender​ ​to​ ​Canon’s​ ​C200​ ​and​ ​Sony’s​ ​FS5.​ ​Well​ ​done,​ ​Panny.