PHOENIX—The Phoenix Suns have been long-time Sony users, so when we were looking for a new ENG camera that would transition us from optical-based discs, Sony was at the top of our list.
We were already familiar with the Sony form factor and menu structures and we also use HDC-3100 portable fiber cameras as our main systems in fixed stations around Talking Stick Resort Arena—home of the Suns—so the learning curve would be minimal.
We needed something versatile that would streamline our efforts to not only capture content, but provide assets to different parts of our organization in real time. That’s when we found Sony’s new PXW-Z750 shoulder-mount camera. In addition to numerous beneficial features including a lighter file transfer, global shutter and 4K, it provides high-quality imagery even in lowlight scenarios.
ON AND OFF THE COURT
We are excited by the powerful integration the PXW-Z750 offers to connect our team and allow us to easily collaborate and share content. Being able to shoot and distribute content quickly without worrying about digitizing and transferring allows us to elevate our gameday presentation and enhances our ability to communicate to viewers in the arena and at home. The speed at which we can now build out packages is very attractive, as is the ability to push things out to social media in minutes.
Another great feature of the PXW-Z750 is its ergonomics. Shoulder-mount cameras can get uncomfortable after long periods of time. This camera is very well balanced and provides reliable results every time. I can just grab and go and shoot at a moment’s notice without a ton of setup. We also appreciate that the Z750 integrates seamlessly with many of our existing lenses and accessories, which provides significant cost savings and complements our multiple Sony HDC-3100 system cameras and BRC-X400 POV cameras to offer a consistent look that can be color matched effortlessly.
We quickly became familiar with the Z750 and realized its feature set and adaptability made the camera a great choice for more than just gameday storytelling. When we began renovating our control room, we used the opportunity to refresh our camera technology. We’d come to value the flexibility the PXW-Z750 offered, which is why the organization decided to purchase two additional cameras for RF. This enables the team to use the powerful PXW-Z750s for all of our additional content creation needs in and out of house, including pre- and post-game efforts, and on dark days we can use them for multicamera shoots, community events, player profiles, online content and social media, as well as music series and entertainment experiences at the arena.
WORKING BETTER NOW AND IN THE FUTURE
Another key selling point is the camera’s integration into the Sony ecosystem we already use, including NavigatorX for archival and storage, and Ci for secure cloud-based collaboration and sharing. It provides continuity and accessibility, which benefits our workflow in the long run. We’ve worked with Sony for many years and feel they’re more than just a vendor selling us equipment—they’re a partner providing us with comprehensive solutions.
We also appreciate that the camera can grow with our organization as our needs evolve. With capabilities for 4K, HDR and high frame rate, we’re ready for the future. It’s helpful that we can expand the camera’s power through simple additions like adding a network dongle or LTE connection. Ultimately our goal is to implement a streamlined workflow that allows us to be ahead of the curve, with our camera technology leading the way.
David Grapentine is a freelance videographer in his 29th year as senior broadcast videographer for the Phoenix Suns. He can be contacted at DGrapentine@suns.com.
For additional information, visit pro.sony.
