8K in focus at UHD Summit
November 7, 2023
By Chris Forrester
The annual 4K UHD Summit in Malaga, Spain (November 13th-16th) says that 8K is still very much on the agenda of its participants.
In particular Olivier Chiabodo, CEO at travel and conservation broadcast specialists The Explorers, and a speaker at the event, says that he expects China to have created an 8K high-resolution camera next year, and that will be 30 per cent cheaper than current high-quality models.
Chiabodo says that China already has companies working with UHD content and the Chinese boom in 8K is a reality and the Chinese industry is paving the way to become a world reference in the sector. “We have been working with them for a long time. In the next two or three years they can be the experts in 4K and 8K,” noted Chiabodo.
The Explorers is an active member of the UHD World Association in China and worldwide. UWA. with all its members, is developing a new high-quality standard in 4K and 8K that will be open source. The HDR Vivid and Audio Vivid standard will probably be one of the most widely used in the world in the near future, thanks to its quality and the fact that it’s free and open source.
Chiabodo does not rule out that the involvement of Chinese engineers in projects such as the one carried out by The Explorers which will lead them to develop equipment with the same features as those they currently used but at more affordable prices. “I am sure that in 2024 there will be a Chinese camera of the same quality as the one I use but 30 percent cheaper,” he stated.
The Explorers have been immersed in the recording of 8K content for some time since, as they showcased in the 2022 edition of the 4K HDR Summit. “8K is the future,” according to Chiabodo. “In five to ten years it will be the high-end format, it is the best quality that exists today.”