Perhaps no other piece of equipment exemplifies video production like the video camera does. It is, in many ways, the symbol of video production, and most video work begins with raw images, captured and recorded onto tape or computer disk by the video camera.

A wide variety of cameras are available for video production, ranging in price from under $1,000 to more than $100,000. Some are intended for use exclusively in the studio, while others are designed for field use. Many cameras are designed to be adaptable to either type of production environment. All cameras, however, perform the same basic function: transducing, or converting physical energy in the form of light waves into electrical signals. What happens to these signals after they leave the camera will be discussed in later chapters, as this process varies according to the production situation. In studio productions, the output of one or more cameras is routed through a switcher (see Chapter 9) and then broadcast live or recorded onto either tape or computer media (see Chapters 10 and 13). In field work, the signal is recorded directly onto tape or other media (see Chapter 10) and then edited (see Chapter 11).

This chapter introduces the basic function and operation of the video camera and its integral lens and mounting systems. Like any piece of production equipment, the video camera is a tool, and using that tool to its greatest functional and creative potential requires an understanding of both disciplines and techniques, including not only how to operate the tool but the underlying principles that make the tool work. As you read this chapter, you should firmly grasp the following topics:

• Basic scanning processes and signal differences between NTSC and ATSC formats (5.1)
• The role of hue, saturation, and luminance in creating video color (5.2)
• The color video system and how it works, including how the camera produces video signals (5.2)
• Lens characteristics and principles of lens operation (5.3)
• The theory and operation of zoom lenses (5.4)
• Camera controls and how they are used (5.5)
• Camera mounting equipment and how it is used to create shots (5.6)
• Basic fields of view (camera shots) (5.7)
• Basic principles of picture composition, including framing, headroom, angle of elevation, and balance for standard definition and high definition (5.8)
• Production techniques of camera operation (5.9)