Sony launch cinema quality HD video conferencing camera

Sony has today added "true HD" video to its lineup of professional ‘EVI’ cameras. The launch of the EVI-HD7V pan / tilt / zoom (PTZ) camera brings cinema quality high definition video to the conferencing and professional AV market and helps to brings companies closer to their customers.

The EVI-HD7V is a 1080p camera module capable of 60 frames per second (fps) and is the first of two high definition PTZ cameras being unveiled today by the company’s Image Sensing and Solutions division (ISS). A 720p60 module, entitled EVI-HD3V, has also been announced.

The cameras combine industry leading resolution with a 10x optical zoom and 40x digital zoom. Both modules can work in low light levels (15lx), can see a whole board room or tilt to focus on an individual and have an exceptionally fast pan speed of 300o per second and tilt speed of 125o per second.

The launch follows improvements in average broadband speeds, meaning 1080p video can now reliably be streamed to a large part of the globe. A recent Economist article (May 16th), stated that the consultancy firm Accenture, alone, has reported an $8m saving in just one year using "telepresence" systems and has avoided journeys that would have generated 2,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

Speaking about the forthcoming launch Sony’s Matt Swinney commented that the launch exploited the increasing broadband speeds as well as enhanced codecs, such as the Sony PCS-XG80, and has raised the bar for the industry as a whole. Matt went on to say: “In business little will ever replace face to face contact when signing a deal…However, this is not always possible. Time constraints, environmental pressures and the current economic crisis are making people more reluctant to travel . These cameras bring an ability to be closer to the customer by providing a visual platform where - bandwidth and codec permitting - exceptional picture quality and high frame rate can deliver seemless interaction.

The Sony EVI-HD3V and EVI-HD7V are also able to be used in a variety of professional audio/video applications, such as broadcasting, distance learning and public meeting recording.

The devices will be in mass production and available through specialist channels from Q3 2009.