Sony has announced enhancements to its live production solutions, including a variable neutral density (ND) filter, camera control network adaptors, OLED viewfinders and slide mechanisms.
“We’re seeing operators and producers coming up with new and exciting shooting styles, flexing their creativity with new expressions,” Sony Australia CC group manager Anthony Kable.
“We know the new announcements made NAB will fit right into that trend. With these developments, we have also considered the long-term aspect of any live production investment. This is one way we are approaching sustainability in the Live Production industry: instead of replacing assets on a very regular basis as technology changes, we want our solutions to evolve and grow with that technology.”
Sony has launched variable ND filter HKC-VND50 to enable camera operators to deliver artistic effects through enhanced control. The filter’s body has been designed to withstand the sometimes-extreme conditions of live environments. It allows filter switching while “live,” and support for both high frame rate (HFR) and shallow depth of focus images, with depth of field control. Its virtual IRIS adjusts brightness levels automatically between the lens, variable ND filter and GAIN through a single joystic.
The company has also announced three new OLED viewvinders, the HDVF-EL740, HDVF-EL760 and HDVF-EL780, with full HD resolution and high contrast levels suitable for work across HD, 4K or HDR. These viewfinders also come with new digital and current analogue interfaces, allowing them to fit into any existing set up.
Sony has also launched a sliding mechanism for viewfinders, which allow them to fit and move smoothly around the camera body in various positions.
The viewfinders, variable ND Filter and slide mechanisms options will be available as an upgrade for the established HDC-3500, HDC-5500 and HDC-P50 cameras, but also as de facto on the new HDC-3500V and HDC-5500V cameras.
A new 4K 4x HFR option will be available from December through a firmware upgrade for the HDC-5500, when used in combination with a HDCU-5000 and the new processor board HKCU-UHF50. A step up from the 4K 2x options currently available, 4K 4x HFR will also become possible through firmware upgrade and hardware modification of the HDC-3500. This will provide users of slow-motion new opportunities for storytelling, particularly in sports production, but also supports 4K for pitch side LED based advertising such as offered by Parallel Ads for the HDC-3500 and HDC-5500.
In parallel to these hardware-based announcements, Sony continues to push ahead with its Networked Live ecosystem of solutions, products, services, and partners, to take full advantage of resources through connected hybrid on-premises and Cloud capabilities. The new CNA-2 camera control network adaptor builds on this by allowing third party systems to monitor and manage cameras across a multi-camera, multi-site live production through a dashboard. The CNA-2, based on WEB API (Application Programming Interface), brings a set of features for controlling, monitoring, administrating and operating remote and distributed environments.