Panasonic announces launch of new Toughpad Handheld and a new 4K Handheld Camcorder
Panasonic announces launch of new Toughpad Handheld and a new 4K Handheld Camcorder
Toughpad FZ-X1
The Toughpad FZ-X1 represents the latest evolution of Panasonic’s Tough series, and is a five-inch handheld tablet that runs Android 4.2.2 and boasts voice and data connectivity, as well as featuring an in-built barcode scanner.
The Toughpad FZ-X1 is also built to withstand the toughest conditions, being fully sealed against dust and submersible in up to 1.5 meters of water for up to 30 minutes. The tablet meets IP68 certification and is able to operate under temperatures as low as -20C and as high as 60C, while being MIL-STD=810G certified resistant for impact (three-meter drop resistance), shock vibration, altitude and extreme humidity. This makes it perfect for mission-critical mobile workers that work outdoors and are at the mercy of the elements.
With a battery life of up to 14 hours of continuous data access time, up to 23 hours of talk time, and up to 1000 hours of standby time, the Toughpad FZ-X1 certainly seems to be highly energy efficient. Hot Swop functionality on the tablet even allows you to swap depleted batteries for fresh ones without having to power it down, making it seems as though the Toughpad FZ-X1 is built for virtually unlimited use.
Other than being readable in bright daylight, the 5” HD (1280x720) Enterprise-grade display also has a glove mode, so you won’t have to freeze your fingers off just to use the tablet. The anti-reflective HD display also has 10-point capacitive multi-touch capabilities, and rain sensing capabilities allows for single touch use even in pouring rain.
With both Wi-Fi and mobile broadband data connectivity over 4G LTE and 3G networks, the Toughpad FZ-X1 certainly seems primed to go wherever you do. The Toughpad FZ-X1 is now available in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia for US$1,499 (Wi-Fi only)or US$1,699 (mobile broadband data) at authorized Panasonic retailers.
AG-DVX200 4K Handheld Camcorder
Also announced, was the Panasonic AG-DVX200 4K Handheld Camcorder, a lightweight camcorder that features an integrated lens design that allows it a shallow depth of field and wide field of view.
According to Mr Supachai Chanyasawad, (Head of Product Marketing, Imaging Network Business Division, Panasonic System Solutions Asia Pacific) the idea behind the AG-DVX200 4K Handheld Camcorder is to marry the advantages of a DSLR and those of a traditional camcorder. That’s to say, to offer the simple operation and quick shooting capabilities of a camcorder with the high-picture quality and shallow depth-of-field offered by a DSLR.
The DVX200 is optimized for 4K/HD production, with 4K/50p recording capabilities, a 13x optical zoom (28-365.3mm, 35mm equivalent), multi-step zoom control, and a V-Log L Gamma curve control that offers up to 12 stops of latitude. It also shares filmic tonality and colorimetry characteristics of the Varicam family, giving it natural rendering of skin tones and the natural grey-scale rendition of the Varicam 35. The 4/3” large-format MOS sensor offers variable frame rate recording up to 120fps in FHD mode, and the integrated lens design allows for shallow depth of field and a wide field of view thanks to the Leica Dicomar 4K F/2.8~4.5 zoom lens selected.
The camera also features variable speed zooming (including ultra-slow zooming) for greater control of your shots and there’s an enhanced image stabilizer that incorporates both a five-axis Hybrid Image Stabilizer and a 4x correction-area Image Stabilizer. A micro-drive focus unit improves focus speed, tracking and capture performance so you can be certain of in focus shots every time, while dual SD card slots allow for both backup or relay recording.
The AG-DVX200 4K Handheld Camcorder will be available from Q3, 2015 with a suggested list price of under US$5,000.