Panasonic 6K Lumix BS1H Mirrorless Full-Frame Box-Style Cinema Camera

The compact cinema camera market has become even more competitive with the announcement of Panasonic’s new Lumix BS1H box-style camera that sports a long list of professional features in a tiny form factor. This mirrorless camera joins the S1H and BGH1 compact camera line, featuring a full-frame 24.2MP CMOS sensor that captures cinema-quality video up to 10-bit 6K24 resolution, 14+ stops of advertised dynamic range using V-Log/V-Gamut, and dual-native ISO. Its miniature size still finds room for multiple output and recording options via SD card, HDMI, SDI, USB tether, and IP streaming output.

The tiny BS1H camera weighs only 1.3 lb and measures just 3.7" square, so it can be used in any environment such as sporting events, live broadcast, Internet streaming, presentations, or any production situation that calls for a small form factor and cinema resolution. The camera can be placed just about everywhere using its Ethernet and PoE compatible design, features an L-mount for cinema-style lenses, and it supports IS boost when using Lumix S Series OIS lenses. Its Contrast AF technology supports face and eye recognition, precise object tracking, and high-precision focus in low-light situations.

The camera allows you to output RAW video such as ProRes RAW and Blackmagic RAW via the HDMI output for use with recording monitors such as the Atomos Ninja V or the Blackmagic Video Assist 12G, so you can record up to 5.9K video externally. It also features an SDI output and an RJ45 LAN port so you can livestream video to the Internet using RTP/RTSP streaming protocols. The USB port can be used for camera control, as well as tethering, allowing you to use the Lumix Tether software for remote control and JPEG still capture. The camera records in MOV and MP4 formats in H.264/AVC or H.265/HEVC to the integrated SD/SDHC/SDXC slot using up to V90 or UHS-II class 90 cards at up to 400 Mb/s.

The BS1H's extensive feature list also includes anti-reflective coating on the sensor, manual or autofocus modes, and exposure compensation to boost performance in low light. It has customizable color temperature, white balance, shutter speed, RGB, timecode, genlock, and luma settings, as well as front and rear tally lights. Additionally, it supports 4-perf anamorphic squeeze, VariCam and .Cube LUT formats, high-frame-rate (HFR) recording, hybrid log gamma (HLG), and many more professional image tools and control options. The camera also features a 3.5mm mic/line audio input, and it is compatible with the Panasonic DMW-XLR1 XLR input extension to make professional audio recording easy. The BS1H comes with a power adapter and can utilize a separately available Li-ion AG-VBR battery to power the camera on the go. It can even be powered using PoE+ when you have a third-party PoE+ switch, saving you a battery and extra cabling.

Is the Lumix BS1H right for you? Which features do you find most compelling? Join us in conversation in the Comments section.