New 4k Tools From Dalsa

[Tim Tyler]

DALSA Digital Cinema, a leader in 4K motion picture capture, announced today that it is expanding its award-winning 4K product line to include new 4K camera models, an on-board 4K data recorder and new 4K anamorphic lenses. The new products will be on display at the upcoming National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) trade show (booth # C-9423), April 16th to 19th, 2007 in Las Vegas.

 

The new and innovative products, which will be rolled out over the next year, build on DALSA?s 25+ year reputation as an international leader in high performance digital imaging and as a pioneer in 4K, the emerging quality standard for image capture and archiving of motion picture content.

 

?First and foremost, our product line reflects DALSA?s commitment to bringing the very best digital capture tools to the motion picture industry, with our constant emphasis on image quality,? commented Rob Hummel, President of DALSA Digital Cinema LA. ?Basically, we?re talking about the ability to shoot at 4K resolution, 16-bit, uncompressed, untethered, using the highest quality anamorphic lenses. I think cinematographers will be particularly thrilled that, for the first time, a digital camera will be able to capture the CinemaScope 2.40:1 aspect ratio without compromising image quality.?

 

?Leading the pack for us at NAB, is how DALSA has listened to the input from cinematographers, and responded with the new Evolution 4K camera. Smaller, and lighter than its big brother, the Origin II, we think the Evolution camera will empower the cinematographer?s creativity even more. Obviously, we?re looking forward to seeing the reaction to our exciting new products at NAB and demonstrating that everything looks better when you start in 4K.?

 

New Products to be showcased at NAB

 

DALSA Evolution? 4K Camera, a smaller form factor model that incorporates the company?s latest generation frame transfer CCD image sensor, delivering unmatched image detail, industry-leading exposure latitude, and superior highlight handling performance. The new camera, which uses cine-lenses and has a real optical viewfinder, also includes a new live HD/SDI output feature for enhanced on-set monitoring and direct HD recording if desired. Available early 2008.

 

The DALSA Origin® II is a field-proven 4K cinematography camera based on the original award-winning Origin® camera. The newly updated model features DALSA?s latest generation frame transfer CCD image sensor and includes new ease of use features such as a simplified touch screen interface, 24 reference white balance curves/display LUTs and an enhanced "Visualize" on-set image analysis toolset. No other digital camera offers better performance, whether the image sensor is CCD or CMOS. Available now.

 

Flashmag? is a unique untethered solution for recording RAW, uncompressed 4K data from the Origin II and Evolution 4K cameras, ensuring unparalleled image quality and portability in the widest variety of shooting conditions. Based on high speed, non-volatile, solid-state memory, the DALSA-designed compact device captures 20 minutes of RAW, 16-bit, uncompressed 4K data or 40 minutes of RAW, mathematically-lossless data. The recorder also doubles as a fully portable playback device for on-set review of dailies. The Flashmag performs image reconstruction (RAW Bayer to RGB) on-board in real time and then plays back at ?Super 2K? resolution via dual HD/SDI outputs. Available early 2008.

 

DALSA is expanding its own line of high performance PL-mount cine lenses to include new 4K Anamorphic lenses. Built for DALSA by Eric Peterson of A&S Precision and designed by legendary lens designer Dan Sasaki, the new anamorphic models will give cinematographers the unique opportunity to shoot anamorphic widescreen digitally using the full resolution capability of DALSA?s frame-transfer CCD image sensor. The new anamorphic lenses completely cover DALSA?s high performance 4K chip through all focal lengths to deliver beautiful, sharp, crisp, clear pictures. Available late 2007.

 

 

Although ?4K? is a relatively new term in the field of cinematography and motion picture archiving, it actually dates back to the late 1980s and the early days of machine vision. In the late 1980s, DALSA released the world?s first commercially available high performance line scan image sensor chip capable of capturing at 4K resolution (4096 pixels per horizontal line). The company?s chip technology evolved over the next decade into a viable and widely deployed solution for scanning 35mm film, which helped to usher in an era of affordable, high quality 2K and 4K film scanning and lead to the successful restoration of film classics and the digitization of new projects as the motion picture industry moved toward the digital intermediate process. In the late 1990s, the company developed the world?s first 35mm sized, 8 million pixel image sensor chip for Japan?s NHK. That development proved to be a springboard for the eventual development of the current DALSA motion picture image sensor and the award-winning DALSA Origin 4K camera, which was launched at NAB in 2003. In 2005, Director and visual effects guru, Alan Chan, used the Origin to shoot the world?s first, fully digital, 4K feature, ?Postcards from the Future,? which will have its premiere in May, 2007. After nearly 20 years, DALSA?s 4K legacy continues, as the company delivers on their commitment to bringing the motion picture industry the very best image capture tools, without compromising on image quality.