Sony Strengthens Leadership In 3D

Sony announced its global commitment to 3D with the arrival of new professional cameras and other production tools to enable 3D live production at the recent Power of Images event in London.
By delivering technology innovation across the live production chain from smaller lighter cameras in the camera rigs, to a demonstration of a new 3D processor box to remove the obstacles in image capture in a live environment, Sony is now in the unique position of offering a complete end-to-end 3D production chain.
Naomi Climer, Vice President of Sony Europe, said: "Sony is committed to delivering 3D throughout the content value chain and today's news is yet another endorsement of that. There are always barriers to entry with any new technology, these new product and solutions announcements help drive out many of the technical and cost issues that were stopping live 3D from becoming a reality."
Sony's vision is to deliver a lens to living room experience to the consumer and the arrival of these new professional products is the next step in that commitment. The new 2/3 inch HDC-P1 box style camera delivers the equivalent picture performance of the HDC-1500, but within a compact body, which is ideal for mounting on a 3D rig. It integrates into the current control system and provides a cost effective solution for dual-camera acquisition.
Capturing a live event in 3D poses a number of creative challenges to successfully manage the 3D image and ensure viewers are not left feeling nauseous. In response to this, Sony Professional has developed the new 3D Processor Box, which made its European debut at the Power of Images event.
The technology demonstration showed how the box can deliver camera pair alignment and correct for errors introduced in the rig, including image geometry and colour matching. It offers the stereographic engineers another option to manage alignment in addition to mechanical alignment rigs to enable the control of live 3D content capture.
Sony Professional already delivers a strong line up of 3D ready products within its portfolio. The MVS-8000G vision mixer offers dual stream switching and can treat a 3D camera pair as a single source. For recording, the SRW-5800 is unique in the market, delivering direct dual stream recording, which is essential for 3D capture. At the entry-level, the SRW-5100 also provides this ability.
The innovation roadmap continues apace within the monitor space, the UK event showcases two prototype 3D monitors, which deliver the final link in the production chain.
Announcements on the availability of 3D monitors are expected in 2010.
(KMcA/BMcc)