Take One Film & Video (Hendersonville, TN) provided design and system integration services for the upgrade.
To support its transition to HD and ultimately 4K live production of weekly worship services, Long Hollow Baptist Church (Hendersonville, TN) invested in seven Panasonic AK-UC4000 4K/HD/HDR studio camera systems, as well as an AW-UE150 4K/HD pan/tilt/zoom camera and two PT-RQ22KU 4K+ large-venue laser projectors.
Take One Film & Video (Hendersonville, TN) provided design and system integration services for the upgrade.
Long Hollow’s 42,300+ sq.ft. venue—its broadcast campus--houses the main sanctuary, which can hold up to 2600 people. This location’s 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sunday services are broadcast live to a satellite campus in Gallatin, TN, as well as to Facebook Live and the church’s web site -- https://longhollow.com/. Entire worship services and the pastor’s messages are available on-demand on the site as well.
Tyler Hirth, Long Hollow’s Production Manager, said, “This upgrade was long overdue, with our prior SD gear really aging out. With the imperative to put entire services online--live and for VOD--the standard-definition video looked poor, at best. Also, our new system needed to be robust and flexible enough to support the many conferences and events we host in our worship center.”
“The UC4000 could deliver superb HD production now, with a streamlined path to eventual 4K HDR video capture,” Hirth added.
Chad Hall, President/CEO, Take One Film & Video, said, “We conducted a camera shoot-out, and while we could conclude there are several capable studio cameras out there, it was only the UC4000 that could provide a seamless upgrade to 4K HDR with no requirement to purchase additional hardware or licenses. Couple that with the camera’s complete compatibility with the UE150 and the projectors, and Panasonic provided the only turnkey 4K solution.”
In terms of camera placement in the sanctuary, three AK-UC4000s reside on tripods in the house, two are used handheld on the stage, one operates on a jib in the house, and the last is used as a roaming camera to produce bumps/intros/outros for on-line use. The AW-UE150 provides a life-size lock-down shot of the pastor that is transmitted to the Gallatin campus during the sermon. The PT-RQ22KU projectors are positioned in the house to transmit to two 21’ by 12’ IMAG screens. Long Hollow’s current production format is 1080/60p.
Hall noted, “I’m a camera shader by trade, and I’ve suggested that the church take full advantage of the UC4000’s Dynamic Range Stretch (DRS) function, which--given the worship services’ LED walls, high brights, dark areas and overall concert feel—is delivering tremendous detail in the darks and mitigating hotter spots. It looks amazing.”
Hirth said that the church’s predominantly volunteer staff of camera operators had an easy learning curve with the AK-UC4000s. “Focus had been a real issue with our old equipment, but that was quickly remedied by the UC4000’s several focus assist functions.”
He added that Long Hollow’s in-house congregations have commented on a much-improved worship experience since the Panasonic equipment was installed in early summer, and that streaming and on-demand video were both “dramatically improved.”
About the AK-UC4000 4K Camera System
The AK-UC4000 studio camera joins the current AK-UC3000 4K HDR capable-camera and the AK-HC5000 1080p 4x high-speed HDR capable-system in Panasonic’s camera systems line, bringing together the features of both and raising the bar for 4K HDR performance and future-proof infrastructure. The AK-UC4000 utilizes LSSIEL optics to capture 4.4K native resolution improving the UHD resolution (more than 2000 TV lines, both horizontal and vertical), dynamic range and S/N ratio (62dB) over the UC3000. It maintains the same broadcast lens compatibility and operation and keeps the same camera form factor--matching or surpassing the best performing 4K HDR B4-mount cameras on the market.
The AW-UE150 Pan/Tilt/Zoom Camera
This new flagship model PTZ features 4K/UHD 60p output and a wide horizontally viewing angle of 75.1 degrees (both firsts in their class), plus a 20x optical zoom/32x intelligent zoom (in HD mode).The UE150 is equipped with a large 1” MOS sensor and various 4K interfaces including 12G-SDI, HDMI, optical fiber and IP connectivity. The camera simultaneous outputs 4K and HD, assuring the right output for the production. The camera teams with the AW-RP150, a new touchscreen camera controller. Offering a 7” GUI LCD screen for monitoring and menu settings, the controller offers intuitive, single-hand operability with a joystick (with a seesaw lever for zoom or focus control).
About the PT-RQ22KU 4K+ Laser Projector
Compact and filterless, the PT-RQ22KU 20,000 lumen, 4K+ Solid Shine Laser Projector provides stunning image quality in a compact body designed for large venues. Key features include lamp-free laser projection with a dust resistant liquid cooling system yielding 20,000 hours of free maintenance, 5K pixel performance with a quad pixel drive system on a WQXGA chipset, 240Hz high frame rate for superb and sharp motion pictures and a 20,000:1 contrast ratio, Geometric Manager Pro, color matching and multiple screens edge blending, an exchangeable lens, 24/7 operation, geometric adjustment and 360° flexible installation.
About Panasonic System Solutions Company of North America
Panasonic System Solutions Company of North America, a division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, delivers game-changing technology solutions that deliver customized experiences to drive better outcomes—for our customers and our customers’ customers. Panasonic designs and manufactures reliable, flexible and dependable products and solutions to help create, capture and deliver information of all types, especially where, when and how it is needed. The complete suite of Panasonic professional solutions for government and commercial enterprises of all sizes addresses unified business communications, mobile computing, security and surveillance, retail point-of-sale, office productivity, audio and visual systems (projectors, displays & digital signage) and professional video production. To learn more and Panasonic’s business products and solutions visit https://na.panasonic.com.
About Panasonic Corporation of North America
Newark, NJ-based Panasonic Corporation of North America is committed to creating a better life and a better world by enabling its business-to-business customers through innovations in Sustainable Energy, Immersive Entertainment, Integrated Supply Chains and Mobility Solutions. The company is the principal North American subsidiary of Osaka, Japan-based Panasonic Corporation. One of Interbrand’s Top 100 Best Global Brands of 2018, Panasonic is a leading technology partner and integrator to businesses, government agencies and consumers across the region. Learn more about Panasonic’s ideas and innovations at www.na.panasonic.com/us.