Camera Corps addresses the complex mix of HDR/SDR formats and specifications at live events, using AJA colour management tools to support its expertise in cameras and workflow design.
High dynamic range (HDR) video capture and distribution has had a positive impact on the sports fan experience, and made it possible for broadcasters and OTT providers to deliver live events with remarkably lifelike colours. Despite the popularity of HDR, many producers are still using standard dynamic range (SDR) equipment, even for events captured in HDR.
This mix of formats and specifications can make colour management more complex throughout production. Camera Corps, a speciality camera systems provider in the UK, addresses these challenges for major broadcasters with its expertise in cameras and workflow design.
A Track Record for Sports Events
Camera Corps has worked on numerous high-profile international sports productions, handling camera equipment rentals, camera customisation services, crew, wireless and cabled connectivity products, and complete on-site and remote support services. The company has a talent for bespoke camera applications that enhance live broadcasts. Particularly memorable projects that the team has completed recently include two of the major global sporting events held in 2024, among many others.
When working on live sports productions, the Camera Corps team may deploy hundreds of cameras, adapting each one to the client's specific broadcast requirements. Ensuring signal compatibility and matching image quality across different formats and venues is also part of the job. "Planning for large-scale projects typically starts two years ahead of the event. This past summer, we supplied approximately 450 equipment pallets and 150 crew across multiple sporting venues in Paris," Andy Sanders said, Camera Corps Technical Director.
"The level of detail required to ensure that every item of equipment was integrated precisely into the broadcast infrastructure took an incredible amount of resources, from planning logistics to crew training, building, testing, on-site delivery and deployment – and more."
SDR – HDR Conversion Workflows
Considering all the SDR and HDR equipment involved in modern sports workflows, it is fundamental for Camera Corps to be able to convert signals between both dynamic ranges while maintaining signal integrity. The ability to handle multiple LUTs for these conversions with low latency and high-quality processing is also essential. Central to many of their projects are tools like AJA devices such as ColorBox for colour management and conversion and 12G-AMA and 12GM Mini-Converters for high-quality audio embedding and signal format conversions.
In the summer of 2024 in Paris, Andy and his team deployed ColorBox to carry out the HDR conversions for high-speed cameras. Designed to capture slow-motion shots of dynamic sporting events, such as the pole vault and high jump, these models are built with dual outputs for live and replay. The lightweight design of the cameras and AJA gear made it easier to integrate them into their setups, without being intrusive.
"Our goal was to capture images at the highest possible quality and ensure smooth transmission from the cameras to the vision mixer in the correct HDR format. We started with camera signal acquisition and used AJA 12G-AMA and 12GM Mini-Converters to convert the signals. We then used ColorBox for SDR and HDR LUT processing, and our converters to handle various other technical requirements," he said.
"The high-quality signal conversion from AJA’s gear fits directly into our workflow, and means we can support speciality camera deployments across multiple event venues."
Colour Management Across Projects
Camera Corps' use of ColorBox continues to diversify, especially with greater demand from clients for HDR formats. "We work on a lot of projects where we have to convert SDR signals from various small-form cameras, maintain signal integrity with 10-bit processing, and correct SMPTE 352 payload IDs," said Andy. “ColorBox is hugely helpful for this work, ensuring format consistency and compatibility for necessary video processing downstream. It's something you won't find in other devices.”
The SMPTE 352 payload identifier is inserted into the ancillary data to identify the video format and scanning method, interface standard, aspect ratio and so on for video signals. Some upstream devices insert this information, but others don’t, resulting in the identifier appearing and disappearing as users transition between signals, causing problems for monitors and other downstream devices.
LUTs and Pipelines
With ColorBox's onboard storage library and preset management, Camera Corps can also handle multiple 3D LUTs efficiently, with extremely low latency and high-quality output, a crucial factor for maintaining broadcast standards without technical disruptions.
The device is used to pre-load multiple LUTs, so that when they are on-site, they only need to select the desired LUT in the ColorBox pipeline and apply it to each job. The device's RGB colour correction functionalities and proc amp (processing amplifier) controls for brightness, contrast, saturation and hue, also support the team in colour matching cameras that lack data telemetry control.
Andy commented, "ColorBox is such a versatile device. By using it to modify the output of our stock of high-speed cameras, which do not natively support HDR, and integrate them into modern workflows without the need to write off cameras, saved us money while also improving sustainability. It's been a huge asset to our work across the board." www.aja.com
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