MAYWOOD, NEW JERSEY, February 2, 2012 – Among the many thrilling sights TV viewers will see during this Sunday’s telecast of Super Bowl XLVI will be replays of ultra-slow-motion football action captured in crystal clarity and fine detail by the new Hi-Motion II ultra-motion camera system. Made by NAC Image Technology, a world leader in the design and manufacture of advanced imaging and motion-analysis systems, these Hi-Motion cameras are unique in using a three-CMOS-sensor camera head with built-in memory to deliver greater than ten-times-speed (“10x”) for dramatic ultra-slow-motion playback of HD sports action. The new Hi-Motion II camera, developed in cooperation with Ikegami, is a dual-format 1080i/720p system that can provide simultaneous output of live normal-speed video and ultra-slow-motion replay video, and can be used as both a “traditional” HD portable/field camera and an ultra-motion HD camera that can work side-by-side with other Ikegami HD cameras on production trucks to deliver the exceptional imagery today’s HDTV sports viewers demand. The Hi-Motion II camera is sold and supported by Ikegami.
“The Hi-Motion II camera systems are performing flawlessly right out of the box, which doesn’t always happen with new products, so we are quite happy right now,” states Dan Grainge, Vice President Fletcher Camera & Lenses. Four of the 12 Hi-Motion II ultra-motion cameras Fletcher recently purchased will get their inaugural use at Super Bowl XLVI. Grainge lists several reasons why his company has invested $3.5 million in the new technology.
“Number one is the superior image that we saw in the Hi-Motion II cameras during side-by-side testing with other high-speed cameras,” Grainge says. “You can get great images out of both single-chip and three-chip cameras, but I can tell you that the three CMOS sensors in the Hi-Motion II cameras provided a clarity improvement and a detail enhancement that is better than their competitors’ cameras.”
“Number two is the complete integration that Ikegami has provided for this important niche product, in terms of all the support equipment required to make the Hi-Motion II camera system work with mobile production vehicles,” Grainge adds. “On the video side in the truck, the CCU and OCP are professional Ikegami equipment, which are very well understood by truck engineers. When they see the Ikegami name they already know how to use it. Also very important is that the Hi-Motion II camera is designed to work with the Ikegami fiber interface, allowing the Hi-Motion II to work at long distance (more than 6,000 ft.) using SMPTE fiber as well as single-mode fiber with local power from, for example, a Telecast Fiber HDX box.”
“Number three is Ikegami’s attention to detail in terms of functionality for camera operators,” Grainge continues, “where the knobs and the intercom are placed and how they interface. The Ikegami 9-inch color LCD viewfinder has been said by camera operators to be the best build-up viewfinder they have ever seen. It’s definitely the one you want to use when you have an 86x1 long HD lens on your Hi-Motion II camera and you have to focus in a low-light situation.”
“Number four is how precisely the Hi-Motion II camera matches and cuts-in with other HD cameras. Because this three-CMOS camera can originate in 1080p, its picture quality and color reproduction make it easier and quicker to paint than a single-chip camera. With the Hi-Motion II there’s no longer a difference between the look of the high-speed cameras and the look of the truck cameras.”
“There’s a real comfort factor for our customers when they see the Ikegami name on the side of the Hi-Motion II camera, because they definitely respect the finishing work and the quality that Ikegami provides,” Grainge concludes. “We look forward to seeing the Hi-Motion II ultra-motion camera system being used for Super Bowl XLVI. We also look forward to how it will benefit such major sports coverage as basketball, hockey, baseball, football, and soccer. I know it’s going to be a big hit.”
Ikegami Electronics (U.S.A.), Inc. is a leading supplier of professional broadcasting products in the Western Hemisphere. With U.S. offices in New Jersey, California, Florida, Texas, and Illinois, the Ikegami name is recognized worldwide for its state-of-the-art television cameras and closed-circuit TV equipment. Ikegami's universal High Definition TV cameras have been widely accepted by the broadcast industry as it continues the transition to the High Definition Television Format.
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For more information and the location of the Regional Office nearest you, call Ikegami’s Maywood NJ headquarters at 201-368-9171 or visit www.Ikegami.com.
About NAC Technology
Since 1958, NAC Image Technology’s continuous record of technical and digital innovation and a comprehensive, integrated line-up of products have set industry standards for performance and reliability, satisfying specific high speed imaging requirements. NAC is also the only manufacturer of high speed camera systems that has dedicated itself to producing complete, integrated systems with the most light sensitivity, the best image quality, the largest memory capacities, the smallest camera heads, the fastest download times and the most inclusive software packages in the industry. Learn more at their website at www.nacinc.com. For more information on the Hi-Motion II camera, go to: www.hi-motion.net .
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