KTUL, the Allbritton Communications-owned ABC affiliate in Tulsa, OK, is using 18 JVC GY-HM790 ProHD cameras, as well as two GY-HM750Us, to produce its local newscasts in HD.
The new cameras were first used in SD mode when they were delivered in March 2011, but the station transitioned to full HD for ENG and studio production in August.
Allbritton Communications, based in Arlington, VA, recently standardized on JVC ProHD cameras at six of its stations. The new cameras are part of an overall transition to local HD news production for all stations in the group.
KTUL uses four of its new GY-HM790 cameras in the studio, along with a GY-HM250 on a jib. Roger Herring, KTUL director of broadcast operations, said the picture quality is a "huge improvement from where we were." The studio cameras are connected via fiber-optic cable, which allows the station to send all signals over a single cable — no triax or additional cable bundles are necessary.
ENG shooters are pleased with the quality and weight of the ProHD cameras, he added. KTUL uses Adobe Premiere Pro CS5 and Apple Final Cut Pro editing systems, and recording ready-to-edit footage on SDHC cards has improved the station's workflow. Native file recording makes it fast to move content from the camera to an editor, he said. "It allows us to edit quickly in the field as well," Herring added.
