SONY EXPANDS CINEALTA FAMILY WITH NEW 4:4:4 CAMERA, HDCAM SR RECORDERS AND MEDIA
Complements Existing HDCAM Line-up for Large-Screen Applications
NEW YORK, Feb. 13, 2003 - In a significant expansion to its CineAlta ™ family of cinematic capture and production equipment, Sony today introduced a high-definition (HD) camera with uncompressed digital 4:4:4 RGB outputs. The company also announced 4:4:4 HDCAM ® SR portable and studio recorders and specially formulated BCT-SR series videocassettes capable of recording full-resolution RGB digital HD component video.
"For HD imaging this will provide the highest level of digital motion picture production, including shooting miniatures in moviemaking, HD blue/green-screen compositing, motion picture film digital intermediate work, film restoration and recording of high-resolution computer-generated imagery," said Larry Thorpe, senior vice president of content creation systems for Sony Electronics' Business Solutions and Systems Company. "While our HDW-F900 HDCAM camcorder continues to set the benchmark for a single-piece camera/recorder, these new CineAlta products will elevate 24P performance to a new level while retaining the practical advantages of cost-effective removable media."
HDC-F950 Portable Camera Delivering Full 1920(H) x 1080(V) RGB Imagery
In accordance with the international high-resolution Common Image Format standard, the new HDC-F950 camera captures a full 1920(H) x 1080(V) digitally sampled image. This image is output as uncompressed 4:4:4 digital RGB high-definition video for direct connection via dual HD-SDI to Sony's new family of HDCAM SR recorders or third-party hard disk recorders.
A significant system innovation is facilitated by a 3Gbps fiber optic link to the new HDCU-F950 camera control unit using the Society for Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) standardized composite fiber/copper cable system.
Alternatively, for special remote applications, a single mode fiber connection can greatly extend the cable length when the camera and CCU are separately powered. The CCU can then interface the RGB video to a recording system via dual link HD-SDI outputs.
The new camera facilitates the same range of picture capture rates as the HDW-F900 camcorder: 23.98P, 24P, 25P, 29.97P, 50i and 59.94i. A new "under-cranking" feature, which is ideal for motion picture directors, allows additional picture capture rates of one to 24 progressive frames per second.
Unlike film production, digital cinematography enables cameramen to "paint" the image on the set. The HDC-F950 camera system supports the full range of Sony Digital Signal Processing (DSP) alternatives, including the new User Gamma settings that can help establish a unique look for a given production.
"Digital cinematographers are vitally concerned about `gamma' — control over grayscale from the scene's strongest highlights to the deepest shadows," Thorpe said, noting that Sony now provides the "ultimate" gamma control.
Optional Windows ® PC software enables users to visually hand-tailor gamma curves via a graphical user interface on their computer. Up to five distinct gamma curves can be saved onto Memory Stick ® media for immediate transfer to the camera.
Other optional accessories include the new HDCU-F950 camera control unit and the new compact RM-B750 handheld video control panel. The HDCU-F950 camera control unit features both 4:4:4 RGB and 4:2:2 HD-SDI outputs for recording or live production. It also supplies a 4:2:2 HD-SDI return signal to the camera for monitoring. The camera control unit can also dock with the RM-B750 to provide for a full remote menu-driven camera control system.
The HDC-F950 camera system supports two viewfinders simultaneously, including the new HDVF-C30W high-resolution color unit. This viewfinder, which offers a 2.7-inch (viewable area, measured diagonally) display, features a special digital zoom mode providing a unique enhancement for critical fine focusing. An innovative new built-in grayscale display assists in exposure and lighting decisions.
HDCAM SR Portable and Studio Recorders For Digital Motion Picture Production
The new HDC-F950 camera works with Sony's new line of HDCAM SR recorders and BCT-SR Series digital videocassettes to form a comprehensive solution for studio and remote digital motion picture production and post-production. Because the new SRW-1 field recorder and SRW-5000 studio recorder can record either RGB 4:4:4 or component 4:2:2 high-definition video at data rates approximately 440 megabits-per-second, they provide a combination of higher bandwidth, higher bit depth, and lower compression than any previous half-inch or quarter-inch HD VTR. As a result, the HDCAM SR recorders capture the full detail of the Common Image Format 1920(H) x 1080(V) sampling structure without pre-filtering or sub-sampling. The HDCAM SR recording capitalizes on the unique new scalable MPEG-4 studio profile compression algorithm to achieve a mild compression ratio.
Thorpe noted that in demanding applications the digital 4:4:4 image quality is "immediately apparent."
The SRW-5000 Studio Editing VTR
The SRW-5000 studio VTR extends Sony's commitment to the global multi-format strategy introduced at the National Association of Broadcasters convention in 1999. The VTR can record and playback the 1920(H) x 1080(V) HD format at 23.98P, 24P, 25P, 30P or 50i and 59.94i. It can also record and playback the 1280(H) x 720(V) @ 59.94P HD format. In addition, it can play back all existing HDCAM tapes, providing compatibility with the broadest range of HD assets. The recorder captures all of these formats at 10-bit depth, for extraordinary latitude from peak white to black. The VTR records 12 channels of 24-bit audio, and features dynamic tracking playback, pre-read, and edit confidence and record monitoring.
"This new recording format is a strategic extension of the HDCAM format, which Sony continues to nurture and develop. The combination of the HDCAM SR and HDCAM offers an important hierarchy of performance, creative features and pricing," Thorpe said. "With more than 9,000 VTR units in operation, the present HDCAM format is by far the world's most popular HD production system, and the extension offered by HDCAM SR fulfills the full potential of the two primary 1080-line and 720-line HD formats, while also carefully maintaining compatibility with all prior HDCAM 1080-line recordings. The HDCAM SR recording time is the same as the HDCAM format, offering up to 155min@25P and 124min@60i on the large cassettes."
The compact SRW-1 portable VTR facilitates battery-powered remote acquisition of full-bandwidth 4:4:4 or 4:2:2 digital HD at the same progressive and interlaced picture capture rates as the SRW-5000 machine. The SRW-1 exclusively utilizes the standard small -inch cassette, providing 50 minutes of recording at 1080/24P.
Responding to the recommendations of major filmmakers, the SRW-1 incorporates the powerful new capability to record two full bandwidth 4:2:2 HD signals simultaneously onto a single -inch tape, allowing for 3D stereo applications and for two-camera productions. Operating in this novel 2X mode, the SRW-1 achieves a phenomenal combined video net data rate of about 900 Mbps.
Sony has developed a compact companion battery-powered portable SRPC-1 processor that permanently docks to the SRW-1 recorder, significantly extending the acquisition flexibilities of the HDCAM SR field recording system. For long-form field acquisition, the SRPC-1 processor can also link multiple SRW-1 recorders (up to a maximum of three units) to provide seamless extension of recording to 100 or 150 minutes of 1080/24P. In addition, a single SRPC-1 processor can be linked with multiple SRW-1 transports to support multi-camera applications or redundant recording.
The SRPC-1 processor includes an optional fiber cable interface that allows the HDC-F950 to directly connect to the SRW-1 recording system when the camera is a considerable distance away from the recording system (and CCU operation is not required). This single fiber/copper cable, which adheres to the SMPTE 311M standard, carries all video, audio, and control between the camera and recorder.
The HDCAM SR system achieves a new benchmark in performance without sacrificing the size, operating convenience, affordable media costs and extended recording time that is the special attribute of digital HD motion picture production.
A crucial component of the new format is Sony's new HDCAM SR videotape. With metal particles that are just one-half the length of those used in HDCAM tape, these cassettes provide about +6dB output specially designed to maximize HDCAM-SR recordings. As a result, the HDCAM SR system achieves a new benchmark in performance without sacrificing the size, operating convenience, practical media costs and the reasonable recording time that today's productions require.
BCT-SR series media captures up to 50 minutes of 24P imagery on a small cassette and up to 155 minutes on a large cassette.
The HDC-F950 4:4:4 camera and the HDCU-F950 camera control unit are scheduled to be available in October for suggested list prices of $115,000 and $45,000, respectively. The HDVF-C30W color viewfinder is scheduled to be available in April for a suggested list price below $10,000. The SRW-5000 HDCAM SR studio VTR is scheduled to be available in August for a suggested list price of $88,000. The SRW-1 HDCAM SR portable VTR and its companion SRPC-1 portable processor are scheduled to be available in early 2004 for suggested list prices of $55,000 and $16,000, respectively.
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