Sony expands 4K High Dynamic Range line-up

Sony has announced five key additions to its line-up of 4K High Dynamic Range (HDR) production equipment for content and live production. These new products join solutions that are being used within 4K HDR workflows at high-profile live music, theater and sports events, blockbuster movies and landmark TV shows around the world.

The expanded line includes a new system 4K 8x High Speed camera, the HDC-4800, three new switchers, the XVS-6000, XVS-7000, XVS-8000, and a new client monitor, the PVM-X550. Further enhancements have also been made to the feature set of the HDC-4300 camera system, introduced at NAB last year as the world’s first camera to use three 2/3-inch 4K image sensors, which is also HDR-capable and fully compatible with a wide range of existing products and production workflows. Sony will demonstrate these new 4K HDR solutions as part of its stand setup at NAB 2016.

Sony has been at the cutting edge of 4K and HDR technology for many years:  HDR-capable Sony F55 and F65 cameras are being used to capture images with 16-bit RAW data capture, 14 stops of latitude range and superior colour performance. Over the last year, Sony has introduced the game-changing BVM-X300 TRIMASTER EL OLED master monitor. Sony is also leading the adoption of 4K and HDR content in the field of consumer technology, bringing stunning viewing experiences into homes with the release of its BRAVIA consumer range, including the XBR-X930D, X940D and X850D series announced at CES 2016.

Sony’s involvement in a number of key HDR productions, both live and cinematic, has already captured the imagination of the broadcast industry. Successful high profile 4K HDR trials using HDC-4300 and PMW-F55 cameras have taken place at a number of live events,  a number of domestic and international soccer games, and the recent ‘Opening the Holy Door’ ceremony at The Vatican. CineAlta F65 and F55 cameras have been used in a number of cinematic productions shot in 4K HDR, including Netflix’s Original Series Marco Polo and the Amazon Original Series Mozart in the Jungle.

This past January the 2016 Sony Open in Hawaii, a PGA Tour event, was shot and broadcast in HD on the Golf Channel, using Sony’s HDR solutions. Sony’s HDC-4300 was used to capture all the action on the 17th hole in 4K resolution, while simultaneously recording 4K HDR images to separate servers as part of Sony’s ongoing research in HDR production. Sony’s F55 cameras were also used to shoot on-course segments for the 4K HDR production, then converted to HD for the main broadcast.

Sony evolves 4K HDR production workflows

Sony has today strengthened its 4K HDR solution with the addition of following new products:

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• HDC-4800: a 4K 8x High Speed System Camera for live production.

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• BPU-4500, BPU-4000 : base-band processor unit for HDC-4300. LIVE-HDR mode will be available from summer, 2016.

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• PVM-X550: a 55-inch 4K OLED TRIMASTER EL client monitor ideal for verifying 4K footage during production

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• XVS-6000, XVS-7000 and XVS-8000: multi-format switchers that support HDR signals

This expanded line-up provides wide colour space of BT.2020 and supports HDR covering applications for both cinematography and live broadcast.

The PVM-X550, also announced at NAB, is the world’s first quad-view OLED monitor, which allows for customised individual display settings across four distinct views in HD.

“At Sony we believe everything the industry delivers starts with one vital and fundamental element – the image. Content creators familiar with the production of higher resolution 4K images are now turning to HDR to improve the viewer experience even further,” said Vivian Saldanha, Business Head, Content Creation Sales and Market Development, Sony Professional Solutions MEA.

“We have already seen the first examples of movies, TV series and live end-to-end broadcast trials in 4K HDR. Our specialists have spent many years on-set, on-location and in the studio with customers and production crews around the world, and this level of insight and understanding continues to drive our product and workflow developments in 4K HDR.”

Sony’s HDC-4800 will be available in August 2016.  The PVM-X550 will be available in Summer 2016 and the XVS-6000 and  XVS-7000 will be available in Autumn 2016.  The XVS-8000 will be available in May, 2016.