Format choice: Going tapeless

Virtually every camera now available uses some form of tapeless recording. The few tape-based camcorders still being produced can record to some form of add-on memory or external recorder. However, with choice comes indecision... Moving to a new format or recording media means additional costs and trying to find a new workflow that's efficient and works for you and your clients.

To help put all of this in context, we've talked to camera users and owners about what tapeless systems they use, to find out the benefits and the disadvantages, and have put up a comprehensive (and rather lengthy) page on going tapeless.

What makes an HD camera?

The BBC has updated its commissioning guidelines for HD, with a list of the cameras it considers to produce HD (although that doesn't necessarily rule other cameras out). As all network programmes for the BBC must be in HD by April 2011, anyone thinking of shooting for the BBC needs to check they are using the right camera. There certainly isn't a lot of hope for anyone wanting to use lower-cost cameras (although if you use a camera with at least half-inch sensors and record at bitrates above 50Mbps to a nanoFlash, AJA Ki-Pro or other external recorder, they shouldn't have a lot to object to - check first).

HD programmes can use no more than 25% standard definition material. The following formats are considered to be standard definition from the HD: Summary of Delivery Formats (PDF):

• All standard definition video formats   
• HDV from all manufactures
• Cameras with image sensors under 1⁄2-inch
• Frame based (intra-frame) recording formats below 100Mbs
• Inter-frame based recording formats below 50Mbs
• Super16 film whether transferred to tape in HD or not 
• 35mm film transferred to or copied from SD tape formats 
• Non linear editing codecs with bit rates below 160Mbs 
• Live contributions links of less than 60Mbs (MPEG2)
• 720 line cameras (except the Varicam AJ-HDC27 and AJ-HDX900)

On the audio front. 5.1 surround sound is not necessarily necessary. "We also take deliveries in stereo and we are working on wrap-around sound alternatives. Sound requirements will be confirmed for individual projects through the commissioning process," it says.

The full list of approved cameras:

• Panasonic AJ-HPX3700, 2700, 3000 & 2100
• Panasonic 'Varicam' HDC27F & H
• Panasonic AJ-HDX900
• Sony HDW F900R & 900
• Sony HDW 790, 750 & 730
• Sony CineAlta F35
• Arri D21 & Alexa
• Panavision Genesis
• Thompson Viper

For use by Independent productions only:

• Canon XF 300E & 305E
• Red One
• Sony PDW 800 & 700

[UPDATE: The BBC has now approved the XF300 and XF305 for use in all HD productions, both by independent producers and for in-house use - it has already bought at least 60 of them...]

[Further UPDATE: For the latest April 2011 list have a look at AF101 wins BBC HD approval]

Mini cameras:

• Iconix HD-RH1
• Panasonic HCK10 / HMR10
• Toshiba IK-HR1S
• Toshiba IK-HD1

The XF300 is the most affordable camera here (about £6,000 - the XF305 pictured above adds HD-SDI output, Genlock input and Time code i/o for not a lot more). Of the main list, the cheapest are Panasonic's venerable tape-based HDX900 and the P2-based AJ-HPX2100, both about £23,000. Several of the cameras listed are no longer being made.

By David Fox

Compact camera for 3D + gyro

The new HDL–F30, from Ikegami, has been designed with 3D, airborne gyro stabilisation and pole camera use in mind.

"It is a very clever camera," according to Mark Capstick, general manager, Ikegami UK. "It's designed for easy integration into a gyro stabilised system with current technology slip rings," to give more stable signals when the gyro turns. It also has a 4x digital zoom, which may not be a good thing for most applications (due to loss of resolution), but if you are filming a live incident from a helicopter and can't get any closer to the action, it can prove useful (offering up to 360x zoom when used with a 40x lens with 2x optical extender), especially for standard definition transmissions.

It uses three 2/3-inch CCD AIT sensors, with more than 58dB SNR. For low-light applications, it has F10 sensitivity with up to +54dB gain, Column Adding (which gives twice the standard sensitivity by using two horizontal columns for each pixel, although this reduces horizontal resolution it doesn't affect S/N ratio), and Frame Accumulation (from 1/15 sec. to a maximum of two seconds, increasing sensitivity up to 60 times without loosing S/N ratio, but with increased motion blur). A minimum illumination of 0.00027 lux is possible with +54dB Gain, Iris F1.4, two second Frame Accumulation and 50% video level.

For 3D video use, it has built-in Horizontal Reverse and Frame Delay features. Because the CCD block is small (100x123x80mm) and weighs 1kg, it is suitable for use with smaller 3D rigs and for use in tight situations. The CCU can be up to 30m away.

The multi-format camera is switchable between 1080/50i, 1080/59.94i, 1080/29.97psF and 1080/25psF (a variant, the HDL-F31 supports 1080/24psF, 1080/23.98psF).

By David Fox

Tiny camera just what the Dr ordered

Ikegami has developed a tiny three-sensor HD camera for medical applications that it believes could be useful for broadcast too.

The new MKC-300HD measures just 34x40x40mm, weighs only 100g, and has three 2.1Megapixel 1920x1080 1/3-inch CMOS sensors, providing 1000 lines resolution, coupled with High Sensitivity performance of F10/2000 lux. It takes C-mount lenses and will output 720p, 1080i and 1080p.

The BBC has tested a prototype, which apparently worked well, but is waiting to test the production version before recommending it for broadcast use. Ikegami is hopeful that that this will happen in the next few weeks.

It will cost about Euros11,800 for the camera head and CCU, plus Euros1,000 for 5m of multicore camera cable.

It features: optimised signal processing circuitry with a Signal-to-Noise Ratio of 54dB, with video signal processing is done using the same signal processing ASIC as Ikegami's HDTV broadcast cameras.

By David Fox