SNY Commits to Ikegami HDK-95C After Shootout

New York City is famous for being the home of extremely passionate sports fans. As the official television home of MLB’s New York Mets and the NFL’s New York Jets, SNY knows the pressure is on to broadcast with ultra-competitive production values. The network is living up to expectations with eight Ikegami HDK-95C Full Digital Portable CMOS cameras, along with five HDL-57 companion POV cameras, for its Manhattan studios.

Nathaniel Hayne of SNY, says new Ikegami cameras are making a difference.

“The fans are very fickle and you have to keep them engaged, just like the other networks around here,” says Nathaniel Hayne, Senior Video and Lighting Technician for SNY. “You have to find your niche and hold on to your fan base by making your content as aesthetically pleasing as possible.”

Hayne says SNY chose the Ikegami cameras following a shootout which found that the Ikegami HDK-95C was the closest to a person’s real-life look.

“The Ikegami cameras re-create the black levels with more crispness, which makes people stand out more to create an almost 3D effect,” he adds.

Housed at 4 World Trade Center downtown, SNY has outfitted both its Studio 31 and Studio 41 with three Ikegami HDK-95C cameras on robotic heads, plus an additional jib fitted with an HDL-57. An additional HDK-95C provides a roaming camera if needed in each of the studios, which are home to SNY original programs, including Daily News Live, Loudmouths, and Geico Sports Night, plus pre-game and post-game for 125 Mets contests per year. Two additional HDL-57’s serve up beauty shots of the Manhattan skyline.

The precision matching between the HDK-95C and HDL-57 made a perfect pair for SNY. “The box cameras had to match our studio cameras, and employing the same CMOS technology makes these two almost identical,” says Hayne. “No other camera manufacturer was offering the same package, where the box cameras were virtually on par with the studio cameras.”

Part of Ikegami’s Unicam HD line, the HDK-95C HD portable digital camera is equipped with Native multi-format 2.5 million pixel, 2/3 inch CMOS sensors. It also features an upgrade path to 24p and 3G formats, including 1080/60p and 4:4:4 24p. In addition, the HDK-95C is 4K-ready with the Ikegami BS-98 4K Multi-format Base Station.

The one-piece HDL-57 provides superb picture quality in a very small device with low power consumption.  This POV camera model uses the same CMOS sensors and Ikegami digital processing for matching pictures with Unicam HD cameras, including the HDK-95C.  Complete control is available utilizing the same network control system as the studio cameras.

Ikegami’s well-known commitment to customer support has been integral to SNY’s experience. “The service we received has been extremely valuable – that was definitely a factor in our purchase of Ikegami cameras,” Hayne notes. “Their engineering staff accept our calls 24/7 – support-wise, they’ve been nothing but spectacular.”

 The Ikegami HDK-95C and HDL-57 cameras at SNY play a key role in keeping a top NYC sports network one step ahead.

“Our goal is always to raise the bar that much higher,” Hayne says. “Broadcast is a time-sensitive business, whether you’re in news, sports, or anything else. We don’t have time for anyone except vendors that deliver on their promises – when it comes to our cameras, Ikegami was the right choice.”