Making it a first for the NFL, Fox will be using six Sony 4K cameras to capture the Super Bowl later today which will see Peyton Manning crush the Seahawks (yes I had to get that in there). Specifically, Fox will be utilizing the Sony F55s and F65 by placing two on the sidelines, two on the goal lines, and two on the end lines to enhance the networks “Super Zoom” feature. Traditionally, Fox has relied on their cameramen to zoom in on a specific action or event by using the cameras optical lens. With the extra resolution that 4K has to offer, Fox will instead be able to crop what they need, insuring that no play or detail will be missed with just a wide shot. Jerry Steinberg, Fox’s senior vice president of operations:

 It allows us to do an electronic zoom and maintain resolution 

Steinberg went on to say:

 It’s all about the clarity of the replay and giving viewers the best possible look at a play, and that’s what we can do with these cameras. Since we’re starting with such a high-resolution image, we can zoom in multiple times on a shot and still get a completely clear picture with zero pixel degradation. You see everything in extreme detail, in fact with an extra amount of detail you wouldn’t see in a traditional replay. 

Does this mean that those with a 4K set can catch the live event in 4K?

Unfortunately not. Despite the coming of 4K, Fox is only using the extra resolution to enhance their playback sequences and that the game will still be broadcasted in 720p. Yes, not even 1080i or 1080p. That means that if you own a 4K television, the best you can hope for is the built-in up conversion technology that your set has to offer. Steinberg also doesn’t believe that 4K broadcast will be coming anytime soon.

 As a specialty tool in that application, [4k] works well. As a broadcast technology, I think it’s very far away. 

While I accept and am not surprised that there won’t likely be 4K broadcast for some time to come, the fact that Fox will broadcast the Super Bowl, let alone all of their NFL games in 720p is pretty outrageous for 2014. As technology continues to advance with the advent of Retina Displays and 4K televisions and monitors, it seems like more than ever, the internet will be our salvation for the quality that we seek. In edition to the six Sony 4K cameras, Fox will also be utilizing more than 100 HD 1080p Sony broadcast cameras for todays broadcast of Super Bowl XLVIII.

Discuss:

Do you find 720p acceptable or is anything less than 1080p unacceptable?

[Via Sony]