LDK Family of Cameras Brochure - Grass Valley

LDK
family of cameras
Imaging beyond imagination.
grassvalley.com/ldk

imaging beyond
imagination
No other camera has the “look” of an LDK camera. And no other live production
camera has the pedigree of an LDK camera.
Grass Valley LDK camera systems are the world’s leading high-end acquisition
systems with a history of more than 50 years of innovative developments and the
recipient of six Emmy ® Awards. A tribute to our design and engineering excellence.
For over half a century, Grass Valley cameras have captured the world’s highest-profile,
most prestigious events all over the world. The reason is simple:
The unique LDK look. Picture quality that is unmatched by any other camera.
LDK cameras are designed with the absolute highest-quality mechanical, electrical,
and signal processing systems. We developed our own proprietary imagers—the
Emmy Award-winning HD-DPM+ sensor and the all new Xensium imager—the most
critical part of any camera, to give you the format and image flexibility that you
need and expect.
But Grass Valley technical innovation doesn’t stop at the camera head. Our new
3G Transmission system, available for both Triax and Fiber, can handle all video
formats up to and including 1080p50/60—to meet your camera transmission
needs today... and tomorrow.
We invite you to discover why LDK camera systems are the first and only choice for
high-end acquisition.
© ® ATAS / NATAS

case study
Alfacam (Belgium)
ldk innovation
Handcrafted Excellence.
Quality You Can Rely On.
Application: Outside broadcast truck
Client: Alfacam, Belgium
Alfacam is one of the world’s largest OB
companies with over 20 HD trucks being
used all over the world supporting the most
prestigious events, including those in 3D.
Alfacam has been an early adopter of Grass
Valley Super SloMo cameras, starting in
1998 with the LDK 23. Today, Alfacam owns
34 LDK 8300 Super SloMo cameras, which
have been used in Beijing, Vancouver, South
Africa, and other diverse locations.
The unique AnyLight feature—which
compensates for flicker in artificial lighting
situations—combined with the flexibility to
operate in 1X, 2X, and 3X mode, makes the
LDK 8300 the super slow-motion camera of
choice for Alfacam.
“Producing lthe world’s most prestigious
live events, with tens of millions of viewers
worldwide, requires highly reliable and
top-quality acquisition tools. With the LDK
8300 and the LDK 8000 Elite cameras in our
fleet of over 250 HD cameras, we have the
confidence to meet any client’s challenge.”
Gabriel Fehervari
CEO, Alfacam
At Grass Valley, we have a history of
technological design and engineering which
has changed how the industry acquires
images.
Each LDK camera is expertly and
painstakingly assembled by hand—a process
unheard of in today’s mechanized world—in
a facility that has been responsible for the
development of some of the most important
camera and optical revolutions used in almost
every broadcast camera in the world today.
From imager development to optical front-end
assembly and calibration in a special clean
room environment, Grass Valley guarantees
full quality control of all camera systems with
absolute attention to ergonomic excellence.
Technology For Today & Tomorrow.
In addition to extensive and rigorous quality
and reliability testing during development,
all critical components are selected on an
individual, one-on-one basis and carefully
matched to each other for each camera during
the assembly process.
At final assembly, full camera system
specifications are verified for the entire
camera system: the camera head, adapter
back, base station, viewfinder, and operational
control panel (OCP), all working together to
ensure that you are getting the best camera
system in the world.
Finally, the full camera system is subjected to
a 24-hour burn-in with extensive heat testing
at 45°C (113°F) and vibration tests.
Our unique 9.2-million pixel FT CCD imagers in combination with our 14-bit A/D converters and
34 bits of digital signal processing (DSP) power offers outstanding image quality combined with
extremely high levels of production flexibility, giving you the LDK look demanded the world over.
The LDK Elite’s signal processing gives you the most convenient operational features:
• Switchable matrix positions for the best
possible flexibility in camera matching to
other LDK cameras or any camera system
on the market, regardless of the limited
resolution of other cameras.
• Multi-vector secondary color corrector,
which enables precise color rendition of up to
six corrections per scene that can be stored
and recalled as needed.
• Grass Valley’s Emmy Award-winning Dual
Skin Tone, for the best possible look of any
talent in front of the camera.
• For 3D productions, image rotation within
the camera head allows you to flip the image
when using special optics, shooting through
mirrors, or upside-down camera mounting
systems, without introducing any latency or
having to use any additional equipment.

LDK 8300
K2 Dyno
Quite simply, the world’s best
super slow-motion camera.
Replay System
When you need unmatched operational flexibility and the best slow-motion images possible, the
LDK 8300 Live Super SloMo Camera delivers.
The Emmy Award-winning LDK 8300 is the world’s only broadcast slow-motion camera that can
capture the action at 1X, 2X, and 3X speeds, at 1080i or 720p, all at the touch of a menu button.
In fact, you can use the LDK 8300 as both a slow-motion and regular-speed camera at the same
time. This provides you with unmatched production flexibility:
• At 1X, the LDK 8300 perfectly matches and operates
exactly the same as our LDK 8000 Elite and LDK 4000
Elite cameras, and uses the same control systems
and accessories as all of our LDK 8000-series
cameras.
• At 2X, you can capture and replay fast-paced events
and quickly return to live coverage.
• At 3X, you can critically analyze action at 150 or
180 frames per second to reveal the intricacies and
emotions of any sporting event.
With its exclusive AnyLight feature, the LDK 8300 automatically eliminates the annoying visual
flicker associated with artificial lighting, giving you the cleanest slow-motion replays possible.
Providing settings for a much wider range of new, advanced lighting systems that have challenged
previous flicker reduction systems, AnyLight’s algorithm operates on a pixel-by-pixel basis so that
corrections are only made in affected areas of the picture.
To handle the high data rate of 3X super slow-motion capture, we’ve developed a new bi‐directional
fiber transmission system to flawlessly deliver the camera’s signal to the base station and on to
your slow-motion server.
The Grass Valley K2 Dyno
Replay System is a powerful,
cost-effective, and easy to learn
complement to the LDK 8300.
The K2 Dyno Replay System
works without costly software
and hardware add-ons to manage
and move content throughout
production environments. The
K2 Dyno Replay System and the
LDK 8300 bring high-performance
and affordable super slow-motion
to any production, studio, or
outside broadcast vehicle.

case study
NEP Visions (UK)
Application: Premier League Coverage
Client: NEP Visions, UK
NEP Visions choose the LDK 8000 Elite with
3G Triax transmission for Premier League
coverage.
NEP Visions, one of the UK’s leading outside
broadcast companies, is one of the first
customers to use Grass Valley’s revolutionary
3G Triax systems. Their first order for 20
systems was used to future proof its new
Gemini OB truck.
Using LDK 8000 Elite WorldCam cameras
with 3G Triax transmission offers NEP Visions
the ultimate in acquisition format flexibility
while keeping the robustness and reliability
that triax is renowned for. Native 720p, 1080i,
and 1080p50/60 formats can be delivered to
the base station over current triax cabling.
“Our customers are very demanding, and
they should be! Covering multiple Premier
League soccer matches every week
requires the highest quality equipment—
equipment you can rely on. We know
that this is a secure investment with the
historically proven reliability of triax and
the future security of uncompromised
production in 1080p.”
Stephen Jenkins
Managing Director,
NEP Visions Europe
LDK 8000 Elite Series
That LDK look that sets you
apart from the competition.
Elite. The word itself means something special. And that is exactly what you
get with the LDK 8000 Elite Series—the best possible performance with the
most flexibility and most comprehensive feature set available today.
Based on next-generation HD-DPM+ sensors, 14-bit A/D sampling, and
34‐bit DSP resolution, LDK 8000 Elite cameras are the only cameras available
that can capture true progressive HD images natively, and instantly switch
formats and frame rates. And the LDK 8000 Elite WorldCam is the first
camera in the world with 1080p50/60 from the base station, which means
you’re not only ready for today, you’re ready for tomorrow.
Set-up
It’s easy to pre-configure the LDK 8000 Elite for a variety of different settings—from sports
and drama applications to commercial and non-broadcast studio settings—by storing
operational and image settings on low-cost smart cards. Not only can these camera settings
be recalled quickly, you can also write to the cards and transfer them between cameras for
fast reconfiguration. Settings established off-line in rehearsals can be quickly and accurately
repeated during a live show. You can also have dedicated set-ups saved for a variety of
venues and camera positions making set-up quick and easy when you return to a venue.

WITH THE LDK 8000 ELITE SERIES,
YOU GET:
• Grass Valley’s Emmy Award-winning dual skincontour
circuitry that makes talent look their best,
and now we’ve added new negative contours for a
wider control range of skin detail
• Our secondary “store-and-recall” color corrector
enables precise color rendition, with 16 vector
selection and control, with up to six corrections per
scene
• Quickly move from portable hand-held applications
to full featured studio use with your choice of
SuperXpander large lens adapters
WORLDCAM
everything you need… and more
The WorldCam version of the LDK 8000 Elite gives
you the ultimate in format flexibility with traditional
1080i/720p HD formats in both 50 and 59.94 Hz and
1080p50/60 acquisition for the highest quality HD
imaging, with selectable support for film-like formats
in 1080p and 720p.
WorldCam also provides convenient built-in framerate
conversion for easy connection to existing
HD peripherals. As a result, you get cost-effective
monitoring and recording combined with the motion
portrayal of film cameras. The 1080p format at
23.98 Hz, for example, can be converted using 3:2
pulldown to 1080i at 59.94 Hz right inside the camera.
LDK 4000 Elite
That LDK look OPTIMIZED FOR SINGLE-FORMAT USE.
ENTERPRISE
The ultimate in traditional HD acquisition
The Enterprise version of the LDK 8000 Elite supports
1080i/720p HD formats in both 50 and 59.94 Hz. And
when you need more, you can update your Enterprise
camera to the WorldCam version at any time.
If you know what format you need, why should you pay for formats you don’t?
The LDK 4000 Elite has been specifically designed for situations where you
have selected a single HD format for your HD productions. Based on the
same superior technologies found in the LDK 8000 Series—including HD-DPM+
sensors, 14-bit A/D sampling, and 34-bit DSP resolution—the LDK 4000 Elite
supports 1080i or 720p and is switchable between 50 and 59.94 Hz, all with
that sought-after LDK look.

case study
Fox Sports+ Mexico
Application: Sports Programming
Client: Fox Sports+ Mexico
Programming for the Fox Sports+ Mexico
network originates from a new, HD production
facility in Mexico City, which includes numerous
Grass Valley file-based production and
distribution equipment and systems.
At the heart of the facility is a totally tapeless
workflow that features 12 LDK 3000+ HD
cameras that support in-studio and remote
production. One reason Fox Sports+ Mexico
selected the LDK 3000+ is that it contains
powerful colorimetry and color-matching
capabilities, including two independent
skin-contour circuits. These circuits allow
an operator to select any two color values
and adjust contour processing in those
areas, allowing dramatic improvement in the
appearance of facial tones.
“The LDK 3000+ offers many benefits to
Fox Sports Network Control. Design, image
quality, reliability, and versatility as well as
its ergonomic design allow easy manipulation
in the studio or in the field. All backed by
the quality we expect from Grass Valley.”
Hector Manuel Sánchez Castro
Engineering/Operations Manager,
Fox Sports Network Control
LDK 3000+
HIGHER QUALITY FOR SMALLER STUDIOS.
The LDK 3000+ camera system is the latest design from one of the best-known imaging
design teams in the world, offering you great flexibility and high picture quality combined
with a favorable cost of ownership for smaller studios and production facilities.
The LDK 3000+ is a multiformat HD camera supporting both 1080i50/60 and 720p50/60 for
worldwide use. The LDK 3000+ is based on three Xensium 2/3-inch 2.4-million pixel imagers
specially developed by Grass Valley for broadcast applications.
With the LDK 3000+, you get the precision and functionality you expect from Grass Valley:
• DDS—Double Digital Sampling—
• Advanced selectable color matrix
for improved fixed pattern noise
• Unique viewfinder focus-assist tools—
performance
including a crawler for creating an
• Dual integrated, on-chip A/D converters active edge around all objects in focus
for high-quality, razor-sharp pictures
and instant push-button electronic
zoom for enlarging a subject to focus
• 34-bit precision DSP—including all
on fine details
major camera functions such as
gamma, knee, contour, and advanced • CLASS—Chromatic Lens Aberration
selectable color matrix
Sharpness Solution
• Emmy Award-winning dual skincontour
circuit
Upgrading to LDK 3000+ Capabilities
• Advanced secondary color corrector
Bringing legacy LDK 3000 cameras up to LDK 3000+ functionality is as easy as a simple
field upgrade.

Transmission
The LDK’s unique dockable approach
gives you A choice of 3G transmission
systems: TRIAX or FIBER.
After years of working with both triax and fiber transmission technologies,
Grass Valley has developed a unique solution that merges the benefits of both
into a single digital transmission platform, called 3G Transmission.
With 3G Transmission, you no longer have to worry about what type of cable
has been pre-installed at a venue. And when it’s time for long fiber runs,
you’ll know that you have the equipment that’s needed to support it.
The new LDK 4420 3G Twin Base Station gives you the choice to use either
triax or fiber to carry 1080i, 720p, or 1080p50/60 video (along with the full
set of transmission features and diagnostics), with the ability to handle
multiplexed pairs of 720p or 1080i signals for stereoscopic 3D applications.
As an added benefit, 3G Transmission extends the range of triax coverage
by 25 percent, to a conservative minimum of 1,500m (4,921 ft.)—closely
replicating the performance of SMPTE hybrid fiber, while getting more out of
those pre-installed triax cables.
With 3G Transmission, you can work in virtually any venue or location and
with any format—SD, HD, and even 3D.
3G Converter Boxes
Sometimes camera connectivity is not as simple as camera-to-cable-to-base
station. Sometimes connectivity will need to jump between triax, SMPTE
hybrid fiber, and dark fiber.
To help complete the 3G Transmission system, we’ve developed two 3G
Transmission converter boxes.
LDK 4426 3G Triax Camera to 3G Fiber Converter—
Takes single mode (dark) fiber and provides a full 3G
triax connection to the camera.
LDK 4425 3G Fiber Power Converter—Converts
single mode (dark) fiber to full SMPTE hybrid fiber for
connection to a 3G fiber camera.
Additional 3G Transmission converter boxes under
development.
Whether it’s 1080i, 720p, 1080p, or 3D, on triax or fiber, LDK 8000 Elite users
are no longer limited by the transmission system they choose.
With agnostic 3G transmission, there are no more limitations and no more
differences.
For less demanding applications, our renowned HD Triax transmission system
for the LDK 3000+ is the perfect solution. This robust and reliable Emmy Awardwinning
technology has been tailored to meet today’s requirements for the full
performance required by any of the 1.5 Gb/s HD formats.

Control Systems
OCP 400
LDK Camera Family Operational Control Panel
Our OCP 400 operational control panel allows the camera shader to
“paint” each camera using all of their talents and skills. It features a highquality
joystick for intricate control of iris and master-black with directaccess
buttons, easy access to all levels of operational and technical
parameters, and a smart card slot to store the preferred settings of any
LDK camera.
For 3D productions, a sophisticated master/slave relationship can be
created between Left-Eye and Right-Eye cameras. This ensures that the
“differences” between the two camera/lens chains can be matched,
simplifying your 3D production.
MCP 400
Master Control
Panel For Centralized
Camera Control
Our MCP 400 master control
panel gives you total control of
your cameras. Regardless of
the number of cameras in your
production, the MCP 400 provides
centralized camera control and
health monitoring for C2IP camera
control networks. With the MCP
400, you get fast and full graphical
control of all camera and base
station functions, as well as
touchscreen capabilities with
multiple, ganged camera control.
LDK Connect gateway
Control is everything
As part of Fusion, Grass Valley’s commitment to provide tighter integration
and control between Grass Valley products, LDK Connect Gateway opens
up camera control in ways you’ve never thought possible.
LDK Connect Gateway is a dedicated platform that can simultaneously
access the C2IP camera control network and a public Ethernet-based
network. The overall scope of the LDK Connect Gateway is to provide a
platform for both the C2IP XML Gateway as well as for future software
applications such as dynamic OCP number assignment (“follow the
router”) up to a central point where the diagnostics of all connected
camera components are monitored and acted upon to guarantee your
uptime and forms a bridge between the C2IP network and the rest of the
Ethernet-based world.
The LDK Connect Gateway
also contains an LDK
diagnostics tool which gives
an immediate update of the
diagnostics data available
in the LDK components via
the C2IP network. Types of
cameras, software packages,
temperatures, video format,
transmission diagnostics, and
more are available in userfriendly
overviews. Alerts
will be generated when
discrepancies occur.

Accessories
everything
your ldk needs
Sometimes it’s the littlest things that make the biggest impact. Grass
Valley LDK camera accessories are designed to specifically enhance the
operation of our LDK cameras. Whether it’s our lighted script board, our
rain covers, or our universal transport cases, LDK accessories complete
the outfitting of your working environment.
LDK 4475 & 4488
REFLEX SuperXpander & SUPERXPANDER Kits
Fully compatible with our 3G Transmission system, the RefleX SuperXpander (LDK 4475) turns a
shoulder-type camera into a full-function studio-type camera in seconds that supports box-type
lenses, teleprompters, and high-resolution viewfinders.
LDK viewfinders
DESIGNED TO MEET YOUR
EXACTING REQUIREMENTS
Grass Valley offers a complete range of
high-definition LDK viewfinders from 2-inch
black and white CRTs to large 16:9 color flat
panels, for stand-alone EFP use and large
lens SuperXpander use.
All Grass Valley viewfinders are designed
to provide precision focusing and operator
convenience, because your viewfinder is
more than just a monitor.
The camera can easily be mounted in the RefleX SuperXpander and connects through
a convenient hot shoe connection that directly powers the RefleX SuperXpander
from the camera.
The RefleX SuperXpander features a camera-control
panel at its rear, putting fine operational
adjustments in the hands of the operator. Secure
connectors for intercom, teleprompter feed, and
other accessories are located on the base. The
RefleX SuperXpander also provides secure mounting
and balancing for the largest teleprompter heads.
For the LDK 3000 with HD Triax transmission, the
LDK 4488 SuperXpander is available, offering the same operator conveniences
as our RefleX SuperXpander. The kit also provides secure mounting and
balancing for the largest teleprompter heads.

Global Services
Your Solutions Partner
Local and regional Customer Support & Professional
Services contacts can be found by visiting
www.grassvalley.com/support
SALES
Local and regional sales
contacts can be found by visiting
www.grassvalley.com/sales
CAM-4060M-3
© 2011 Grass Valley USA, LLC. All rights reserved. Grass Valley, AnyLight, HD-DPM+, K2 Dyno, K2 Solo, K2 Summit,
Kayenne, and Xensium are trademarks of GVBB Holding S.a.r.l. All other trademarks referenced are trademarks,
registered trademarks, or service marks of their respective companies. Specifications subject to change without notice.