It has been no secret that Panasonic have been working on their next level advanced AVC-Ultra cameras and the workflow needed to comfortably tackle them. As far back as NAB last year Panasonic confirmed they were nutting out new workflow possibilities that would include 4K and now at NAB 2012 AVC-Ultra 4K Intra frame compression at 450Mbps is now on the table and will be on full display at the show and will be covered comprehensively at a Panasonic Session.

This NAB Panasonic is launching an expansion of its H.264 based AVC-Intra compression that will be known collectively as AVC-Ultra. It is designed to handle current and future applications and workflows. The AVC-Intra Class 4:4:4 Implementation is being shown in the Panasonic booth. This compression mode can be utilized to enable a mezzanine 4K workflow at 450Mbps. There is a strong desire to produce content in 4K resolution but the unwieldy files sizes have scared off even big budget productions. Mezzanine compression has been studied and even implemented to allow a cost effective HD infrastructure but this added efficiency can be put to even better use creating a 4K infrastructure at a lower price point than existing baseband HD operations. This promises to put 4K production within reach for a host of new applications.

Christian Sokcevic, Panasonic’s Director of Professional AV Europe, said: “As a responsible manufacturer, we have been considering how we can contribute towards the growth of the broadcast industry as a whole. “Conscious of end user needs, we understand it’s not just about creating amazing products, we also need to inspire users to create passionate work which in turn will help grow the industry. AVC Ultra is a great example of how we are pushing the boundaries of broadcasting to encourage this future innovation.”

Expect several versions of the AVC Ultra codec including 4:2:2, HD, 2K and 4K 4:4:4.

Are we going to see a new Panasonic AG-AF100 Micro Four Thirds camera brother sporting P2 under the bonnet? An S35 sensor camera? A 2K camera? Or a whopping AVC-Ultra 12-bit 4K camera from Panasonic? Let the dice roll.

The Panasonic Session at NAB 2012 that covers 4K, AVC-Ultra, H.264, 4:4:4, & Mezzanine compression at 450Mbps is on Tuesday, 4/17/2012 03:40 PM – 04:00 PM at the South Lower Hall, SL14805.

Keep an eye on Panasonic for more information.

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