With the new year has come a new PGA TOUR season. And this year you will begin to see golf being shot in a brand new way. The 2016 Sony Open runs through January 17th and will be a testing ground for 4K live production and broadcasting for the sport. There will be multiple Sony high-definition cameras positioned across the course and Sony’s new HDC-4300 will capture action on the 17th hole in 4K resolution, delivering four times the clarity and resolution of full HD.
Sony’s 4K camera system is the world’s first camera to use three 2/3-inch 4K image sensors and will be used in a dual role. First, they will be used in the main broadcast, matching images with the additional cameras used for the rest of the broadcast. Then the new HDC-4300 camera will also simultaneously record 4K HDR images to separate servers as part of Sony’s ongoing research in HDR production.
“Golf Channel is giving us prime real estate to get the best possible angles in 4K,” said Alec Shapiro, president, Professional Solutions Americas, Sony Electronics. “Sports in general are a perfect match for 4K, but golf is especially impressive. With 4K, viewers can really see every break of the greens and see the texture of the grass. ”
Sony is using the tournament to show off 4K sports content for demonstration purposes. There will be multiple viewing areas set up throughout Waialae Country Club, where the tournament is being played and will allow attendees to view 4K content up close.
The Sony Open in Hawaii airs live on Golf Channel in prime-time, Thursday–Sunday, January 14 to 17.
