AJA extended its reach into HDR production workflows with the announcement at NAB 2018 of an HDR Image Analyzer.
The HDR Image Analyzer is, like the FS HDR converter introduced last year, a collaboration between AJA and Colorfront, which is exclusively licensing its HDR Image Analyzer software to AJA.
AJA HDR Image Analyzer
According to AJA President Nick Rashby, the HDR Image Analyzer will offer waveform, histogram and vectorscope monitoring for HDR, supporting up to 4K 60p video over 4x 3S-SDI. Supported formats for analysis include SDR (Rec. 709), ST2084/PQ and HLG, and color spaces developed by Arri, Canon, Panasonic, Red and Sony are built in.
“What could be even better than just creatin pictures is monitoring them and understanding what the picture is doing,” said Colorfront CEO Mark Jaszberenyi, who joined AJA’s press conference announcing the device. “We are delighted that AJA is doing it as a standalone tool for engineers and creatives — colorists, editors and cinematographers.”
The HDR Image Analyzer is technically being described as a “tech preview,” but AJA has a live demo in its NAB booth, and Rashby said, “We expect this to be shipping very soon.”
Also new on the HDR front at AJA is a major update to the FS-HDR converter and frame synchronizer. Firmware v2.5 adds support for new BBC HLG look-up tables that allow the easy application of new HDR looks based on the BBC’s HLG LUTs.
The device’s monitor output can now be repurposed as a 2K or HD output mode in HDR or SDR that operates simultaneously with 4K/UHD output. And the FS-HDR will now support the Tangent Element Kb panel control surface, as well as some new HDR test patterns.
The new firmware is expected in June as a free download for existing users. The FS-HDR has a $7,995 MSRP.
AJA: www.aja.com
