Sony Professional has today announced that its 4K live production  solution was used to capture highlights of the 2014 Hertz British  Grand Prix MotoGP at Silverstone last weekend in stunning ultra-high  definition. Working with Dorna Sports, Sony captured the high-octane action from  both the qualifier and the race itself in crisp ultra-high definition detail,  marking a world first in live production for motorsports and representing another significant milestone in  the acceleration of 4K sports production.

  A dedicated production team captured the immersive detail of the MotoGP  action live in ultra-high definition using two PMW-55 cameras, recording using  Sony’s PWS-4400 4K server. The feed was then played out to a select few  spectators via one of Sony’s latest professional displays, a 55” BRAVIA  Professional 4K LED display (FWD-55X8600P). The production team themselves used  two of Sony’s PVM-X300 30-inch 4K TRIMASTER™ LCD screens for on-site production  monitoring. In addition to shooting in 4K, the experienced MotoGP cameramen  also took stunning HD footage in 4x and 6x slow motion.

  Sitting at the heart  of Sony’s 4K live camera system, the PMW-F55 incorporates a Super 35mm 4K CMOS  image sensor with a global shutter, and delivers multiple shooting options for  HD/2K/QFHD/4K with superb dynamic range, widest colour gamut and pristine image  quality. As part of the system used at this year’s 2014 Hertz British Grand  Prix MotoGP, a CA-4000 camera system adapter was attached to the PMW-F55. This  was then connected to a BPU-4000 baseband processor unit, along with a  HDCU-2500 camera control unit via optical fibre cable. The full set-up enabled  precise real-time adjustment of the camera’s 4K image and the cameras  themselves.

  Kazuho Haruyoshi, Senior Marketing Manager for Live Production, Sony  Professional Europe, commented: “MotoGP is perfectly suited to both 4K and HD  slow motion shooting, with each adding an exciting dimension to the viewer  experience. The vivid colours at Silverstone were shown off with crystal  clarity thanks to the wide colour space and high dynamic range of the PMW-F55,  while amazing shots on the hairpin bends are particularly stunning when  captured in 4x or 6x slow motion.”

  
   “This is the first time that Sony and Dorna Sports have worked  together to trial a 4K live production chain, and it marks the beginning of a  strong long-term partnership. We’re already discussing trials at further MotoGP  races, and we believe this marks the initial step towards a bright future for  4K and motor sports.”

  Sergi  Sendra, TV Production Director at Dorna Sports, commented: “We’re always  pushing to enhance how people experience the action from each Grand Prix and  this trial is testament to that. Having worked with Sony in the past, we wanted  to test their 4K cameras for the first time on site, and the results are really  promising for the new UHD 4K era, enhancing the beauty and the highlights of a  high adrenaline sport like ours. We are looking forward to carrying out further  tests in the near future.”

  This Summer has already seen resounding success for Sony’s 4K live  production system on the biggest sporting platform in the world, with three  matches at the 2014 FIFA World CupTM shot in stunning ultra-high definition, including the final.
  Footage from the 2014 Hertz British Grand Prix MotoGP will be shown  on Sony’s stand at this year’s IBC Show in Amsterdam, in Hall 12 (Elicium  Hall).