The HDC-1500 portable camera utilises advanced HD Digital Signal Processing with 14 bit A/D converters. It also incorporates a newly developed CCD imager that creates images in either 1080 50 or 60 frame progressive or 1080 50 or 60 field interlace frame rates, depending on desired final system output. The new CCD and DSP LSI are two key devices that allow stunning image creation in a variety of scanning modes. The new camera system accommodates all popular interlace and progressive scan formats including 1080/50, 1080/24P as well as the highest-quality 720/50P images.

The HDC-1500 camera provides digital transmission using SMPTE standard fibre optic cable to transmit high-quality digital data over long distances. The camera also provides two HD SDI outputs and one digitally down-converted SDI or analogue composite output. In addition, viewfinder signals with characters can be output from the SDI output connector, giving camera operators additional convenience. Furthermore, when in 24P operation, the built-in 2-3 pull-down function of the HDC-1500 enables 60i down-converted SD signals to be output on a standard SD monitor - a capability that also minimises the flicker that generally occurs on the viewfinder.

The HDC-1500, if required, can be operated in a triax environment utislising the HDTX-100 triax adapter.