NAB 2012: Ikegami To Intro Unicam Lineup
Story Highlights
Ikegami this year will hit the NAB show floor with the new Unicam HD camera line with 3G-SDI and multi-format HD performance, as well as the The Hi-Motion II Ultra-Slow Motion HDTV camera system (co-developed, sold, and supported by Ikegami) from NAC Image Technology.
“Picture quality, production convenience, and cost-efficiency are paramount in today’s television industry, and Ikegami is dedicated to providing producers with the multi-format HD cameras and equipment they need to satisfy today’s HDTV viewers and tomorrow’s audiences as well,” states Alan Keil, VP and Director of Engineering for Ikegami.
Also on display will be such established Ikegami products as the tapeless, workflow-efficient GFCAM HD/SD ENG Flash memory camcorder, multiformat HD megapixel CMOS portable and field cameras, and the line of Ikegami-designed-and-built flat-panel LCD HDTV monitors, including the “50 Series” Grade-One displays and the “04 Series” of economical displays.
Leading off Ikegami’s NAB 2012 exhibit is the new Unicam HD camera line. These multiformat HD cameras provide 3G-SDI 1080/60p performance and include the HDK-97A 16-bit portable HD companion-camera and the HDK-97C 3G field production camera. They support not only 1080i/720p but also 3G signals such as 1080/60p 4:2:2 and 1080/60i 4:4:4.
The HDK-97A uses progressive AIT CCD imagers and an all-new digital video processing system and a choice of 1080/60p 4:2:2 or 1080/60i 4:4:4 color sampling.
A docking-style camera, the new HDK-97A also features a 3G fiber-transmission system from the camera head to its (also new) CCU. Transmission options include an HD-SDI QTV signal for teleprompter (or vanity/program monitor) use and an HD-SDI “trunk channel” that allows for connection of a second camera that doesn’t have its own built-in fiber transmission system (such as a POV camera, including one paired with the HDK-97A in a stereoscopic 3-D application).
The HDK-97C compact low-profile docking-style 3G HD field production camera (which also delivers 1080/60p 4:2:2 and 1080/60i 4:4:4) employs next-generation CMOS 2.5-million pixel 2/3-inch sensors for low-power consumption and high performance.
The HDK-97C and its companion Ikegami Unicam cameras operate with new and existing CCUs, including the 3G CCU-970, the 3G half-rack BS-97, and the new low-profile BSF-55 fiber base station. The HDK-97C allows easy change over between fiber and triax adapters, with Ikegami’s CCU-970M capable of supporting both cable types with simple front-panel switch selection.
The HDK-970A is the full studio version of the HDK-97A, featuring 200 watts of utility power, available for prompter powering.
The new HDK-55 is the most affordable member of the Unicam HD camera series, and uses 1080i 2.3-million pixel AIT CCDs. New features include Quick EZ Focus and chromatic aberration correction. Like the other portable cameras in the Unicam HD series, the HDK-55 is a compact low-profile camera head with docking adapter for fiber or triax cable use.
Ultra Slo-Mo Cam
The Hi-Motion II Ultra-Slow Motion HDTV camera system (co-developed, sold, and supported by Ikegami) from NAC Image Technology uses a three-CMOS-sensor camera head with 96GB of built-in memory to deliver greater than 10x speed for clear, sharp ultra-slow-motion playback of HD sports action, as was so seen in Super Bowl XLVI game coverage. A dual-format 1080i/720p system, it provides simultaneous output of live normal-speed video and ultra-slow-motion replay video.