Founded in 1955, Eastview Christian Church usually hosts over 6,000 worshippers each week across two physical campuses – its main location in Normal, Illinois and a second site in Bloomington – and its online services. As video became increasingly important for both its in-person and internet-based worship experiences, the church purchased five SK-HD1800 cameras from Hitachi Kokusai Electric America, Ltd. (Hitachi Kokusai) to elevate the quality of its productions. The resulting improvements have proven even more valuable as COVID-19 gathering restrictions drive online attendance to levels far beyond their own congregation.

As Eastview’s previous cameras neared the end of their useful lifecycle, the church started looking for replacements that would bring both operational and visible benefits. “We had been running a mix of four or five professional-class cameras and smaller camcorders but only had CCUs and remote control on two of them, which made it challenging to dial them all in and rely on operators for iris and shading,” said Andy McGirr, associate pastor of technical arts at Eastview Christian Church. “There was also a growing realization of the importance of what’s being viewed online to the overall ministry of our church, and the significance of delivering high-quality streaming experiences.”