Sony and FIFA have broadened their 4K commitment at the World Cup to three matches in order to create an official 4K film of the tournament and presumably at the request of rights holders keen to expand tests runs of Ultra HD coverage.
Aside from the previously announced World Final, a further two matches will be captured in 4K from Rio’s Estadio do Maracanã. These include one match from the round of 16 (to be held on 28 June) and one quarter final (on 4 July).
As with the three-match 4K production of FIFA Confederation’s Cup, production will be out of Telegenic’s OB truck and is largely based on Sony’s 4K live production system. Kit includes F55 cameras, 4K multi-port AV storage unit PWS-4400, 4K LCD monitor PVM-X300, and multi-format switcher MVS-7000X.
At NAB, Sony announced the addition of Apple ProRes on-board recording and the the AVID DNxHD codec as future hardware upgrade options for the F5 and F55 CineAlta 4K cameras. The F5 and F55 already offer four choices of recording formats: HDCAM SR, XAVC, 50 MBPS 422, and Raw.
F5 owners will also have the choice of upgrading their camera to an F55, with the same imager, colour filter array, 4K on board recording and live signal output.
The latest version 4.0 free firmware update for the F5 and F55 provides picture cache recording, user generated 3D LUT support, and many other requested features.
Sony is also introducing an ENG and documentary dock for the F5 and F55 cameras, providing a dockable shoulder mount with on board audio control, rear XLR inputs, wireless microphone holder and more.
For the World Cup, Ultra HD highlights will also be clipped for display at Sony booths throughout various stadia and at the FIFA-hosted HD public viewing events.
In a statement FIFA said it would work with Sony to “accelerate their combined efforts in 4K to deliver the action and emotions of the 2014 FIFA World Cup to even more people around the globe.”
The 4K feed will be made available to rights holding broadcasters, though none has yet has launched a Ultra HD channel.
FIFA continues to insist no decision has been made to greenlight stereoscopic 3D production of World Cup, but it is clear that the technology experiment that saw half the matches from South Africa captured in 3D will not be repeated.
