Since the mysterious shroud of NAB convention 2017, the Panasonic AU-EVA1 has made quite a splash with its high-resolution 5.7K image sensor capable of rendering smooth 4K images inside a compact body. This is a Super 35mm cinema camera system ready for documentary, cinema, and live event production. Panasonic’s Dual Native ISO, found first in the VariCam, has been incorporated into this little 5.7K EVA1 allowing shooters to switch from 800 ISO to 2500 ISO natively. At NAB 2018, Panasonic not only showed off the updates to the EVA1’s firmware but the addition of outputting raw to an Atomos recorder capable of capturing the new codec ProRes RAW. Below you can read more about the AU-EVA1 from Panasoinc.

Product Highlights

• Super 35mm 5.7K Sensor
• Dual Native ISO
• EF Lens Mount
• Records 4K up to 60 fps
• Records 2K up to 240 fps
• 10-Bit, 4:2:2 Processing
• Records to SD Cards
• V-Log and V-Gamut Capture
• SDI and HDMI Video Outputs

ABOUT THE AU-EVA1 CAMERA

5.7K Sensor

Panasonic’s 5.7K sensor is at the heart of this camera. Its high resolution allows for oversampled 4K footage, resulting in sharp images with reduced aliasing and increased color fidelity over native 4K Bayer-pattern sensors. Video is recorded on widely available SD cards, providing high-quality recording on accessible, industry-standard media.

Dual Native ISO

Utilizing a process that allows the sensor to be read in a fundamentally different way, Dual Native ISO extracts more information from the sensor without affecting the image in the same way as increasing the gain or shifting the gamma. This results in the EVA1 being a camera that can switch from a standard sensitivity to a high sensitivity with minimal if any, impact by way of image artifacts.

V-Log and V-Gamut Capture

Combining Panasonic-developed V-Log and V-Gamut, the EVA1 can capture a wide exposure latitude and represent a wide color palette. V-Log has exposure curve characteristics that are somewhat reminiscent of negative film while V-Gamut delivers a color space even larger than film. Having both of these tools enables the EVA1 to be used in production workflows for both HDR and SDR production.

Native EF Lens Mount

Panasonic chose the EF lens mount to enable shooters to natively use the broad EF lens ecosystem, encompassing many brands of lenses. The lens mount itself features electronic contacts for communication with compatible lenses as well as enabling one-push autofocus.

Electronic Image Stabilization

The EVA1 can electronically compensate for vibrations induced by shooting handheld or shoulder-mounted. This feature is especially useful for documentarians and other shooters that employ the run-and-gun style.

Integrated Motorized Filters

Available in 2, 4, and 6 stops, the built-in ND filter wheel enables the camera operator to have precise control over their image. If you wish to open up your lens while maintaining a set shutter speed, the ND filters can help reduce the exposure to retain your image’s highlights. The IR-cut filter can also be actuated electronically, allowing for night-vision and unique photographic effects.

SD Card Recording

Proprietary media can be expensive, but the EVA1 uses relatively affordable SDXC memory to record video. V60-rated SD cards support all internal recording modes, including the 10-bit 4:2:2 4K modes. Dual card slots mean you can continuously record from card to card, or record to both cards simultaneously for a backup.

Recording Modes

The EVA1 can record in several formats and compression rates and offers up to 10-bit 4:2:2 sampling, even at 4K resolutions. For in camera recording, you can capture in 4K (4096 x 2160), UHD (3840 x 2160), 2K (2048 x 1080), Full-HD (1920 x 1080), and HD (1280 x 720). For high-speed capture, the EVA1 offers up to 59.94 fps for 4K, up to 120 fps for 2K and Full-HD, or 240 fps with an image sensor crop.

I/O

On the body of the camera you’ll find dual balanced XLR audio inputs for professional shotgun microphones, lavalier microphones, and line outputs. The HDMI and SDI video outputs are both 4K-capable and each can be adjusted separately, allowing HD to be fed to a viewfinder or other third-party monitor while 4K is sent to an outboard recorder or monitor. The camera is also equipped with standard Timecode functionality.

Built-In Monitoring Tools

As a professional video production tool, the EVA1 contains several professional imaging tools, including Peaking, Expand (Image Zoom), Waveform, Zebras, and Spotmeter (Y-Get). The EVA1 also utilizes Focus Squares, a feature originally found in the Varicam line which displays an array of green squares that grow in size when their local area appears to be sharp, to enable shooters to achieve critical focus.