Last September, Panasonic announced it will be bringing its most powerful camera yet and is now ready to release its cinema-centric S1H full-frame mirrorless camera supported by Apple ProRes RAW support. The version 2.0 of the firmware is due to come out next month and will support 5.9K 12-bit ProRes RAW video output over HDMI.

The main downside to this incredible power is that only the Atomos Ninja V 4K HDR monitor-recorder will be able to support it, which is also used on the Nikon Z6 and Z7 models.

System Features

Adding to the 5.9K with a whopping 29.97 fps limit, the camera enables you to put out cinema 4K quality using a cropped Super 35mm portion of the sensor for a maximum of 60fps and super anamorphic 3.5K at a maximum of 50fps.

The new system will also enable the recording of 6K/5.9K/5.4K video internally, and downconverted output video to the supported Atomos Ninja V that serves as a backup plan.

The Ninja V will enable you to see the footage in both V-Log or Rec.709 formats whenever you're using the V-log video for that maximum dynamic range for you to choose which you prefer to use.

There have been several changes made to assist the user in adjusting and monitoring video, all the while fixing bugs that hamper the experience of the owner.

Despite a patent dispute between RED and Apple, the ProRes Raw support is coming to Panasonic and Nikon. The argument was a result of Apple teaming with Atomos, which was at the time in an arranged agreement with RED.

The upgrade provides filmmakers with the ability to produce higher quality images and videos with greater ease. The 2.0 update will be coming globally on May 25.

Under the hood with the ProRes RAW

The Apple ProRes provides users with a unique mix of performance and quality imaging. The system is based on similar technology from Apple and is design to be used ideally for High Dynamic Range (HDR).

The ProRes RAW, on the other hand, while giving the same fantastic performance and quality imaging of its predecessor, now offers its support to raw video. You are given more freedom to choose over the processing of an image, whether it be demosaicing, conversions, or even custom LUTs.

The ProRes RAW allows you to customize your videos with raw data right from your camera's sensor while optimizing speed. It also provides impressive flexibility in adjusting how your video looks with the option to extend brightness and shadows.

You can also render and export faster than with other formats when utilizing ProRes RAW, and it is optimized for the latest macOS systems. The sizes of ProRes Raw are also quite small compared to the others making it possible to store more on every card.

Whatever your imaging or video recording needs, the ProRes RAW is sure to provide better performance and quality than most other rivals thanks to its innovative technology and simple-to-use formats.