New HDW-790P impresses during first user evaluation

Lighting cameraman Graham Maunder was using HD even before its introduction into the UK, and his London-based facility Awfully Nice Video was one of the first facilities in Europe to have HDCAM. The facility has specialised in HD for the past five years, working with broadcasters both in the UK and internationally. More recently the company has been using the top-end Sony CineAlta HDW-F900R camcorder.

So what does Maunder make of the new Sony HDW-790P HDCAM camcorder, which launched in the UK in May and was supplied to him by Sony Specialist dealer, Top-Teks?

Having put the camcorder through its paces, he is impressed by the results: “The first thing you notice is that it’s still the same basic lay-out as the HDW-750P and the HDW-F900R,” he says. “It’s considerably lighter than the original F900 – a very useable weight. It’s the same sort of build quality as the HDW-750P and the HDW-F900R and, I would guess, the same chassis. So it should be very good and robust, which is an important factor when you’re out and about. And I was surprised at how good the picture quality was and how close it is to the HDW-F900R.”

The new camcorder, whilst staying in the same price range established for the HDW-750P, has acquired some of the features that appear on Sony’s top-of-the-range HDCAM camcorder. Like the HDW-750P, the HDW-790P camcorder has the same 1080/25P and 1080/50i switchability. As before, it uses three 2/3-inch Power HAD FIT CCDE sensors, each with 2.2 million pixel (1920x1080) resolution. But the A/D conversion has been increased to the same 12-bit resolution used in the HDW-F900R.

European influence

The new camcorder’s feature set has been heavily influenced by European users, drawing on the strong tradition of producing a film-like look. It is designed with some of the latest film-like functionality, and has the four selectable HyperGamma characteristics of the top end HDW-F900R. “The film gamma characteristics can certainly make the pictures much more like our clients are wanting and certainly more pleasing to the eye than a normal video look,” says Maunder.

Optional plug-in boards offer slow shutter, time-lapse and picture cache and image inversion. What’s new for the HDW-790P is the image inversion (with the optional HKDW-905R board), which Maunder can see will mean that the camcorder can be used with a wider range of lenses, particularly those film lenses which invert the image. “Again, this brings it more in line with the F900R. Too many people don’t appreciate what a massive difference good lenses make to a camera, so the ability to use image inversion means there is no limit to the lenses you can use,” he says.

“The camera is everything you would expect it to be and it’s useful to have an extra HD SDI output. It’s definitely an advantage to have a second HD monitor.” Maunder can see how the additional HD-SDI outputs will make a difference when the operator is looking to have another feed, say to a monitor for the production team.

The HDW-790P can also be used with either a monochrome viewfinder or the new HDVF-C35W 3.5-inch LCD HD colour viewfinder, which was unveiled together with the HDW-790P earlier this year, at NAB. Maunder has not yet tested the colour viewfinder, but anticipates that its enhanced resolution could make all the difference.

HD pioneer

On the audio front, digital audio can now be input via its XLR audio connectors. There are also four digital audio inputs (two AES/EBU channel pairs). “The new audio functions mean that you’ve got much better scope to record without having to go to the expense of a separate audio recorder,” says Maunder. “It’s obviously a cost saving and is much more convenient and efficient.”

Awfully Nice Video has had great success with its HD offering, pioneering the use of the format across the world. In the UK, it has worked on a number of promos and on-screen idents for Sky and five, as well as shooting sports features for US broadcasters, such as NBC at Wimbledon and the Summer Games in Seoul, Barcelona, Atlanta, Sydney and Athens.. It has also worked with picture library, Getty Images, to replace and future-proof some of its older film stock.

“With the HDW-F900R, everyone has commented on the great quality pictures that the camera delivers, and the new one is also very good. It has almost everything but the CineAlta (24P) badge.” he says.

HD at affordable prices

The success of the HDW-750P has helped to make it the industry standard for high quality high definition TV production in Europe. It is used on everything from TV dramas and soap operas to documentaries and features, and the installed base of HDCAM around the world continues to grow, with well over 30,000 camcorders and decks in use.

The new HDW-790P has been produced with the same pricing levels in mind. “I can see that people who have previously been put off by the higher prices with HD may now be interested in using the format,” says Maunder. “We would be able to offer HD to other clients who haven’t had the budget and they will see there’s a significant difference between the quality of HD and standard definition.

“Whilst we have been shooting idents, promos and commercials on HD for some time, now I’m sure that the HDW-790P will mean that a lot of our other work and clients will soon be switching as we will be able to offer a vastly superior product within their price range. I am confident that the 790’s we have ordered will soon be our busiest cameras.”

HDW-790P Product Information