Prime television has been dabbling in the Hi Def market for over three years. Using cross hired Sony HDW-F900 Cine Alta cameras, we shot a feature called Joyrider and worked on behind the scenes for the Harry Potter movies. Recently we have had reasonable success with our Sony HDW-750P HDCAM camcorders, often shooting interlace only, but do feel HDCAM has yet to really kick off in the UK. We knew that High Definition was here to stay but it would take the introduction of a lower cost camera to get HD into more mainstream television.

When we first heard about the launch of Sony’s new HDW-730S camera we knew we had found the missing link. As a good number of HDW-750P clients were quite happy to shoot interlace only we knew that if we could supply a lower cost camera that covered the European, US and Japanese markets, with 50i and 60i, we’d be on to a winner.

You only have to open a Radio Times and work out for yourself what would be shot in Interlace or Progressive to know that our new 730’s will be working a lot harder than our 750’s.

The lower cost price of the HDW-730S gives us the ability to hire the camera at a lower price, in fact the same price as our Digital Betacam cameras. In recognition that Hi Def tape stock is still more expensive than Digi, we are countering that by offering a free loan Sony J-H3 player for downloading in post production. *

Taking this offer will give our clients four times the quality of Digital Betacam, the ability to future proof their productions and a loan J-H3 player the ability to edit in either standard definition at lower cost or in HD (for HD broadcast, DVD’s etc). Either way you still have significantly better quality.

Prime has enjoyed a long history of supplying top flight PSC crews and equipment, with business up by 30% in 2004 and upwards of 14 crews out on a busy day we had to look at buying new cameras. We had to make a choice - buy into old technology or find something better for our clients.

With a total of six new cameras at Prime there will be only a few to go round. So get in early as this deal provides the biggest jump in quality "at no extra cost" in the history of television.

If you’re still intent on shooting Digital Betacam drop us an email to HD@primetv.com and tell us why…Call us on 020 8969 6122 for more information.

www.primetv.com

Read other stories:

Prime Takes Delivery of the First Sony HDW-730S in the UK

Prime Takes to the Road with Sony’s New Hi Def HDW-730S Cameras