GRASS VALLEY LDK - User manual

LDK
FAMILY OF CAMERAS
grassvalley.com/ldk
Leadership powered by performance.
™

No other camera has the “look” of an LDK camera. And no other live
production camera has the pedigree of an LDK camera.
Grass Valley™LDK camera systems are the world’s leading high-end
acquisition systems with a history of more than 50 years of innovative
developments and the recipient of six Emmy®Awards. A tribute to our
design and engineering excellence.
For over half a century, Grass Valley cameras have captured the world’s highest-
profile, most prestigious events all over the world. The reason is simple:
The unique LDK look. Picture quality that is unmatched by any other camera.
LDK cameras are designed with the absolute highest-quality mechanical,
electrical, and signal processing systems. We developed our own proprietary
imagers—the Emmy Award-winning HD-DPM+™sensor and the all new Xensium
imager—the most critical part of any camera, to give you the format and
image flexibility that you need and expect.
We invite you to discover why LDK camera systems are the first and only
choice for high-end acquisition.
© ATAS / NATAS
IMAGING BEYOND
IMAGINATION

Our unique 9.2 million pixel FT CCD imagers in combination with our 14-bit A/D converters and 34 bits of
digital signal processing (DSP) power offers outstanding image quality combined with extremely high levels of
production flexibility, giving you the LDK look demanded the world over.
Elite signal processing gives you the most convenient operational features:
Switchable matrix positions• for the best possible
flexibility in camera matching to other LDK cameras
or any camera system on the market, regardless of
limited resolution of other cameras.
Multi-vector secondary color corrector• which enables
precise color rendition of up to six corrections per
scene, which can be stored and recalled as needed.
Grass Valley’s Emmy Award-winning• Dual Skin Tone, for
the best possible look of any talent in front of the camera.
For 3D productions, image rotation within the camera•
head allows you to flip the image when using special
optics, shooting through mirrors, or upside down camera
mounting systems, without introducing any latency or
having to use any additional equipment.
K2 Dyno Replay System
The Grass Valley K2 Dyno™ Replay System
is a powerful, cost-effective, and easy to
learn compliment to the LDK 8300. The
K2 Dyno Replay System works without costly
software and hardware add-ons to manage
and move content throughout production
environments. The K2 Dyno Replay System
and the LDK 8300 bring high-performance
and affordable super slow-motion to any
production, studio, or outside broadcast.
In addition to extensive and rigorous quality and
reliability testing during development, all critical
components are selected on an individual, one-on-one
basis and carefully matched to each other for each
camera during the assembly process.
At final assembly, full camera system specifications
are verified for the entire camera system: the camera
head, adapter back, base station, viewfinder, and
operational control panel (OCP), all working together to
insure that you are getting the best camera in the world.
Finally, the full camera system is subjected to a
24 hour burn-in with extensive heat testing at 45°C
(113°F) and vibration tests.
At Grass Valley, we have a history of technological
design and engineering which has changed how the
industry acquires images.
Each LDK camera is expertly and painstakingly
assembled by hand—a process unheard of in today’s
mechanized world—in a facility that has been responsible
for the development of some of the most important
camera and optical revolutions used in almost every
broadcast camera in the world today.
From imager development to optical front-end assembly
and calibration in a special clean room environment,
Grass Valley guarantees full quality control of all camera
systems with absolute attention to ergonomic excellence.
LDK INNOVATION
TECHNOLOGY FOR TODAY & TOMORROW.
QUALITY YOU CAN RELY ON.HANDCRAFTED EXCELLENCE.

QUITE SIMPLY, THE
WORLD’S BEST SUPER
SLOW-MOTION CAMERA.
LDK 8300
CASE STUDY
AlfAcAm (Belgium)
Application: Outside broadcast truck
Client: Alfacam, Belgium
Alfacam is one of the world’s largest OB
companies with over 20 HD trucks being
used all over the world supporting the most
prestigious events, including those in 3D.
Alfacam has been an early adopter of Grass
Valley Super SloMo cameras, starting in
1998 with the LDK 23. Today, Alfacam owns
34 LDK 8300 Super SloMo cameras, which
have been used in Beijing, Vancouver, South
Africa and other diverse locations.
The unique Anylight feature—which
compensates for flicker in artificial lighting
situations—combined with the flexibility
to operate in 1X, 2X, and 3X operation,
makes the LDK 8300 the camera of choice
for Alfacam.
“Producing live productions of the world’s
most prestigious events, with tens of millions
of viewers worldwide, require highly reliable
and top-quality acquisition tools. With the
LDK 8300 and the LDK 8000 Elite cameras in
our fleet of over 250 HD cameras, we have
the confidence to meet any client’s challenge.”
Gabriel Fehervari
CEO, Alfacam
When you need unmatched operational flexibility and the best slow-motion images
possible, the LDK 8300 Live Super SloMo Camera delivers.
The Emmy®Award-winning LDK 8300 is the world’s only broadcast slow-motion
camera that can capture the action at 1X, 2X, and 3X speeds, at 1080i or 720p, all
at the touch of a menu button. In fact, you can use the LDK 8300 as both a slow-
motion and regular speed camera at the same time. This provides you with unmatched
production flexibility:
At 1X, the LDK 8300 perfectly•
matches and operates exactly
the same as our LDK 8000 Elite
and LDK 4000 Elite cameras, and
uses the same control systems
and accessories as all of our LDK
8000-series cameras.
At 2X, you can capture and•
replay fast-paced events and
quickly return to live coverage.
At 3X, you can critically analyze action at 150 or 180 frames per second to reveal the•
intricacies and emotions of any sporting event.
With its exclusive AnyLight™feature,the LDK 8300 automatically eliminates the
annoying visual flicker associated with artificial lighting, giving you the cleanest slow-
motion replays possible. Providing settings for a much wider range of new, advanced
lighting systems that have challenged previous flicker reduction systems, Anylight’s
algorithm operates on a pixel by pixel basis so that corrections are only made in
affected areas of the picture.
To handle the high data rate of 3X super slow-motion capture, we’ve developed a new
bi-directional fiber transmission system to flawlessly deliver the camera’s signal to

Elite. The word itself means something special. And that is exactly what you
get with the LDK 8000 Elite Series—the best possible performance with
the most flexibility and most comprehensive feature set available today.
Based on next-generation HD-DPM+ sensors, 14-bit A/D sampling, and
34-bit DSP resolution, LDK 8000 Elite cameras are the only cameras
available that can capture true progressive HD images natively, and instantly
switch formats and frame rates. And the LDK 8000 Elite WorldCam is the
first camera in the world with 1080p50/60 from the base station, which
means you’re not only ready for today, you’re ready for tomorrow.
Set-up
It’s easy to pre-configure the LDK 8000 Elite for a variety of different settings—from sports
and drama applications to commercial and drama studio settings—by storing operational
and image settings on low-cost smart cards. Not only can these camera settings be
recalled quickly, you can also write to the cards and transfer them between cameras for
fast reconfiguration. Settings established off-line in rehearsals can be quickly and accurately
repeated during a live show. You can also have dedicated set-ups saved for a variety of
venues and camera positions making set-up quick and easy when you return to a venue.
THAT LDK LOOK THAT SETS YOU
APART FROM THE COMPETITION.
LDK 8000 ELITE SERIES
CASE STUDY
TAlkBAck ThAmes (uk)
Application: Production of The Bill for ITV
Client: Talkback Thames, UK
Talkback Thames chose to use system
cameras, rather than camcorders for The Bill.
The decision to use system cameras was
two-fold: First, the style of the show requires
that action move quickly from interior to exterior
shots and the system cameras deliver
excellent control of iris and color temperature.
The second reason is that the defining
characteristic of the show is that it tells the
story from the viewpoint of the police. That
means often shooting inside a small British
police car without the room for a top quality
HD camcorder. These inside car shots are an
integral part of the program, so using a lower
quality smaller camcorder is not an option.
“Producing an hour of high-quality
television drama each week is a challenge,
and the five LDK 8000 Elite cameras are
used either singly or as two camera units.
Most importantly, the Grass Valley cameras
create excellent image quality at the start of
the process, as well as giving us the control
and flexibility we need.”
Martin Williams
Technical Operations Manager,
Talkback Thames

If you know what format you need, why should you pay for formats you don’t?
The LDK 4000 Elite has been specifically designed for situations where you
have selected a single HD format for your HD productions. Based on the same
superior technologies found in the LDK 8000 Series—including HD-DPM+
sensors, 14-bit A/D sampling, and 34-bit DSP resolution—the LDK 4000 Elite
supports 1080i or 720p and is switchable between 50 and 59.94 Hz, all with
that sought after LDK look.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED... AND MORE
The WorldCam version of the LDK 8000 Elite
gives you the ultimate in format flexibility
with traditional 1080i/720p HD formats in both
50 and 59.94 Hz and 1080p50/60 acquisition for
the highest quality HD imaging, with selectable
support for film-like formats in 1080p and 720p.
WorldCam also provides convenient built-in
frame-rate conversion for easy connection
to existing HD peripherals. As a result, you
get cost-effective monitoring and recording
combined with the motion portrayal of film
cameras. The 1080p format at 23.98 Hz, for
example, can be converted using 3:2 pulldown
to 1080i at 59.94 Hz right inside the camera.
THE ULTIMATE IN
TRADITIONAL HD ACQUISITION
The Enterprise version of the LDK 8000 Elite
supports 1080i/720p HD formats in both 50 and
59.94 Hz. And when you need more, you can
update your Enterprise camera to the WorldCam
version at any time.
Grass Valley’s Emmy• ®Award-winning dual skin
contour circuitry makes talent look their best,
and now we’ve added new negative contours
for a wider control range of skin detail
Our secondary “store-and-recall” color corrector•
enables precise color rendition, with 16 vector
selection and control, with up to six corrections
per scene
Quickly move from portable hand-held applications•
to full featured studio use with SuperXpander
THAT LDK LOOK OPTIMIZED FOR SINGLE-FORMAT USE.
LDK 4000 ELITE
WORLDCAM
ENTERPRISE
WITH THE LDK 8000
ELITE SERIES, YOU GET:

The LDK 3000 camera system is the latest design from one of the best-known imaging design
teams in the world, offering you great flexibility and high picture quality combined with a
favorable cost of ownership for smaller studios and production facilities.
The LDK 3000 is a multi-format HD camera supporting both 1080i50/60 and 720p50/60 for
worldwide use. The LDK 3000 is based on three Xensium 2/3-inch 2.4-million pixel imagers
specially developed by Grass Valley for broadcast applications.
With the LDK 3000, you get the precision and functionality
you expect from a Grass Valley LDK camera:
DDS—Double Digital Sampling—for•
improved fixed pattern noise
performance
Dual integrated, on-chip A/D•
converters that for the high-quality,
razor sharp pictures
34-bit precision DSP—including all•
major camera functions such as
gamma, knee, contour, and advanced
selectable color matrix
Emmy Award-winning dual•
skin-contour circuit
Advanced selectable color matrix•
Unique viewfinder focus-assist•
tools—including a crawler for
creating an active edge around
all objects in focus and instant
push-button electronic zoom for
enlarging a subject to focus on
fine details
LDK 3000
HIGHER QUALITY FOR SMALLER STUDIOS.
Photo courtesy of FOX Sports Mexico
CASE STUDY
fox sporTs+mexico
Application: Sports Programming
Client: Fox Sports+Mexico
Popular programming for the Fox Sports+
Mexico network originates from a new, HD
production facility in Mexico City, which includes
numerous Grass Valley file-based production
and distribution equipment and systems.
At the heart of the facility is a totally tapeless
workflow that features 12 LDK 3000 HD
cameras that support in-studio and remote
production. One reason Fox Sports+ Mexico
selected the LDK 3000 is that it contains
powerful colorimetry and color-matching
capabilities, including two independent
skin-contour circuits. These circuits allow
an operator to select any two color values
and adjust contour processing in those
areas, allowing dramatic improvement in the
appearance of facial tones.
“The LDK 3000 offers many benefits to Fox
Sports Network Control. Design, image
quality, reliability, and versatility as well as
its ergonomic design allow easy manipulation
in the studio or in the field. All backed by
the quality we expect from Grass Valley.”
Hector Manuel Sánchez Castro
Engineering/Operations Manager,
Fox Sports Network Control

Grass Valley knows that there are a lot of ways to do television,
and that you should never be locked into one way of working.
That is why the LDK camera system is a dockable camera
system with a number of transmission solutions to fit your exact
requirements today and tomorrow.
LDK cameras adapt the type of transmission to your
application. It’s your choice—HD Triax, HD Fiber, or HD Wireless.
And as more transmission formats are added, you have the
freedom and flexibility to choose those as well.
As co-developers of the Emmy Award-winning Triax technology
(with CBS Laboratories in the US), we realized that today’s
HD cameras should be able to take advantage of that same
technology. To meet that need, Grass Valley developed the world’s
first full bandwidth HD Triax transmission system to offer the
full performance required by any of the 1.5 Gb/s HD formats.
For 3D, 3G HD (1080p50/60), high-speed, slow-motion, or traditional
HD camera applications, Grass Valley offers the first complete HD
Fiber camera transmission solution capable of 1080p50/60 based
on the unique imager technology found in our cameras. Using the
latest Fiber transmission technologies, uncompromised signal
performance over extremely long cable distances can be guaranteed.
For complete freedom during production—even during in the most
demanding situations—Grass Valley developed a fully integrated,
digital wireless transmission system. Our HD Wireless system offers
the best camera integration and transmission robustness available,
combined with the ultimate freedom of movement.
THE LDK’S UNIQUE DOCKABLE
APPROACH GIVES YOU A CHOICE
OF TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS.
TRANSMISSION

Our MCP 400 master control panel gives you total control
of your cameras. Regardless of the number of cameras in
your production, MCP 400 provides centralized camera
control and health monitoring for C2IP camera control
networks with fast and full graphical control of all camera
and base station functions with touchscreen capabilities
with multiple, ganged camera control.
As part of Fusion, Grass Valley’s commitment to provide tighter integration and control between
Grass Valley products, LDK Connect Gateway opens up camera control in ways you’ve never
thought possible.
LDK Connect Gateway is a dedicated platform that can simultaneously access the C2IP camera
control network and a public Ethernet-based network. The overall scope of the LDK Connect Gateway
is to provide a platform for both the C2IP XML Gateway as well as for future software applications
such as dynamic OCP number assignment (‘follow the router’) up to a central point where the
diagnostics of all connected camera components are monitored and acted upon to guarantee your
uptime and forms a bridge between the C2IP network and the rest of the Ethernet-based world.
Our OCP 400 operational control panel allows the camera shader to
“paint” each camera using all of their talents and skills. They feature
a high-quality joystick for intricate control of iris and master-black
with direct-access buttons, easy access to all levels of operational
and technical parameters, and a smart card slot to store the preferred
settings of any LDK camera.
For 3D productions, a sophisticated master/slave relationship can
be created between Left-Eye and Right-Eye cameras. This ensures
that the “differences” between the two camera/lens chains can be
matched, simplifying your 3D production.
Fusion adds value to Grass Valley solutions by providing tighter integration,
unique functionality, and increased flexibility when our products are connected
together -leading to more efficient and faster production and publishing.
With Fusion, LDK camera control can be managed directly from the Grass Valley
Kayenne™ Video Production Center via LDK Connect™. Now, Kayenne operators
have direct access to and control of LDK camera features, including Color Bars,
Auto Iris, Filter Wheel and Gain, Scene File Recall, and Tally via Ethernet.
K2 Dyno Replay System works
seamlessly with the K2 Dyno
Production Assistant, all
LDK Series Cameras,
MediaFUSE®and EDIUS®.
All powered by Fusion
CONTROL SYSTEMS
MCP 400
MASTER CONTROL PANEL
FOR CENTRALIZED CAMERA CONTROL
LDK CONNECT GATEWAY
CONTROL IS EVERYTHING
OCP 400
LDK CAMERA FAMILY
OPERATIONAL CONTROL PANEL

Compatible with all LDK HD cameras, the SuperXpander
kit supports box-type lenses, teleprompters, and
high-resolution viewfinders. The camera can remain
mounted in the SuperXpander housing for transport
or can, alternatively, be mounted or released from the
housing quickly so that operators can switch among
pedestal, box lens, and hand-held applications working
with an EFP-style lens—even during a live program.
The SuperXpander kit features a camera-control panel
at its rear, putting fine operational adjustments in the
hands of the operator. Secure connectors for intercom,
teleprompter feed, and other accessories are located on
the base. The kit also provides secure mounting and
balancing for the largest teleprompter heads.
Grass Valley offers a complete range of
high-definition LDK viewfinders from
2-inch black and white CRTs to large
16:9 color flat panels, for stand-alone EFP
use and large lens SuperXpander use.
All Grass Valley viewfinders are designed
to provide precision focussing and
operator convenience, because your
viewfinder is more than just a monitor.
Sometimes it’s the littlest things that make
the biggest impact. Grass Valley LDK camera
accessories are designed to specifically
enhance the operation of our LDK cameras.
Whether it’s our lighted script board, our rain
covers, or our universal transport cases, LDK
accessories complete the outfitting of your
working environment.
LDK VIEWFINDERS
DESIGNED TO MEET YOUR
EXACTING REQUIREMENTS EVERYTHING
YOUR LDK NEEDS
LDK 4488
SUPERXPANDER KIT
ACCESSORIES

© 2010Technicolor USA, Inc. dba Grass Valley. All rights reserved. EDIUS and MediaFUSE are registered trademarks and Grass Valley, AnyLight,
HD-DPM+, K2 Dyno, and “Leadership powered by performance” are trademarks of Technicolor USA, Inc. All other trademarks referenced are
trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks of their respective companies. Specifications subject to change without notice.
CAM-4060M
SALES
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contacts can be found by visiting
www.grassvalley.com/sales
SUPPORT
Local and regional support
contacts can be found by visiting
www.grassvalley.com/support