Grass Valley LDK 3000+ makes debut; offers improved imaging

Grass Valley has unveiled a new Xensium CMOS camera, the LDK 3000+, with features like secondary color correction and new software algorithms to get the very best performance out of lenses, all while the price remains the same.

To address the problem of chromatic aberration, the shifts in color registration detectable at the edges of a lens, Grass Valley has developed a solution called CLASS—Chromatic Lens Aberration and Sharpness Solution—a software process which works in conjunction with lens data using industry standard interface protocols. As well as minimizing the effects of chromatic aberration, the process also results in up to a 40% improvement in overall image sharpness at the left and right edges of the picture.

In response to customer requests, Grass Valley has also added secondary color correctors to the digital image processing in the LDK 3000+, with two banks of correction available. This means that the LDK 3000+ camera, using the custom-designed Grass Valley Xensium CMOS imager, not only retains its very attractive price, but now can produce the very best pictures while using affordable digital ENG/EFP lenses.

“This brings two of Grass Valley’s key goals together—continuing to innovate by bringing the best possible quality to the largest number of users, and protecting the investment of our current customers.” says Marcel Koutstaal, Senior Vice President of the Cameras division for Grass Valley. “The LDK 3000 has proved very popular since we introduced it in 2009, and every single camera in the field can be upgraded to LDK 3000+ performance with a simple and low-cost field upgrade.”

The Grass Valley LDK 3000+ camera replaces the existing LDK 3000, at the same price.

A typical LDK3000+ configuration has a list price of US$84,433. The configuration includes LDK3000+ camera head, triax camera adapter, 2-inch viewfinder,  LDK3000+ base station, OCP400 and tripod adapter. The field upgrade to bring legacy cameras up to LDK 3000+ functionality is priced at $4,200. The camera and upgrade package will be available for delivery beginning on October 24, 2011 onwards.