Grass Valley’s new LDX 180 is the company’s first purpose-built cinematic camera for live production environments. The LDX 180 is equipped with a 51.8MP 10K S35 global shutter CMOS sensor and a PL mount. Grass Vallet oversamples the 10K sensor to output a 4K image.
It was made specifically for fast-paced live production environments that want a more cinematic look with all the speed and precision of a broadcast camera.
Sony has had quite a few S35 sensor, PL mount live camera options available for many years, and we have also seen companies such as ARRI and RED venture into the live production space.
Traditional film settings, such as a frame rate of 24p and a reduced shutter angle, have been supported in previous versions of the LDX 100 Series. However, these settings are not always practical in live environments due to the fast-paced nature of such productions. As a result, the focus is shifting toward achieving a shallower depth of field, which is influenced by
both the lens’s focal length and the imager size.
In many shooting situations, even the smaller 2/3-inch imagers can produce a depth of field that is too shallow for practical use, while larger sensors often create an even shallower field, requiring extremely precise focusing
to avoid unwanted blur. Rather than relying solely on larger imagers, the most effective approach is to select cameras with imager sizes that are best suited to the specific requirements of the production.
One of the standout features is its global shutter operation, which is essential for certain shooting conditions, such as those encountered in LED wall and AR/VR applications. The global shutter technology prevents issues like motion blur, which is crucial in dynamic live production environments.
It is built on the existing LDX 100 Series camera platform, but features a brand-new Grass Valley-developed imager and Creative Grading capabilities. The in-house developed Xenios CMOS imager offers oversampled UHD resolution, while integration with Creative Grading allows for the impact of every shading adjustment to be seen in real time with graphical controls.
The LDX 180 integrates with existing LDX Series cameras such as the LDX 135 and LDX 150 to ensure consistent colorimetry and shared transmission within a single production. It also works seamlessly with XCU and NativeIP to provide options ranging from SDI to SMPTE ST 2110, fitting directly into existing live production workflows, eliminating additional integration complexity, and reducing setup time.
Built on Grass Valley’s Emmy-award-winning technology innovation and purpose-built for live production environments, the LDX 180 is claimed to be ideal for full cinematic productions using multiple LDX 180 cameras, or within hybrid productions utilizing a mix of LDX 135, 150, and 180 systems.
The LDX 180 supports all the features and capabilities found in other models within the LDX 100 Series. These include optional NativeIP operation and JPEG XS compression, which enhance both workflow efficiency and video quality. The LDX 180 also offers flexible licensing options, such as daily and perpetual licenses, ensuring that the camera setup can adapt to various production needs. Additionally, the camera is equipped with an NFC-based status display for easy monitoring, as well as a range of other advanced functions designed to meet the demands of live
production.
The camera offers HDR support, including HDR/SDR LUT processing: PQ, HLG, and S-Log3.
Price & Availability
The Grass Valley LDX 180 is scheduled to be available in the northern hemisphere summer. There is no indication of pricing.
