Milan's VIDEO ELF production house moves to 4K with Panasonic AK-UC3000 studio cameras

Milan-based production company, specialising in video and post-production of events as varied as conferences, fashion shows, concerts, theatres and documentaries, recently enhanced its technical hardware with two 4K AK-UC3000 TV cameras from Panasonic's professional range, with the intention of offering the best possible audio/video production service alongside own service and rental operation.

VIDEO ELF decided to put these new cameras to the test immediately in the field, where the higher image quality could make a noticeable difference in the quality of the content they were capturing."We chose these models because we were so strongly attracted by the optimum quality/price ratio and reliability of the brand, as well as for their technical specifications, and the ease of use and maintainability these cameras offer” - explain Enrico, Lorenzo, Pietro and Giovanni Gusso, representing the company.

Panasonic AK-UC3000, the ideal, versatile solution for live transmission in HD and 4K.

The MOS mono-sensor video camera provides an excellent balance among the image data quality parameters: high sensitivity, best SNR (signal-noise ratio), high resolution, wide dynamic range and low power consumption in a compact package, stand-out values which make them even more portable, so they are also the ideal choice for smaller productions and services. The AK-UC3000supports both 4K and HD signals and is compatible with all lenses, with a B4 connector, ensuring that companies opting to use it have the maximum ROI from the lens stock they have already invested in .

Antonella Sciortino, Italy's Field Marketing Manager at Panasonic Professional Camera Solutions, explains: “These TV cameras stand out with their excellent image quality and a truly superior level of sensitivity, as well as their optimal price/performance ratio, features which allow them to promote the spread of 4K and the adoption of this advanced technology by an even wider customer base. When the company contacted our video-technical retailer during the research and analysis phase for these products in business, explaining their specific requirements and above all the very clear objectives we hoped to achieve in projects that were soon to start, the new UC-3000 emerged as the ideal technological answer for them”.

Enrico Gusso of VIDEO ELF reports: “Our initial tests with these cameras quickly proved to us that they were up to the challenge of moving to 4K. We were thinking for some time that the 4K format was an absolute must for us to eventually move over to and above all, our trust in Panasonic's technology helped us take this step forward.

"From the very first few events we did with these cameras, in business conferences and conventions, in addition to their high image quality, we observed how clearly beneficial it was to have full production control over the camera, thanks to the wide range of options available from the RCP. In all our work with them we are still seeing the added value of an optimised workflow, including when archiving content in a durable format”.

February 2016 saw the studio using the new UC3000 technology in the field to film a live concert in a theatre. Three of the cameras were put to work in 4K at the Don Olimpio Moneta di Tabiago di Nibionno (LC) Theatre to film the concert by the famous Italian folk group “I LUF”.

VIDEO ELF explains: “The organiser asked us to record the whole concert in 4K in order to produce a film to be shown in theatres, using 4K, next autumn. We therefore equipped the team with 3 AK-UC3000 video cameras and they worked extremely well, for various reasons: the extremely positive response in terms of colour quality and brightness, the sharp images, the faithful representation of every tiny detail displayed by 4K.

"The customer, who has already seen the recordings, showed the same satisfaction and approval as we did, confirming expectations. This experience more than any encourages us to plan to use these cameras for further concerts. Besides this, we are certain that the 4K video cameras are the ideal answer for the evermore sophisticated demands of the concert sector. Think for example of the added-value 4K can provide when employing LED videowall scenery technology, with which it is fully compatible, so it can benefit fully from the advantages of 4K in terms of the quality of the details."

Alongside the "I LUF" theatre project, two of the 4K video cameras, together with a Panasonic AV-HS6000 live mixer, were used to film a major fashion show in Milan, on behalf of production house VideoGang.

Conclusions

The field tests carried out so far with the Panasonic AK-UC3000 video cameras has generated positive feedback. “For the work we do, the cameras are excellent,"explained VIDEO ELF "They are by far the best product we could have chosen, given our specific selection criteria. From the start, we have had an extremely positive response in terms of colour quality and brightness, the sharp images, the faithful representation of every tiny detail.

"They use the latest fibre optic connectors, making it easy to provide a power supply and carry several signals over a single cable, unlike the old-style controls. These cameras are simple to use, convenient, fast and economical to manage, strong points which mean that, unlike the “4K cinema” version which uses a cinema lens and needs two people to handle it, they only need a single operator for the 4K rendering. We believe we have chosen the right technology, and we will continue to use Panasonic equipment for many of our more complex projects”.