English to Russian Tech/Engineering Photography/Imaging (& Graphic Arts)

Television cameras have added new features over the years at an orderly pace. Once CCD and CMOS sensors replaced tubes in video cameras, the developments have been incremental. The most recent step change has been the migration from recording on 1/2in or 1/4in tape to solid-state, optical and hard disk drives.

Today's typical HD broadcast camera features three 2/3in CCD sensors and an optical beam splitter. In the quest for lighter, smaller and less expensive cameras, manufacturers also offer 1/2in sensors for field production and ENG, as well as 1/3in or even 1/4in sensors for the semipro user with a limited budget.

What distinguishes broadcast cameras from semipro cameras varies. At one time, the tape format was the deciding factor; if it was miniDV, it was a consumer camera.

Expect a broadcast camera to feature an interchangable lens and record at higher data rates than the typical 25Mb/s for low end devices. But for applications like news and observational documentaries, the distinction becomes blurred.

Digital cinematography has evolved along a different route from television cameras. The need to use 35mm cine lenses has led to the adoption of single sensors, with an overlaid color filter array (CFA) rather than the beam splitter and separate RGB sensors. The signal from the sensor is demosiaced derive the RGB color channels.