Camcorder News

February 11, 2009 – Panasonic announced today a slew of new hardware tools to support its professional high definition solid state line of camcorders. The new line of field and production devices is primarily designed to expand Panasonic's P2 memory card camcorders and bring master-quality recording to professionals at a more affordable price. The AG-HPG20 recorder/player, AJ-HRW10 P2 rapid writer, and AJ-PCD35 memory drive are three of the new devices Panasonic has slated for February through April release. All of the new P2 devices are compatible with Panasonic's recently announced AG-HPX300 camcorder, scheduled for release in March.

The AG-HPG20 P2 portable recorder/player allows professionals in the field to easily view and transfer footage. The unit features built-in 10-bit AVC-Intra recording/playback, also supporting DVCPRO HD/50/25 and DV compatibility. Compatible camcorders can be connected via IEEE1394 (FireWire) for solid-state back-up recording in the field and can accept and record signals from any video camera with an HD-SDI output. The 3.5-inch LCD screen displays an optional waveform monitor and allows users to easily review footage and manage clip files and metadata. The HPG20 is expected to ship in March for a suggested list price of $5,295.

The AJ-HRW10 P2 Rapid Writer allows fast and easy transfer between P2 memory cards and portable 3.5-inch removable hard disc drives. With five P2 slots and two HDD slots, the HRW10 can back up files simultaneously to two separate RAID drives. The unit also features a 5-inch LCD touch screen for playback, clip preview, and thumbnail sorting. There is also a G-bit Ethernet port for rapid file transfer across an IT network. The AJ-HRW10 will be available in April for a suggested retail price of $9,995.

The AJ-HRW10 Rapid Writer

The AJ-PCD35 Memory Drive

• Panasonic Announces Availability of the AG-HPG20 P2 HD Portable Recorder/Player Featuring AVC-Intra Recording
• Panasonic Debuts AJ-HRW10 Rapid Writer P2 Workflow Tool
• Panasonic Announces Availability of AJ-PCD35 P2 Memory Drive with PCI Express Interface for Super Fast Content Transfers
• Panasonic Expands Professional AVCCAM Product Line with Compact HD Recorder and Multi-Purpose Camera Head
• Panasonic Introduces Full-Featured AJ-CVF100G Color Viewfinder for High-end P2 HD and DVCPRO HD Camcorders
• Panasonic Offers Free AVCHD-to-DV Transcoder Update, Available at WWW.PANASONIC.COM/AVCCAM