The full-reatured, all-in-one portable design of the Silicon Imaging SI-2K combines a digital cinema class 2048x1152 resolution camera head, IRIDAS color-management technology, and the power of CineForm RAW™, to deliver a direct-to-disk raw recording platform with unprecedented image quality and shooting flexibility. It's low-noise, high-dynamic range images, with over 11 f-stops of dynamic range via an on-chip 12-bit A/D converter, are freely manipulatable with user-generated IRIDAS .look files, creating a "blank-slate" for the cinematographer to freely express his or her vision. IT-friendly connectivity through integrated 802.11g wireless access, Touchscreen interface, Anton-Bauer battery-powered operation, and up to 4-hours of continuous shooting on a 160GB notebook hard drive round out an impressive array of digital cinema firsts in the industry.

Direct in-camera integration of SiliconDVR places a powerful interface feature-set with ease-of-use capabilities that can't be found anywhere else on the market. Furthermore, it's software-driven architecture ensures feature upgradability and new feature integration that no other firmware-based camera system on the market can compete with.

It's large, legible touchscreen-driven interface places the key controls at the fingertips of the camera operator while also enabling full custom functionality without an endless array of step-down menus that typically control camera systems. The Silicon DVR interface is designed to get what you want fast, and features an extensive array of utilities to analyze the incoming camera RAW data to get the best picture possible. Items like per-channel histograms, center zoom modes, an exposure-based zone system display, edge-enhanced focus aids, spot meters, separate view LUT's, and an on-screen 4x loupe are among a number of features that the SiliconDVR interface features to put the cinematographer in complete control of their image. Other enhancements such as a full-screen mode, and full-screen dual-monitor support with independent full-resolution real-time displays, allow for integration with standard HD-SDI on-set systems while allowing the camera operator to display only the most critical information in their viewfinder for unobstructed use and minimal clutter. The direct-to-disk recording and full-resolution instant playback functionality of SiliconDVR allows the director to see the results of a shot immediately after recording, and the integrated timeline functionality provides access to any portion of a clip for critical shot review.

The Silicon Imaging SI-2K uses a single large 16:9 format 2/3” CMOS sensor, with it's design enabling the use of lower-cost 16mm film-style lenses, eliminating the optical aberrations caused by a 3-chip prism assembly. Shooting flexibility is enhanced with its interchangeable optical assembly, supporting the use of high-quality modern cinema PL-mount lenses as well as affordable and compact C-mount lenses. The integral support for 15mm lightweight rods and direct attachment of 19mm ARRI style bridge-plate adapters make the SI-2K an ideal platform for the latest in follow-focus attachments, matte boxes, and other cinema-style gear and accessories. An industry standard, Anton-Bauer Gold-Mount is used for battery power and portable operation. For situations too extreme or space-limited for the camera operator to maintain direct physical operation, the SI-2K features the ability to remotely tether the camera head via gigabit ethernet over long distances while maintaining full control of the camera. The separable camera head's built-in power regulator allows battery operation from 5-17VDC with a miniscule 6W of power consumption. For very long distances, off-the-shelf fiber optic converters can be added to extend distances past the threshold of copper-based gigabit.

The SI-2K captures full resolution, DCI-compliant 2K and 1920 x 1080 progressive-scan 12-bit raw images for use in both digital cinema projection and HD television or optical disk environments. It uses Silicon Imaging's proprietary 48-bit digital processing algorithms to perform adaptive pixel-by-pixel black calibration and color image enhancement.

With IRIDAS's color management technology integrated into SI-2K system, any possible look in the creative mind of the cinematographer can be lensed with the camera. Furthermore looks are embedded right into the recorded AVI or Quicktime file, meaning there is no need to re-create looks created on-set again in post. With an extensive array of primary and secondary color correction control, Iridas' Speedgrade On-set allows the cinematographer to create their own unique non-destructive "virtual looks" that can be instantly loaded into the camera and utilized. No longer are cinematographers limited to the colorimetry of the camera, or the translation process from on-set to the DI suite. For the first time, the full metadata-managed pipeline of the SI-2K with Iridas color-management technology allows the D.P.'s vision to extend uninhibited from on-set to the cinema screen.

Powered by the latest in embedded Intel Core Duo 2™ processor technology, the SI-2K is able to abandon fixed bit-rate DCT codec recording formats, such as DVCPRO HD and HDCAM-SR, for advanced wavelet compression technology from industry leading CineForm. Together, CineForm and Silicon Imaging have extended the acclaimed CineForm Intermediate format for in-camera recording of RAW bayer sensor data in a low-compression, 10-bit wavelet codec.

RAW digital information from the camera’s sensor is recorded directly into the CineForm RAW™ format, which leverages CineForm’s respected Visually Perfect™ wavelet compression technology. Recording in the CineForm RAW™ Digital Intermediate format records a "digital negative" direct-to-disk, preserving the full dynamic range and per-pixel sensor data in the codec. This technique gives the producer/director the added flexibility to develop these "digital negatives" in post, rather than being forced to make non-reversible decisions and apply camera adjustments on set. It also eliminates the YUV conversion steps on most 3-chip cameras, which unnecessarily expand the data by 300% before encoding. Recording raw sensor data results in higher detail and dynamic range for the same or smaller file size.

Standard 2K and 1080P resolutions can be recorded at up to 30fps. Special Effects and off-speed shooting modes include a variety of overcranking and undercranking options. Slow-Motion shots can be captured at speeds up to 72fps in 720P mode, 3-times the nominal 24P film rate. Long-duration events are captured using the time-lapse recording feature or using the long exposure mode, which accumulates light over several frame times to exaggerate motion for streak-style effects.

Using the built-in wireless IP connectivity and the file-sharing tools of Windows XP, there are new possibilities for on-set collaboration. As each shot is taken, it is now possible to immediately begin editing and compositing with an Adobe Production Studio and CineForm Prospect-HD workstation, connected to the camera over WLAN. One can also simply remove the hard drive magazine and edit the content directly from the disc on another portable laptop or workstation while recording happens on a second drive.  Play 10-bit CineForm RAW™ AVI and Quicktime footage in Microsoft Windows Media™ Player and Apple's Quicktime Player, add metadata with Adobe Bridge™, edit in Adobe Premiere Pro™ and Final Cut, or composite in Adobe After Effects™; all without a time consuming ingest and "development" process that other RAW workflows demand. After the edit is complete, high-end finishing and DI work can then be seamlessly accomplished in IRIDAS Speedgrade DI for real-time post processing and digital cinema color-correction all in a non-destructive 32-bit floating point environment.

The CineForm RAW™ Digital Intermediate codec enables editing and effects to be done in real-time at the user's demand without the hefty cost penalty of high-bandwidth RAID arrays and post gear traditionally associated with 10-bit uncompressed HD workflows. Combine Digital Intermediate AVI and Quicktime files with other YUV or HDV sources on the same timeline and perform real-time editing of up to 4 1080/24p HD streams, without dropped frames or the need to render. On output, select from a variety of advanced demosaic algorithms that adaptively process the RAW bayer data for the highest quality output to film, HD-SDI, HD-DVD, H.264, or Microsoft Windows Media High Definition Video (WMV HD) Format.