Specifications

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CCD CAMERAS
SONY
DXC-D55 • DXC-D55WS
44
PHOTO - VIDEO - PRO AUDIO
14-bit Full-Digital Production Camera
From the very first model, Sony DXC Series standard definition (SD) production
cameras have been widely accepted by a great number of video
professionals around the world, due to their excellent picture
performance, system versatility, and cost efficiency. The DXC-D55 and
DXC- D55WS are the next-generation in the DXC-series of cameras,
designed for even greater picture quality and operational
ease of use. Both the DXC-D55 (4:3 aspect ratio) and the
DXC-D55WS (16:9/4:3-switchable aspect ratio) feature the
field-proven 2/3” Power HAD EX CCDs and 14-bit A/D
conversion built into a highly sophisticated LSI. The result is
superior picture quality, excellent sensitivity and signal-to-
noise ratio, plus low noise and reduced smear level compared
to that of the previous models (DXC-D50, DXC-D50WS). In addition to superb picture quality, these cameras offer
extremely precise and flexible image controls such as highlight control, contrast control, and detail control, thanks to the
sophisticated DSP LSI with more than 30-bit accuracy. A variety of automatic functions are also included, allowing easy
and convenient operation in any shooting scenario. For added convenience, all DXC-D50 accessories are backwards
compatible with the DXC-D55 series. Allowing for excellent system versatility, two types of camera-control units are
available. For studio multicore use, the CCU-D50 is the perfect choice, and the CCU-TX50 is the choice for studio and triax
applications. The RCP-D50/D51Remote Controllers can also be used with either system.
Three 2/3” Power HAD EX CCDs
The DXC-D55/D55WS are equipped with three 2/3” Power HAD EX CCDs,
providing 920 lines of horizontal resolution. These high performance
CCDs also provide excellent sensitivity of F11at 2000 lux, a remarkable
S/N ratio of 65 dB and an extremely low smear level of -145 dB.
14-bit A/D Conversion
They incorporate a high-quality 14-bit A/D conversion circuit that allows
images captured by the Power HAD EX CCDs to be processed with four
times the precision than 12-bit A/D converters. In particular, this higher
resolution reproduces the contrast more faithfully in mid-to-dark-tone
areas of the picture. In addition, the 14-bit accuracy helps to eliminate
pre-knee signal compression at highlight areas, and allows the camera to
clearly reproduce a high-luminance subject.
Advanced Digital Signal Processing (ADSP)
A key indicator of quality in a DSP camera is how many bits are used in
its nonlinear processes, such as gamma correction. The DXC-D55/D55WS
Series uses more than 30 bits, thus minimizing rounding errors and
maintaining the high-quality images captured by the Power HAD EX
CCDs. This advanced digital signal processing (ADSP) also enables
highly sophisticated image controls, such as knee saturation, adaptive
highlight control, and skin-tone detail controls.
Knee Saturation Control
In general, shooting very bright portions of an object such as key light
reflections from a person’s forehead can reduce color saturation and
change the hue in highlight areas. The knee saturation control function
incorporated in the DXC-D55/D55WS Series effectively reduces this
‘washed-out’ effect on saturation and hue changes, and reproduces far
more natural color in highlight areas.
Low Key Saturation
With conventional cameras, low-light areas can be subject to reduced
saturation, resulting in the color in these areas being ‘washed-out’. The
low key saturation function incorporated in the DXC-D55/D55WS Series
helps eliminate this problem by optimizing the amplification of color
saturation at low light levels, providing more natural color reproduction.
Skin-tone Detail Control
They have a skin-tone detail control function that allows softening of
the skin-tone detail in the facial area, while maintaining the sharpness
of other parts of the picture. The skin-tone detail area can be selected
simply and quickly, using an area detect cursor in the viewfinder screen.
The color range for skin-tone detail and the skin detail level can also be
selected manually, using the viewfinder menu system.
FEATURES