The camera market is undergoing a renaissance of sorts as worldwide sales of cameras rise owing to several factors After years of less than enthusiastic purchasing in studio and field cameras, in no small part due to the worldwide economic recession, sales of cameras are undergoing a re-awakening. This finding was revealed by a newly […]
The camera market is undergoing a renaissance of sorts as worldwide sales of cameras rise owing to several factors
After years of less than enthusiastic purchasing in studio and field cameras, in no small part due to the worldwide economic recession, sales of cameras are undergoing a re-awakening. This finding was revealed by a newly published report called Studio/ Box Cameras World 2013.
This study not only looked at UHD in Super 35 and 4/3-inch sensor iterations but also all other sensor configurations currently utilised among the owned, bought and planned units. The main thrust of this interest is definitely in Super 35 and not nearly as much in 4/3-inch sensors.
Several manufacturers, including notably Ikegami, have abandoned 4/3-inch preferring to put their faith in the growth and expected expansion of Super 35. Ikegami, in fact, recently offered a Super 35 sensor camera solution jointly with ARRI blending key components from both firms and utilising third-party lenses.
Motion pictures and episodic TV have been transitioning to an all-digital workflow and that has been a huge driver to the new Super 35 sensor (and its derivatives). While this industry embracing of Super 35 is palpable and an exciting and market-moving development in cameras and for lens makers, the study also saw a rise in use and purchasing of more traditional 2/3-inch sensor cameras, as a rising tide of camera sales has lifted all boats. So, even traditional solutions using smaller sensors have benefitted by renewed spending on cameras. This has had a salutary effect on lens sales as well.
On a global basis, from a sensor use perspective, Super 35 mm sensor-using UHD cameras already represent 16% of all cameras owned / installed as of 2013, indicating a dramatic swing towards higher resolution and to the UHD level productions they enable, and one that obviously goes beyond purely motion picture and episodic TV applications. The 2/3-inch represents 58%, Other or Unknown sensors 21% and 4/3-inch represents 5%, respectively.
The arrival of UHD and larger image sensors has so far had no discernible impact on PTZ box cameras, but even there, it is expected that higher resolution beyond HD will be found attractive in the next few years and provide a boost to those, already increasing, purchases as well, just as colour did once introduce. This is likely to begin primarily in the arena of sports-oriented robotic camera systems.
That said, the Professional Camcorders World report for 2013 showed that camcorders, which were suffering are now also seeing somewhat of a rebound, based on similar factors to that being seen in cameras. They were being primarily battered by the rise and popularity of DSLRs, which are capable of using interchangeable lenses, allowing for a combination of primes and zooms, but the strengthening of the camera market is negatively affecting them.
Since the arrival of Super 35 sensors, several years ago, a debate has waged on whether their use would spill out of Digital Cinematography, where they are already penetrating the ranks of independents and into other segments such as broadcast and institutional and moving well beyond rental houses. And, the report underscores that such a trend is already underway, and goes well beyond rental houses.
Previous market interest in 3D turned out to be a dud, in cameras and other gear, and some fears were voiced by users that investments in UHD might be similarly ill conceived. Despite those fears, however, end users seem to be much more enthusiastic and trusting of the future of UHD, sensing that higher resolution capture brings indisputable benefits to the entire workflow, beyond motion pictures or episodic programmes.
Douglas I. Sheer is CEO and Chief Analyst of DIS Consulting Corporation of Woodstock, New York.
