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The demand for high-speed imaging continues its dramatic escalation over a wide range of applications. In the infotainment arena, digital high-speed imaging is enhancing commercial movie production, professional broadcasting, music videos and cable/television slo-mo sequences. Offered here is a small cross-section of vendors and their leading-edge offerings.

A pair of digital color cameras specifically for the television, motion picture and commercial film industries is launched by NAC Image Technology (Simi Valley, Calif.). Memrecam Hi-Motion and Memrecam fx Cam are three-chip and single-chip systems, respectively.

Hi-Motion integrates directly into the high-definition (HD) broadcast infrastructure (utilizing two channels of an industry-standard EVS XT2 multichannel, multiformat video server). Capable of recording up to 300 fps at full HDTV resolution (1920×1080 pixels), it attenuates fast-paced action by a factor of five or six times to provide exceptionally smooth playback. And, extraordinarily sensitive CMOS sensors enable the camera to capture clear images under most ambient lighting conditions.

Images are recorded in the camera head by solid-state memory (RAM) which affords eleven seconds of storage. The uncompressed imagery is available for instant review with full HD fidelity, live-to-air and no processing delay. If desired, the sequence can be spooled out in real time to an external recorder, releasing Hi-Motion's RAM for the next take.

In the field, mounting and operating Hi-Motion is straightforward, either on a tripod with an EFP (electronic film production) lens or in a cradle with a "box type" studio lens.