Tech Breakthrough

After years of optimizing HD cameras, Panavision took a radical lunge into HD cinematography with the mid-June announcement of the Genesis at CineGear. The Genesis sports a docking recorder that makes it fully portable and utilizes existing spherical 35mm lenses, including Primo primes and zooms and support gear. "The Genesis has been designed from the ground up as a cine-style camera," says Panavision President and CEO Bob Beitcher. "Digital moviemaking is a reality, and we felt that we should design a digital camera that makes sense to filmmakers."

Genesis is slated to be available for rental by the end of 2004, and in greater numbers early next year. Rental prices have not been set.

A dockable Sony SRW-1 VTR travels on the top and rear of the camera, simulating the look and feel of the popular Panaflex. Genesis was designed to be similar to Panavision’s 35mm cameras in terms of size, weight (24 pounds) and ergonomics.

Genesis uses a Super 35mm-sized sensor and offers a 35mm depth-of-field equivalent, with a 12.4 megapixel true-RGB sensor and 10-bit log per color output. Other features include speeds up to 50 fps and full-bandwidth, dual-link 4:4:4 HD-SDI outputs, a single 4:2:2 HD-SDI monitor output, dual viewfinder outputs, a fiber-optic camera adapter, integrated lens control, camera control via Panavision RDC or Sony MSU, RMB series controllers and digital lateral chromatic aberration compensation for VFX.

According to John Galt, senior VP of advanced digital imaging, Panavision has been working with Sony on the Genesis since 2000. The resulting camera is based on Sony’s CCD technology, designed jointly by Sony and Panavision, and will be manufactured at Panavision’s Woodland Hills facility.