The Weather Channel is using Canon ENG/EFP HD lenses on Ikegami cameras for SD acquisition now and will move to HD with the same lenses in the future.
Looking to improve its on-screen image quality, The Weather Channel has added seven new HJ17ex7.7B IRSE HD lenses from Canon at three of its production studios, along with Ikegami HDK-75EX HDTV cameras, to improve the quality of the cable channel’s 21 hours per day of live atmospheric coverage.
Canon also supplied service and support for the ENG/EFP lenses, which often work under extreme weather conditions. The Weather Channel will initially use the lenses to produce a higher resolution downconverted SD picture, which allows it to back off on image enhancement and obtain a more pleasing image sharpness. Eventually, when it goes to HD broadcasts, the same lenses will be deployed, future-proofing The Weather Channel’s investment.
Weighing 3.83lbs, the HJ17ex7.7B replaces its HJ16x8B lens. It uses Canon’s X-Element and Power Optical System for optics in a compact, rugged housing. The optional flexibility of Canon’s 16:9/4:3 Crossover Technology makes it ideal for a wide variety of SD and HD projects.
For more information, visit www.usa.canon.com.
