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Panasonic Releases New Firmware Updates for the AG-HPX300 P2 HD Camcorder (24/7/2009)

Free Downloadable Update Offers Improvements in CMOS Performance, Picture Quality, Flash Band Effect and More Panasonic Broadcast announced the immediate availability of a free flash band compensation firmware update with new performance enhancements for its AG-HPX300 10-bit, 4:2:2 P2 HD camcorder with AVC-Intra recording.

The new firmware update improves CMOS imager performance and compensates for the “flash band” effect experienced by most MOS-based imagers.* The update allows the camera to use a specially developed LSI signal process that removes “flash” artifacts commonly caused by the rolling shutter feature in these imagers. 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 update is available now. An instructional video covering the flash band compensation improvement as well as shooting techniques for working with skew is available on Panasonic Broadcast’s channel on YouTube at www.youtube/user/PBTSProVideo.

The update will also make the HPX300 compatible with the new E Series P2 cards, reduces noise in 1080/24p and 1080/30p recording modes and when using the scene file F3 setting (SCENE SPARK), and adds Dynamic Range Stretch (DRS) functionality when using the slow shutter modes.

Panasonic also announced that a PAL (50Hz) compatibility upgrade is now available for the HPX300 camcorder at an additional cost of $800. For more information or to purchase, email pbtscservice@us.panasonic.com. Eligible HPX300 units must be registered to a US-based customer and have a U.S.-issued serial number.

www.panasonic.com/broadcast

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