Broadcast camerawork has used cameras of a very similar lens and sensor setup since the invention of the CCD.

Recently, huge advances in sensor technology have brought a cinematic new gloss to still and moving-image capture, often based on large sensors and lenses to suit. Bringing those new ideas into live broadcast has been a popular idea for a while, with some of the world’s biggest events adopting the technique.

Even so, allowing highly skilled operators and engineers to do their best work around large-sensor cameras is something that the market has only recently begun to address.

This series examines the thinking behind big-chip for broadcast, as well as the technologies and techniques which make it possible.

Part 1 looks at the evolution of large camera sensors and the interwoven creative and technical challenges of both broadcast and cinema production, that have brought about their development.

Big Chip Cameras For Broadcast is a collection of twelve articles presented in four parts.

Part 1 is available to download below.

Parts 2 to 4 are coming soon.

About Part 1 – Evolution

Part 1 is a free PDF download which contains three original articles:

Article 1 : The History Of The Camera Sensor
Understanding the motivations and implications of using large sensors in broadcast, demands an examination of the historical relationship between cinema and broadcast camera technology & creative production techniques.

Article 2 : The Drive For Larger Sensors
Achieving a more cinematic look is about more than technology, but there are good technical reasons why large sensors are the only way to achieve improved noise, sensitivity and dynamic range.

Article 3 : Operability & Integration Challenges
The evolution of large sensor cameras has spanned both cinema and broadcast production, with much of the innovation driven by practical operability and integration challenges for creatives across both fields.