Panavision has teamed up with Red and Light Iron to launch a new 8K camera.

The Millennium DXL is built on large format optics and modular accessories from Panavision, Red’s new 8K sensor and colour science and workflow from post-production company Light Iron, which is owned by Panavision.  

The rental-only camera contains a 16-bit, 35.5 megapixel CMOS sensor and offers a resolution of 8192 x 4320 and 15 stops of dynamic range.

The large-format sensor measures 40.96mm x 21.60mm. It can shoot 60fps at 8K full frame 8192 x 4320.

Panavision president and chief executive Kim Snyder said the camera had been built in response to heightened demand for large-format cinematography. “Our unparalleled fleet of large format and anamorphic lenses has been extremely popular in this resurgence of large format capture, and with the Millennium DXL, cinematographers now can capture more than 20-megapixels of true 4K anamorphic pictures.”  

The DXL contains a proprietary image mapping process called Light Iron Color, which Panavision said would provide “a unique, cinematic look directly out of the camera”.

Red president Jarred Land said the collaboration with Panavision marks “the next step forward for the industry.

“Red pushed the motion picture industry into file-based RAW image capture a decade ago, but Panavision has been renowned for their optics and engineering for more than 60 years. Together with Panavision and Light Iron, we’re shaping the future of large format cinematography.” 

The camera’s workflow allows for simultaneous recording of 4K proxy files, ProRes or DNx alongside 8K raw files.

DXL product director and president of Light Iron Michael Cioni said it would allow for direct-to-edit workflow.

He said: “Using efficient SSD media, the cost of capturing 8K files with DXL is more economical than using third-party recorders on lower resolution cameras. Light Iron Color and our Panavised Outpost Systems provide a workflow for DXL that can be easily adopted for shooting large format photography.”  

The DXL will be available exclusively through Panavision and will be available in early 2017. Working prototypes and a demo reel were on display at the Panavision and Light Iron booth at Cine Gear Expo in the US at the start of June.

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