Supporting The 4K Revolution In Sports Broadcasting

For years, sports video production professionals have been in the unique position of being able to forecast upcoming broadcast trends.

From the transition of standard definition to high definition to 4K, sports video production has influenced the purchasing decisions of millions of home viewers with each Super Bowl, Olympics, and UEFA European Championship. Now Vinten, a provider of manual and robotic camera support systems and a Vitec Group brand, has released their new whitepaper, 'Supporting the 4K Revolution in Sports Broadcasting'.

With more global sports networks switching to 4K resolution, the whitepaper – written by the Vinten Product Manager Philip Dalgoutte – examines the importance of camera supports in 4K and UHD adoption for sports video production. 



Dalgoutte writes: "4K and UHD sports production offer both exciting potential and unusual challenges for networks. While special attention has been given to ensure that camera sensors and lenses are 4K ready, these investments only cater to static images. It is equally important to consider the camera supports and their ability to deliver high quality moving images in a sports environment." 



With a long-standing reputation as the market leader for sports-specific camera supports, Vinten has helped camera operators get 4K ready through its pantographic perfect balance system. As it doesn't use springs or cams, the design minimises the inertia of the moving camera and lens, allowing consistent movement and easy positioning at any angle. In addition, its TF drag system delivers complete control at any level of movement, infinite adjustment without steps, instant whip pan without manual drag reduction, and a fast setup. 



Director of Photography Tom Guilmette has worked on nearly 1,000 Boston Red Sox games, the Super Bowl, and the Olympics, along with other major sporting events for FOX and CBS. Operating the latest HD and UHD camera technology from various camera manufacturers, Guilmette chooses the Vinten Vector Series with its pantographic design when covering sports. 



"What's really unique about the Vector line is its physical design. The head can breathe or expand through the pantographic design and that allows it to rise and lower as you tilt up and down. When it expands like that, it moves the center of gravity of that huge camera and keeps it in line. So as you tilt down, the center of gravity raises up with it, giving you even more control of the camera. A tilt-over-center head that's on a hinge or standard tripod really doesn't have that same type of control, so it's important to have Vinten's unique pantographic design when using a large camera and lens systems," he said. 



The complete whitepaper on the significance of camera supports in 4K and UHD adoption can be read here.

vinten.com

Image: Tom Guilmette