Panasonic's forthcoming AG-AF100 video camera, taken from the preview PDF available here
Panasonic looks like it's taking a new tack with its next camera, a micro 4/3" chip in an HD camcorder with the option to use a range of its 35mm still camera lenses. On the tech nerdery, it will do 30p, 25p and 24p native at 1080 or 720, 60 and 50 interlaced at 1080, and 60p and 50p frame rates at 720. Two XLR inputs too. Interesting, for sure.
During my last camera purchase, I took a long look at the HMC152 (Euro edition of the HMC150, switchable NTSC/PAL) because it takes stills, but at the time (and, after a cursory poke around the interweb just now, still) there's scant information about how good the 152's 10.6MP images are.
[EDIT: I was wrong; the HMC40 takes stills, and the 152 stuff was rumors. But the HMC40 is a 1/4" chip camera. I'd rather have 1/3" chips and take screen grabs]
Seriously, Panasonic could sew up a nice market if it did that proper, and I'd be really interested if the AF100 has that capability. It's already got a bright idea with interchangeable lenses from its Lumix G line, but it could wholly go the reverse direction of HDSLRs and make a proper video camera that makes quality still photographs, has professional, manually adjustable audio inputs, and wouldn't need torso scaffolding to use it.
It makes sense and is more doable for them than other companies, too. Canon seems to always hold something back so one product from its still or video departments doesn't totally trump everything, Sony only took a half-step there with the Z7 adapter for Alpha lenses, and Nikon doesn't have a foothold in video cameras at all.
According to b-roll.net, word is that the AF100 will retail around US$6,000.
