WOODBURY, NY — In preparation for the 2016 UHD and Super-High Vision broadcast tests in Asia, Hitachi is unveiling its second-generation studio and field production Super-High Vision cameras. Visitors to the Hitachi booth at NAB can see demonstrations of the company’s new SK-UHD8060, which offers 16 times the amount of picture information as HDTV.
The SK-UHD8060 is the result of a collaboration with NHK STRL (Science and Technology Research Laboratories). In addition to working closely to develop UHD (4K) and SHV (8K) television cameras, the relationship produced three-sensor, full resolution Super-High Vision 60Hz and 120Hz progressive scan cameras back in 2008. Hitachi also showed one of the world’s first hand-held Super-High Vision cameras at the 2013 and 2014 NAB shows.
Japan plans to launch Super-High Vision broadcasts in 2020.
“8K broadcasting is on the verge of becoming a reality, and it will undoubtedly become the mainstream past 2020,” says Sean Moran, the company’s COO and VP of sales and operations. “Broadcasters and production companies have differing agendas when it comes to acquiring imaging technology. Taking into account that the content distribution and profit opportunities are quickly changing, the new TV industry players will benefit from Hitachi’s advanced 4K and 8K production equipment, preparing our customers to deliver content with these new advanced imaging formats as they transition other elements of their production workflow.”
The SK-UHD8060 Series represents the second-generation of Super-High Vision cameras. The modular chassis camera concept simplifies and accelerates configuration for studio (fixed) or portable (stabilized camera) applications, while a large 12-inch viewfinder as well as high-resolution portable is offered. Signal recording can be achieved with a coupled digital recorder, and a SMPTE304/311 type hybrid cable system is used to tether the camera head from its control unit.