ITV News boosts newsgathering operations with Sony camcorders and audio kits
ITV News has bought and taken delivery of 180 Sony PXW-Z280 4K professional handheld camcorders and 180 URX-P03D UWP-D wireless audio kits.
The products have been integrated into the ITV News production workflow and are already being used in anger.
Paul Stevenson, director of technology for ITV News said: “We have trusted Sony with our electronic newsgathering operations for years; the introduction of the original PXW-X200 into our workflows was transformative for us.
“After six years of using the X200, we chose the Z280 to strengthen our operations further, building on the strengths of the X200, offering new features like face detection and autofocus as well as improved performance. We look forward to trialling the camera’s XDCAM Air features too.”
Mark Smith, a freelance cameraman and the lead tester and trainer on this project added: “Working with some experienced ITV reporters, we did comprehensive research to explore the options for the camera upgrade. There are some great products on the market, but some of them were too complicated for self-shooting journalists. Others were smaller and cost-effective but lacked the important ability to control functions with ease.
“We were impressed with the network functions and MI shoe, both very useful in news production. The MI shoe has given reporters much more flexibility with two transmitters, four useable audio channels and less need for AA batteries. The field teams benefit a lot from being able to wirelessly capture audio from multiple journalists and interviewees at the same time.” added Mark Smith.
The Sony PXW-Z280 camcorder includes a 3CMOS 1/2-type sensor, fast precision autofocus, face detection AF and Electronic Variable ND. It also has Dual Link Cellular capability.
James Leach, product manager, Sony Professional Solutions Europe, said: “Modern broadcasters expect three things from the media production solutions they deploy. They need to seamlessly integrate with existing workflows. They need to be deployed with minimal setup time. And they need to be future proof to meet constantly changing production needs.
“At Sony, we work closely with our customers, partners and the wider industry to ensure our solutions meet these expectations from broadcasters like ITV News. The introduction of our advanced Z280 camcorders paired with the UWP-D audio will enable ITV News to continue producing high-quality news content in the years to come.”
Produced by ITN since 1955, ITV News and ITV News London reach a daily audience of around eight million viewers, informing public opinion and generating debate through news exclusives and distinctive, accessible reporting. Based in London, it also has bureaux in Washington, Tel Aviv, Brussels, Dubai, Johannesburg and Beijing.