This fall has been a hot one for cameras, with new Monstro sensors from RED and the C200 from Canon for video makers and the Nikon 850 and A7R Mark III keeping still photographers happy. However, the most anticipated camera of all, at least around here, has been the EVA1 from Panasonic, and the company has hit its shipping date (which is more than can be said for some others on this list) with units going out this week.
Credit: Charles Haine
Why is the EVA1 so highly anticipated? While it has some specifications that are sure to please (dual native ISO that isn't quite as fast as the Varicam, but will be a good color match, 5.7K raw resolution, and a low 2.6lb weight), the real excitement is Panasonic returning to a space it used to absolutely dominate. First with the DVX100 and then the HVX-200, the "sub-$10,000 video camera that does professional quality narrative work" belonged to Panasonic.
Panasonic owned the market for a few years.Credit: Sharegrid
Then came the 5D Mark II and everything changed. Big sensors became vital, the market shifted virtually overnight, and Panasonic simply didn't pivot fast enough. While Canon was slow to accept the market it had created, within a few years it had introduced the C-line while Panasonic still hadn't adapted to the change. Just in the last few years, with the full sized Varicam and Varicam LT, we've seen a big uptick in Panasonic productions at the high end, and the EVA1 is highly anticipated by indie filmmakers who are on the lookout for a small, light camera that can easily fly in a gimbal or drone, but can also provide the high quality color and low light performance we get from the Varicam. Build quality, well-designed user experience, and color accuracy are the hallmarks that so many operators loved about Panasonic for so long, and finally the company has a real contender in the space.
Credit: Panasonic
EVA1 is a story not just because we're excited about the camera (because we are), it's also amazing because it's a cinematic redemption tale. It's a comeback story, and we're suckers for a comeback story. We won't know for a few months how the EVA1 stacks up against the C200, or the now-looking-old FS7 Mark II. We don't know who will win the fight. But Panasonic is back in the ring, and that's exciting enough. In the meantime, you can check out this behind-the-scenes video from our favorite of the pre-release demo films, Rocket 88.
Shipping now (hooray!), order yours at B&H today for $7,345. NOTE:B&H still says "pre-order" on their site, but we have confirmed with Panasonic that orders are shipping to vendors, so expect that to change soon.
Tech Specs:
- 5.7K (5720 x 3016) Super 35 CMOS sensor
- Dual native ISO
- 4K 60p, 2K 240p
- V-log & V-gamma
- Up to 400 Mbps internal data rates
- 4:2:2 10 bit internal codec
- ND filter wheel (2/4/6 stops)
- EF mount, EIS capable
- SD card recording
- XLR Audio
- Touch panel LCD
- HDMI & SDI outputs
