Panavision to Use Sony High-Definition TV Gear

Panavision, a Tarzana company that makes cameras and rents them to makers of movies and television shows, is going to use Sony Corp.’s high-definition television technology.

The development is expected to boost the visibility of Sony’s HDTV gear among professionals and pave the way for wider use of the evolving technology in Hollywood.

Panavision, which is privately held, announced that it would buy seven of the Japanese company’s high-resolution TV cameras and incorporate them into cameras using Panavision lenses, viewfinders and accessories. The price of the deal was not disclosed.

Electronics companies are racing to gain the edge in HDTV, which offers a picture far sharper than currently available. Various demonstration projects are in the works, but commercial HDTV has yet to arrive in this country.