PANASONIC ANNOUNCES SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN MOS IMAGING PERFORMANCE
New Free Firmware Upgrade Addresses ‘Flash Band’ Effect of Rolling Shutter Imagers
LAS VEGAS, NV (April 19, 2009) – Here at NAB, Panasonic announced a new free firmware upgrade for the recently-released AG-HPX300 10-bit, 4:2:2 P2 HD camcorder that will enhance its performance compared to the growing number of products now utilizing MOS imagers.

Panasonic’s HPX300 is the world’s first affordable 10-bit, 4:2:2 professional HD camcorder, providing master quality, full 1920 x 1080 resolution AVC-Intra recording and professional features like variable frame rates. It incorporates advanced 1/3” 2.2-megapixel 3-MOS image sensors to acquire full native resolution 1920x1080 HD images. These advanced 3-MOS imagers provide exceptional image quality while minimizing flare.

The Flash Band Compensation firmware upgrade compensates for the “flash band” effect experienced by most MOS-based imagers.* As these imagers utilize rolling shutter, which records images line by line instead of simultaneously, as with global shutter technology, they tend to be susceptible to image variance when a light flashes during shooting. A light band (flash band) can appear in the continuous two frames when a flash occurs, similar to that from a still camera or strobe light.

The free firmware upgrade enables the camera to use a newly developed LSI signal process that removes the flash artifact. It detects the “flash band” frame and combines it with the previous unaffected frame image to compensate for divided flash band frames and maintain the natural frame sequence.

The Flash Band Compensation firmware upgrade for the HPX300 will be available on the download section of the Panasonic Broadcast website, www.panasonic.com/broadcast, this summer.

About the HPX300

The AG-HPX300 provides the ultimate quality and flexibility in an affordable, full-size HD shoulder-mount. Incorporating an innovative, low profile shoulder mounted design, the HPX300 P2 HD camcorder offers independent frame AVC-Intra recording, variable frame rates and the flexibility of interchangeable lens. The two-slot camera records stunning images in a variety of formats from master quality AVC-Intra and production quality DVCPRO HD to standard definition DVCPRO50, DVCPRO and DV. Features such as selectable gamma, Chromatic Aberration Compensation (CAC) and Dynamic Range Stretch (DRS) ensure optimum performance in a wide range of applications. For more information, visit www.panasonic.com/P2HD.

About Panasonic Broadcast

Panasonic Broadcast & Television Systems Co. is a leading supplier of broadcast and professional video products and systems. Panasonic Broadcast is a unit of Panasonic Corporation of North America. The company is the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE Symbol: PC) and the hub of Panasonic’s U.S. branding, marketing, sales, service and R&D operations. For more information on Panasonic Broadcast products, visit www.panasonic.com/broadcast.

*As there is still a possibility for the appearance of discontinuous motion with excessive camera movement or when recording very high-speed objects, care should be taken in these shooting conditions.