Chapter 3 The Video Camera and Support Equipment
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charge coupled device (CCD), or chip. There are hundreds of thousands of
photosensitive elements on one side of the dime-sized CCD that convert
light into an electronic, or video, signal. The electronic signal created by each
photosensitive element varies, depending on the intensity and color of light
that hits individual elements. The video signal passes through to the oppo-
site side of the CCD and enters the rest of the camera. Professional cameras
contain three CCDs—one for each colored light beam (red, green, and blue).
Low cost cameras have only one CCD, which produces video that is consid-
erably lower in quality than a professional camera.
charge coupled device
(CCD): A component of the
camera head into which light
enters and is converted into
an electronic, or video, signal.
The video signal exits on the
opposite side of the CCD and
enters the rest of the camera.
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Lens
Viewfinder
Camera head
Figure 3-9. Even a
convertible camera, which
may be configured either
as a studio camera or
a remote camera, has
the same basic three
components as other types
of video cameras.
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Figure 3-10. The prism
block splits incoming light
into three distinct beams
(blue, red, and green) and
sends each beam to a
separate, dedicated CCD.