Panasonic AG-HPX600, microP2 Unveiled

Panasonic has introduced what it claims it the lightest shoulder-mounted camcorder ever created. Weighing in at under seven pounds, the AG-HPX600 is very user-friendly for videographers who need to hold cameras for long periods at a time. But just because it's small doesn't mean it doesn't pack a punch. The AG-HPX600 is outfitted with a lot of the latest technology. It's also outfitted with a huge price.

It sports the new 2/3 CMOS sensor and will be upgradeable for new features in the future like AVC-Ultra support, and recording by proxy. It captures video in a 10-bit, 4:2:2 AVC-Intra format. It's a very formidable camera in every sense, which you should expect given its monster $16,000 price tag. The HPX600 was unveiled at the NAB show, where Panasonic also made a couple other big product announcements.

Among the other additions are the AG-AC160A ($5,095) and the AG-AC130A ($4,195), which have 1080p60 recording support and a "turbo" autofocus feature, along with the AG-HPX255 ($6,995) which has support for Panasonic's AG-EC4 Paint Box remote, and a 1/3 CMOS sensor. The company also showed a new storage format called microP2, which uses the same kind of design as an SD card but is optimized for the specific uses of high-level camcorders.

[via MacNN]