Sony Electronics has released a new display series and released a free firmware update version 1.2 and a plugin for the Spatial Reality Display. Get caught up on the company's busy week.
Introducing the New Crystal LED VERONA Virtual Production Focused LED Displays
Sony is unveiling four new Crystal LED displays under the product name VERONA. The displays are purpose-built to meet the needs of virtual production applications. Each new panel benefits from technology advancements developed over several years and supported by the guidance of filmmakers, with the goal of bringing new levels of quality and efficiency to in-camera VFX applications.
Key to this was the development of a new Deep Black and Anti-Reflection Surface Technology, able to deliver deeper black-level expression while reducing contrast loss caused by light from adjacent LED panels and studio lighting equipment. This innovative technology significantly reduces the difference in contrast between the image projected on the LED display and the actor(s) performing in front of it on set—blending virtual and real in a natural way, reducing time and cost required for post-shooting adjustments.
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In addition to the extraordinary black levels and low reflection, VERONA achieves a high brightness of 1,500 cd/m2 and wide color gamut covering more than 97% of DCI-P3 to increase the sense of realism of virtual shooting locations. It also employs high performance LED drivers, which enable high refresh rates up to 7,680Hz, to drastically reduce scanline artifacts on the camera. Both new models, the ZRD-VP15EB/23EB and ZRD-VP15EM/23EM, are available in P1.56mm and P2.31mm pixel pitch.
“As virtual production expands, Sony is uniquely positioned to provide an ecosystem of solutions— from our VENICE digital cinema cameras and Crystal LED displays—to the workflows, and expertise creatives require,” said Kevin O’Connor, senior director, cinematic production solutions, Sony Electronics. “The new purpose-built Crystal LED VERONA displays are a critical piece in creating virtual productions that frictionlessly marry the real and the virtual realms. Through the support of some of the most innovative filmmakers, we’ve developed a new high-quality technology that is poised to simplify and enhance virtual production through its ease of use and compatibility while enabling powerful new forms of expression.”
VERONA has been designed to work with virtual production LED controllers. The ZRD-VP15EB/23EB works with Brompton Technology’s Tessera SX40, and the ZRD-VP15EM/23EM works with Megapixel’s HELIOS Processing Platform.
The new ZRD-VP15EB model also sees a roughly 27% power consumption decrease when compared to the current ZRD-B15A model.
Sony Electronics Releases Free Firmware Update and Plug-in
The new firmware adds functions to optimize the image quality and performance of the ELF-SR2. Additionally, a plugin for ELF-SR2 and ELF-SR1, Spatial Reality Display Plugin for Preview, offers compatibility with Autodesk Maya, a 3D computer graphics application. With the release of the firmware update and the plugin, the Spatial Reality Display has enhanced its toolset to further accelerate creative work and provide increased support for presentations and meetings.
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Highlights of the firmware update for the ELF-SR2 include:
- Graphics processing setting options that prioritize either quality or performance, which reduce the graphics processing unit (GPU) load while still providing a consistent display experience.
- Usage environment setting to modify the eye recognition algorithm to suit needs.
- Viewer switching which enables two viewers to select and toggle between the preferred subject for eye recognition.
- Crosstalk adjustment to enable optimum image quality, based on user preference, minimizing the perceived blending of each eye’s visual to allow more accurate and immersive 3D images.
- Improved stability with motion prediction added to eye recognition and reduction in screen flicker often associated with dark environments.
- Super-resolution processing optimization to enhance image quality and enable the display of stereoscopic images with an even higher sense of definition.
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The new plugin for ELF-SR2 and ELF-SR1 adds:
- Compatibility with Digital Content Creation (DCC) tools, including Autodesk Maya.
- The ability to preview 3D computer graphics (3DCG) creations natively, without the need for glasses.
