Panasonic AF105 Micro Four Thirds camcorder detailed, headed for Japan

The folks living in Japan are certainly a lucky bunch, as they will be the first in the world to benefit from the Panasonic AF105 Micro Four Thirds camcorder’s release. Being the first camcorder to feature mirrorless technology that is found in the Micro Four Thirds camera line, it will arrive this December for roughly $9,974 after conversion – and this is only for its body, sans lens. On the bright side, you will be able to purchase off-the-shelf lenses from Panasonic, Olympus and other third parties to help keep costs running low. Just what is Micro Four Thirds? Well, this mirrorless design enables it to boast a large sensor similar to other pro cameras albeit boasting the flexibility for use in shots which are normally expensive or impractical at this level, including very shallow depth of field for example. It can deliver H.264/AVCHD videos at up to 1080p at 30fps, boasting a couple of SDXC memory card slots for extended recording time. No idea on whether the AF100 variant will ever hit Stateside, so we’ll keep our eyes peeled on the FCC’s pages.