Keslow TV taps Ikegami HDK-79EC HD cameras for Olympics

New York-based
Keslow Television (KTV) expanded their HDTV camera inventory by purchasing Ikegami’s
HDK-79EC Multi-Format CMOS HDTV camera systems. “At this point the majority of
acquisition, both live and in studio, is being done in HD, regardless of
distribution format,” states Jim Palmer, Vice President and General Manager of
KTV. “With all that in mind we needed total flexibility to meet our clients’
requests. KTV has always had a large inventory of Ikegami cameras, and as we
prepared to grow our HD inventory, Ikegami’s HDK-79EC camera system was a very
easy choice for us.”
“We’ve
been working with Ikegami since NAB to complete our equipment package for the
summer Olympics in Beijing,”
continues Palmer. “Even though this is an all-HD broadcast, there are still
many distribution outlets that require feeds in SD, both in PAL and NTSC. The
HDK-79EC is a very flexible, multi-format camera. It addresses all the issues
that we have in the HD marketplace with the different formats and it even
supplies SD signals simultaneously. That gives us the flexibility to work with
anyone who is format-dependent. This camera allows us to address any situation,
and the image is the warmest, most pristine picture that a camera can produce.”
Ikegami’s
HDK-79EC camera system is configurable for either hand-held use or “hard”
field-camera operation using the Ikegami SE-79D System Expander, which includes
a 9-inch 16:9 color LCD viewfinder (with wide viewing angle and low lag) and an
interface for “box-style” HD or SD studio or telephoto zoom lenses. The camera
also has docking-style construction, allowing easy interchange between triax
and fiber adapters.
“Our
client, Broadcast Systems & Equipment Inc., based in Canada, has built out
a state-of-the-art broadcast center in Pangu Plaza overlooking the Olympic Stadium
and Aquatics Center,” Palmer stated. “They are providing multiple studios,
control rooms, and MCR facilities for non-rights holders covering the games.
Their facility is operating around the clock, and serving clients from around
the world in HD and SD, PAL and NTSC; needless to say they need to be prepared
to provide any format at any given time. The applications with these cameras
are virtually limitless. It [the camera] can be used in a football game on the
sideline as a handheld camera, or it can be set up in the back row of a concert
with a long lens. It’s ideal for multi-camera studio production, for both live
and episodic formats. This is really the appeal of the HDK-79EC: It can be
retrofitted depending on the job.”
In
addition to the performance and versatility of Ikegami’s cameras, Palmer
explains that Ikegami’s dedication to customer service has made KTV a customer
for over 20 years. “The support behind the product is as good, if not better,
than the camera itself, which is impeccable,” he declares. “From the sales
people down to the service department, Ikegami has always been helpful to us.
They stand behind their product 100 percent, and are always ready to address
any issues with us, or with the end-users. The combination of a beautiful image,
a top-shelf product, and A-plus customer service is why a lot of our clients
choose to exclusively use Ikegami cameras.”
Ikegami’s
HDK-79EC camera systems have been a big hit at KTV, and Palmer plans to order
more in the future. “We’re very excited for the post-Olympic season,” he notes.
“We already have systems booked for election coverage here in the states, and
are actively quoting packages for the upcoming NFL season. Among the elite
engineers in our business, they have always had a high preference for Ikegami.
From a system standpoint, Ikegami’s menus, interfaces, and control units are
very intuitive. Ikegami has always made a high-quality product, and the
HDK-79EC is no exception.”

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