Projects
High def goes
to the movies HDCAM/SR
Cinematographers are increasingly turning to Sony’s top of the
range cameras for results which are comparable to film
H
igh-end Sony cameras such as the F35, F23
and the F900R CineAlta, are now de
rigeur in areas of film and television
production where film has historically ruled the
roost. Directors of photography are increasingly
impressed with the image quality of the top of the
range models shooting at 1080 x 1920 4:4:4 or
4:4:2. So much so that they have become central to
the production of dramas such as series two of the
BBC’s Cranford, shot on the F35, docu-dramas such
as Mystery Files, shot on the F900R, and top-end
wildlife films such as Oceans and African Cats. One
reason that Sony kit is cutting through is because of
the advantages of tape-based shooting formats over
film. On Oceans it gave cinematographers far more
time underwater to get the best images. On African
Cats the camera sensors proved the perfect match
MYSTERY SOLVED for using in combination with long lens
Top image quality combined with a versatile camera were photography so vital in wildlife filming.
the F900R’s big pluses for Parthenon on Mystery Files
The HDW-F900R is the camera of
choice for Parthenon Entertainment production which you can really see when you compare it with
manager Peter Guest. The top-of-the-range HDCAM some archive footage we mixed in which was shot
model is the same size and weight as its well- interlaced. It’s rich, smooth and the colours are lovely.”
established sister camera, the HDW-750, and has Flexibility was another key consideration with the
many strengths and few drawbacks. “It’s a gorgeous F900R, which is NTSC/PAL switchable. “This meant we
camera,” says Guest who hired a cameraman and could rent a camera body from an NTSC source, so we
F900R from Welsh facilities company Barcud Derwen, could find one almost anywhere in the world and still
supplied by CVP-Mitcorp, for shooting Parthenon’s get a PAL image.”
latest drama documentary series for National The globe-trotting 13 part series that examines the
Geographic Mystery Files. lives of historical figures such as Robin Hood, Joan of
“I’ve traditionally gone for interlaced on the F900, Arc, Billy the Kid and Leonardo Da Vinci, was shot on
which gives a super crisp look, but director of HDCAM and mastered in HDCAM SR.
photography Peter Allibone shot this series in Guest insists that for a producer/distributor like
progressive mode, largely because Mystery Files Parthenon, shooting and mastering in the best
Above: HDCAM tapes provide prestige quality at affordable prices. A
wide range of small and large HDCAM tapes is available. Small
contains a significant amount of drama, which, in total affordable quality makes sense. “It’s about more than
HDCAM tapes offer up to 40 minutes of HD recording time, while large
amounts to around 20%,” says Guest. “Shooting TV – we are thinking about DVDs and moviecasts now
HDCAM tapes store up to 124 minutes of HD footage. HDCAM SR
tapes are for supreme quality recordings with 12 audio channels,
progressive with the F900 produces a really rich feel, that people are watching in a wide range of formats.”
making them an ideal mastering format. The range of HDCAM SR
tapes provide the same amount of recording time as HDCAM tapes.
Winter 2010 theproducer 19
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