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The kitchen gear that's worth your money
We’ve outlined the kitchen gadgets that are worth your cash as well as those you can safely skip.
Apple ProRes RAW is coming to Panasonic's S1H 'Netflix' camera
As it promised last September, Panasonic is ready to bring Apple ProRes RAW support to its cinema-centric S1H full-frame mirrorless camera. The firmware version 2.0, coming next month, will introduce support for 5.9K (5,888 x 3,312) 12-bit ProRes RAW video output over HDMI.
Why Panasonic’s GH5s is my go-to for 4K review videos
The GH5s is a great camera my 4K video reviews because it has great handling and exceptional video quality.
Lifting weights in a Panasonic exosuit destined for the Tokyo Olympics
Exosuits, exoskeletons and power-assist suits are mostly a thing of science fiction, used for battling alien menaces or lifting extremely heavy obstacles. Mostly. Now companies like Panasonic are making the case for actually using one. The reality is less about batting away threats and more about supporting workers with physically demanding or repetitive jobs and tasks. That was why Panasonic's Atoun Model Y was meant to go to the Tokyo Olympics, right?
How to buy a compact camera in 2020
If you want better photos than a smartphone can deliver but also don't want a bulky DSLR or mirrorless camera, you may need a compact camera in your life. Good models have much bigger sensors, optics and image processors than your phone, so the photos you take are going to be sharper and richer. Once you get the hang of your camera, it'll be much easier to use, too, becoming an extension of your hands and eyes. The question, though, is which one do you need? There is a wide variety of models out there with different sized sensors, fixed, zoom and superzoom lenses and lots of manual controls (or not). So, choosing a compact camera is a very personal decision based on your needs, skill level and other factors, and that's where we come in. In this guide, we're going to lay out the different features available on each brand and model to help you choose just the right one.
Tesla and Panasonic will no longer work together on solar cells
Panasonic will stop building solar cells at Tesla's New York Gigafactory 2 plant, the company revealed in a press release. That means Panasonic won't be working on Telsa's latest Solar Roof tiles, though it won't impact their Tesla EV battery partnership. Still, it's not a great sign for the two companies, especially considering that Tesla might start building its own EV batteries.
How to buy a mirrorless camera in 2020
Two crucial things happened in the camera world in 2019: mirrorless cameras took over from DSLRs and the industry as a whole had its worst year in a decade. So what does that mean for you, the potential camera buyer? Manufacturers are pulling out all the stops to lure you away from your smartphone, so a lot of great new mirrorless cameras have come out in the last year. And, as Canon just announced, more exciting models are on the way.
After Math: Let's take a drive
Though Tesla reported its Q4 earnings last Tuesday, the auto industry has sent this week making moves and announcing news. GM is bringing its semi-autonomous Super Cruise system to nearly two dozen models by 2023, ChargePoint is teaming with NATSO to bring a billion dollars worth of the EV charging stations to the nation's highways, and Uber is making claims about finally becoming profitable by the end of the year -- though we've been hearing bold claims like that from the ride-hailing service before. Here are a few of the week's top transportation headlines.
Toyota and Panasonic will start producing EV batteries in April
Toyota and Panasonic have announced a new agreement to start jointly developing and manufacturing electric vehicle batteries. The two Japanese companies say they're creating a company called Prime Planet Energy and Solutions that will begin producing square-shaped prismatic cells on April 1st. The company will employ approximately 5,100 people initially.
Panasonic's compact VR glasses see the future in HDR
2020 will be a key year for the future of virtual reality, and if things really take off then we should see a lot more stylish headsets like these goggles from Panasonic. The company says that these are the first VR glasses to support HDR video, and in some of the demo reels I saw the advantages were apparent. One video showed high-res video of a beach captured from a drone, and in HDR a lot of annoying gradation in the sky disappeared and overall quality improved.
Panasonic's extra-bright OLED TV is aimed at cinephiles
Panasonic is known for building costly TVs with exceptional image quality, and it's keeping that trend going at CES 2020. Its latest HZ2000 model is the first OLED TV to support Dolby Vision IQ and Filmmaker Mode, features aimed at cinephiles who want to view films exactly as the creators intended. It's built using Panasonic's Master HDR OLED Professional Edition panel, which also delivers up to an extra 20 percent peak brightness compared to other OLED TVs.
Watch Panasonic's CES 2020 press conference in 7 minutes
Let's be real: Panasonic isn't the most exciting or talked-about technology company. But if you've ever stopped and wondered "what is the Japanese titan up to these days?" then we heartily recommend watching its CES 2020 press conference. The company used its precious stage time to talk about the projection technology it deployed for the Tokyo 2020 'One Year to Go' ceremony and various Disney attractions including Star Wars: Galaxy Edge. Panasonic also touched on the power assist suit that will be used by weightlifting assistants during the 2020 Paralympic Games, as well as CIRRUS, a vehicle-centric data platform that's being trialled in Utah.
Panasonic introduces its first true wireless, noise-cancelling earbuds
True wireless earbuds are obviously trending. At CES this year, we've already seen models by Harman Kardon, Jabra and Shure. Now, Panasonic and its Technics brand are introducing three more options: the Panasonic RZ-S500W and RZ-S300W and the Technics EAH-AZ70W.
Panasonic S1H review: Production quality video in a mirrorless camera
The day that it came out, Panasonic's S1H shot to the top of filmmakers' lists of must-have mirrorless cameras for video. The company's GH5 was already a hugely popular camera among vloggers and videographers, and the S1H is much like that model, on steroids. It has a dual-ISO, 24.2-megapixel full-frame sensor that lets you shoot 60 fps, 4K and even 6K video. Better still, it recently became the first-ever mirrorless camera approved for Netflix productions. The fact that it's been poked and prodded by Netflix means you can be confident about the video quality. Still, I was very curious, and I'm sure you were, too, to see what else the S1H can do. At $4,000, it's expensive for a consumer camera, but for TV and film producers, it will actually be a tempting low-budget option -- especially given the artistic possibilities of a full-frame sensor. With a flip-around screen, vloggers with some money (and muscle, because it's heavy) will be looking at this big camera, too. All that said, the S1H is expensive and there are lot of other options in its price range. To see what it's capable of, I brought it into Paris to shoot (a lot of) video and take some photos, too.
Panasonic's Lumix G9 is less than $1,000 for the first time ever
The Panasonic Lumix G9 4K digital camera body is on sale for $998 on Amazon today. This is the first time we've seen the price drop below $1,000. Considering that the G9's recommended retail price is $1,500, that's a significant discount on an all-around great camera.
Panasonic's S1H is the first mirrorless camera approved by Netflix
Panasonic's latest full-frame S1H has become the first mirrorless camera certified for Netflix productions, as part of the streaming company's Post Technology Alliance. Production units are allowed to use it as a main camera shooting in either DCI 4K (4,096 x 2,160) or Ultra HD (3,840 x 2,160) resolutions. That gives Panasonic's fledgling full-frame S1 lineup a boost of prestige, and filmmakers a relatively inexpensive way to create Netflix shows.
Panasonic's modular Toughbook 55 lets you swap out seemingly everything
Panasonic is upping the ante on customization for its Toughbook laptops. The tech firm's new Toughbook 55 touts a highly modular design that lets you add or replace many of the rugged system's components. Add-on packs let you add more ports, dedicated graphics, a fingerprint reader and a second storage drive, while all drives are quick-release to help with upgrades or fixes. You can replace the RAM, as you might expect, but you can even replace the keyboard -- unlike some laptops, you won't have to visit a technician if your input goes haywire.
Panasonic's high-contrast dual LCD does a great impression of an OLED
Panasonic's cavernous IFA booth had everything from high-concept beauty products through to cameras and TVs. Regarding the latter, it had two prototype TVs, an advanced transparent OLED that Panasonic has showed off at tradeshows in the past, and a "mega contrast" TV that could, one day, power movie production house mastering monitors.
Panasonic's S1H is the pinnacle of mirrorless video, for a price
Panasonic was not willing to give away its crown as the ultimate mirrorless camera company for video shooters. It has officially unveiled the 24.2-megapixel S1H and it definitively blows away all rival mirrorless cameras from Sony, Canon and Nikon when it comes to video. For the first time on a mainstream mirrorless camera, you can shoot full-frame, uncropped 6K video (5,888 x 3,312) at 24 FPS, and 60 FPS 4K using a cropped, Super 35 (APS-C) sensor size. The S1H can handle video with 4:2:2 10-bit billion color depth, both internally and externally, for maximum flexibility when editing. Sure, this doesn't measure up to what Blackmagic's Pocket Cinema 6K camera can do -- at least, not yet. But unlike the Pocket 6K, Panasonic's S1H has a continuous contrast-detect autofocus system, a fully-articulating display and in-body stabilization -- huge features for vloggers and shooters on the go. This comes at quite a price, though, so to get a feel for the camera and see how it performs, I shot with a pre-production S1H for a day at Panasonic's launch event in Los Angeles.
LG, Panasonic and Vizio fight motion smoothing with 'filmmaker mode'
Today the UHD Alliance -- an industry group of various companies involved in getting 4K video to you -- banded together and announced something that couldn't come too soon: filmmaker mode. According to its backers, which include manufacturers like LG, Vizio and Panasonic, the feature will make sure movies and TV shows are seen as intended. That means automatically disabling motion smoothing technology (Tom Cruise will be very happy), as well as ensuring the correct color, aspect ratio and framerate. Until now, figuring out the settings has been something everyone needs to do one their own -- we have some suggestions for you -- with out of the box defaults that can absolutely destroy the viewing experience. As described in the press release, Filmmaker Mode is activated either automatically through metadata in a disc or stream, or via a single button press on the remote, to make it as easy as possible for 4K TV owners to use. Vizio said in a statement that the feature will be available in its 2020 televisions, while we haven't heard from the others. Netflix launched a similar setup with its "Calibrated" mode last year, but this could have a much wider reach. The name and settings will be consistent no matter which brand of TV you're buying. Rian Johnson spoke at the event, while other directors including JJ Abrams, Christopher Nolan, Ryan Coogler and Martin Scorsese offered support in pre-recorded comments. "The thing that sets Filmmaker Mode apart is it will be a pure, clean expression of what the movie was meant to look like when it was made," said Johnson. Ryan Coogler said that "By allowing the artists in the tent to help consult and give feedback to the electronics companies on Filmmaker Mode, we can collectively help make the consumer's experience even more like it is in the cinema."