Last Domain Of Studio Cameras, Pt 1

The biggest excitement on the camera market this year came with the NAB launch of the LDX 86 from Grass Valley and the HDC-4300 from Sony, bringing three-sensor 4K capabilities to sport and live event production without the limiting depth of field issue lens problems, writes George Jarrett.

From cameras, UHD over IP transport workflow has been another jump forward. What though of studio cameras, a market long dominated by the same few vendors in Europe and scarred long ago by the anti-dumping conflict?

One of several new trends is the use of roaming (PSC) cameras around the fringes of the biggest studio-based TV shows. One example concerns ITV's X Factor for which images from the audition tour by the judges were produced with Canon EOS C300 cameras. The show already used the Canon 5D and 7D cameras for B-roll and time-lapse work and was able to use and swap around a number of Canon lenses. The C300 introduced cinematic picture quality.

Dan Studley of HotCam, who also doubles as the technical manager of X Factor, said: "We are finding that as budgets get tighter the need for having a piece of equipment that can cover many roles is growing. Lenses can be expensive and the OPEX benefits of swapping them around during production are a sure way to achieve this. This also allows the user to maintain a certain 'look' throughout a production.

"PSC (Portable Single Camera) cameras are becoming more and more compatible in a studio environment. HotCam has successfully integrated most PSC cameras in a studio environment, the Canon C300 included," he added. "Cross cutting different camera manufactures, especially when they have a different size sensor, is never a sure thing. However technology has made it easier to achieve this and we are regularly asked to do it."

ARRI did get some requests to make the ALEXA capable of implementation for live events. Guenter Noesner, senior technical sales representative, said: "This was done with the ALEXA Fiber, in combination with the Copperhead (now owned by Miranda). This system did not go anywhere here in the US. There were just too many parts needed to make this complete, and not enough demand.

"The AMIRA is designed for documentary, commercials, TV series and also for sports, and we have seen the same requests to sometimes be able to implement the camera in live environments," he added. "Our approach is that we do not offer any of the infrastructure but we are investigating existing systems to control our camera. We will be able to use a Sony RCP-1500 and CNA-1 to fully control camera parameters."

Pressure on operational costs
The main X Factor studio uses Sony cameras. Seeking to identify other changes we spoke first to Sony's strategic marketing manager Norbert Paquet.

"When it comes to the kind of components used and installed, studio design fundamentally hasn't changed, but the variety of component technologies has grown and evolved. There are more offerings for a greater range of budgets, which fit a broader mix of creative requirements," he said. "The rise of LED lighting has been important, as have LED walls with higher resolution, and virtual studios also offer a far more affordable solution."

The choice of camera depends on the particular studio type and need, plus overall budget. With this in mind, Sony offers remote, automated, and integrated camera solutions, from PoV cameras for beauty shots, to traditional studio cameras.

"Camera specifications depend on the production requirements of each individual studio and its set-up. What is key for 'general purpose' studios is the flexibility to cope with a wide variety of lighting scenarios and sets. For virtual studios, the quality of the chroma keying is important, as is the ability to integrate the data from position tracking sensors," said Paquet. "With the pressure on operational costs, automation plays a key role in most production areas. From automated camera set-up to snapshots in switchers and robotics to full control of entire production systems via orchestration software, there are numerous ways to achieve production efficiencies for different budgets. The more fixed the production set-up, such as with studio-based news production, the more you can automate the various technical elements of the show.

"The combination of improvements in sensor technology and the requirement for lower operational costs means that we're now seeing more Pan-Tilt-Zoom integrated cameras entering studio applications," he added.

What then does Sony offer? At the high end, the HDC-4300 is based on 'real 2/3-inch 4K sensors'. "Not only does this mean future-proofing content through 4K format acquisition, it also works for HD productions by enabling HD cut-outs from 4K resolution images. It also provides HFR capabilities," said Paquet. "This gives full flexibility for content producers with a variety of content needs, all from the same camera platform."

Sony's HDC series cameras are boosted via the software licenses first seen for the HDC-2400 cameras. Users can start with a base platform for 1080/50i production, and then enable extra formats through additional licenses. These cover 1080/25fps, RGB 4:4:4 for high-end chroma keying, or dual-speed 1080/100i. Those licenses can be permanent or temporary, which equates to an OPEX advantage.

"Our fundamental goal is to produce solutions that support business goals, whether that means improved reliability for the outside broadcast usage, or faster operation for studio environments," said Paquet. "As an example, the carbon fiber chassis of the HDC series improves the durability of the cameras in harsh environments, while the modular side panel enables users to change transmission technology from fibre to wireless, to triax – all in a one-piece body design."

To help next generation users, Sony has equipped several media universities in France, the UK, and Germany with HXC-D70 cameras and MVS-3000 series switchers.

This article is continued in Part 2 here.

(JP)