At last year’s NAB, Sony announced plans for a progressive scan 24-frame-per-second digital hi-def system. The company received particular attention for its collaboration with Panavision on a camera prototype that would enable George Lucas to digitally lens all or part of the next two Star Wars movies. (For an update on digital cinematography as it relates to Lucas and spots, see SHOOT’s DTV and Advertising Supplement, 3/3, p. 3.)
Now, Sony claims to have successfully progressed with its vision. Its product lineup for next month’s NAB includes introductions of the HDW-F900 camcorder (supported by specially developed lenses and accessories from Panavision and other major suppliers), as well as the HDC-900/950 studio and portable cameras. The systems are designed to work seamlessly in either 24-frame progressive or in 60/50 interlace. They are additionally switchable between 24/25/30 frames progressive.
This product line-which also includes the HDW-F500 studio VTR that’s already in use for primetime television programming-underscores Sony’s support of the global standard forged by the ITU last June. As earlier reported, the ITU adopted the 1920 x 1080 progressive digital production format (at picture capture rates of 60/50/30/25 and 24-frame progressive and 50/60 interlace).
The HDC-900/950 camera control units will also offer optional built-in digital converters to output the alternative 720/60P HD format, or a choice of SDTV formats that include 480/60P/30P/60I and 576/50i/ 25P, and even the composite analog NTSC and PAL formats.
"In this new era of compelling choices among production media, it is important that our high-definition acquisition systems be capable of emulating ‘the film look’ sought by many producers and DPs for primetime DTV program origination and for digital moviemaking," said Laurence Thorpe, VP of acquisition systems for Sony Electronics Broadcast and Professional Company. "Today," he contended, "our digital high definition systems rank with thirty-five millimeter film when used for feature movies, primetime television production, television commercial production or documentary production."
Intended to complement 24-frame film origination, the HDW-F900 24P camcorder, continued Thorpe, is creating "a buzz" with filmmakers and rental houses. He noted that rental houses "will encounter every need for HDTV production. … Being able to offer the HDW-F900 and HDC-900/ 950-each switchable between all of the world’s primary picture capture rates-and especially including the 24P defacto global standard, will greatly enhance their flexibility in dealing with their broad and increasingly international client base."
The HDC-900 is a full-featured studio camera that utilizes Sony’s 2.2 million-sensor PowerHAD Frame-Interline Transfer CCD imagers. The HDC-950 is a companion portable camera that matches the performance and operational features of the HDC-900.
Thorpe said that the cameras and VTR demonstrate Sony’s commitment to a future of progressive scan DTV, while also "fully protecting the huge established universe of interlace HD and SD." Sony is billing these offerings as helping to "complete the picture" for hi-def and standard-definition program origination.
Thorpe added that Sony has longer-term development plans to extend to a full 1080/60P system.
