JVC Kenwood to release a Micro Four Thirds 4K camera soon

JVC Kenwood has announced that it will join the Micro Four Thirds mount with the introduction of a 4K video recording camera at NAB Show 2014.

Sony is not the only company which has made an exciting announcement during the National Association of Broadcasters Show 2014. JVC Kenwood has joined this list by revealing that the company is planning to release a Micro Four Thirds camera capable of shooting 4K videos in the near future.

JVC Kenwood to join the Micro Four Thirds system in the near future

JVC GY-HMQ10 is a compact 4K camcorder. The company will launch another 4K camera soon, but this one will feature support for Micro Four Thirds lenses.

The Panasonic GH4 is the first mirrorless camera to record videos at 4K resolution. The device will face stiff competition from the newly-announced Sony A7S. Nevertheless, there is more to come from this market as another player is preparing to join the fight.

During the NAB Show 2014, JVC Kenwood has made official its intention to launch a 4K camera with Super 35mm sensor and Micro Four Thirds lens mount. A prototype is currently in development and will be unveiled as well as released sometime in the near future.

JVC’s MFT camera will feature Super 35mm sensor and a large LCD screen

All Micro Four Thirds cameras from Panasonic and Olympus feature a Micro Four Thirds sensor therefore it is a bit weird that JVC will put a Super 35mm sensor into its upcoming shooter.

A Super 35mm sensor is about the same size as an APS-C sensor, so it remains to be seen how the JVC 4K camera will take advantage of Micro Four Thirds lenses.

In addition to offering a bigger-than-MFT sensor and MFT-mount support, the device will also feature a large LCD screen. It will be there to allow users to compose their shots. The presence of an electronic viewfinder is not mentioned, but we should not rule it out, yet.

The camera may output clean 4K video only to an external recorder

The JVC 4K video camera will be compatible with external recorders. The fact that the company mentions this in the development announcement could mean that the shooter will be able to output clean 4K footage only to an external recorder, just like the Sony A7S.

It is worth noting that the Panasonic GH4 can send 4K videos to high-speed SD cards, so we are eager to find out the approach taken by JVC Kenwood.

The prototype is in the works, but the company has not mentioned whether it can be seen at NAB Show 2014 or if a dummy sits in its place.