combination of needing fewer camera operators, an increased demand for events to have a virtual element and the huge
newsroom, for instance, it used to be that the main broadcast studio was large enough to accommodate several studio cameras. Now, partly as a result of advances in PTZ quality, the industry has shifted to smaller spaces. “Think of a music festival such as Glastonbury, where aerial wire cams are not allowed due to health and safety reasons,” adds Recardo. “Even cherry pickers are restricted in their placement. But you can pop a PTZ anywhere, requiring just a cable for remote control.” PTZs are also firmly finding a home in sports. Host coverage of Wimbledon featured as many as 46 robotic PTZ cams this year, including some in never-before-seen places such as at the players’ arrival area. In motorsport, PTZs have replaced wireless cameras and their operators in the pit lane, to give unprecedented coverage of tyre changes without interfering or compromising on safety. The small size and discreet placement of PTZs have been a staple of fixed-rig reality TV shows like Love Island for years, and remain a key component of such productions. A key benefit is that participants tend to act more naturally, as the unmanned cameras blend into the background. “Remote production allows teams to work from different locations while still collaborating and producing high-quality content, which led to the development of cloud-based production systems – enabling operators to control PTZ cameras remotely from anywhere with an internet connection,” notes Recardo. “Even if you’re not delivering content in 4K, the advantage of
flexibility and creativity provided by PTZ cameras means this technology is becoming a go-to for broadcast TV and live events producers. “There’s no stopping the rise and rise of PTZ cameras – and there’s a number of things driving demand,” says Mat Recardo, technical services supervisor at CVP. “The clue is in the name. Rather than just static views, with pan-tilt-zoom cameras, producers can achieve versatile coverage on a budget without need for dedicated operators on each camera.” DIVERSE DEPLOYMENT With physical space at a premium, PTZs are also being employed in a wider variety of applications. In the
QUIET OPERATION Sony’s premium PTZ line-up captures broadcast-quality images smoothly, silently and with excellent low-light sensitivity. This range is ideal for applications including broadcasting, events and houses of worship. Sony also covers the corporate and education environments with its other PTZ collections
capturing at the higher resolution is being able to crop in 100% and pull an HD picture out, to reframe on the fly,” continues Recardo. “That’s great in sports production, for example, where multiple images can be extracted from a higher-resolution source to open up coverage of many more matches.” ON AUTOPILOT The integration of AI auto-tracking with PTZ camera technology creates wonderfully smooth, accurate camera movements that effectively resemble human control. “People need auto-tracking PTZ cameras, not only to track smoothly and accurately, but also to be able to switch target, lock target, adjust the zoom size or preset the target position,” Recardo explains. “These functions can customise the tracking route and performance so that users can better present the target in a livestreaming event.” The Canon CR range, for instance, features remarkably versatile auto- tracking functions, enabling you to specify the size of the area you want to track. These settings are offered as a licence, too, so you don’t need to pay for them if you don’t need them. With new, AI-enabled PTZOptics Move cameras, customers can use PTZ joystick controllers in fresh and interesting ways. For example, clients using PTZOptics Superjoy controllers are able to toggle auto-tracking on and off while switching between manually controlling different cameras. Get ahead of the curve and check out the latest offerings in PTZ from the likes of Panasonic, Canon, Sony, Birddog and PTZOptics at cvp.com
Since their launch in 2008, Panasonic’s range of PTZs have been the number one remote-operation cameras for the world’s broadcasters, remote educators and live event streamers. They are designed with image quality, speed of implementation, reliability and industry- standard interoperability at their core. It’s fair to say that Panasonic has asserted itself as the beating heart of the PTZ movement – having celebrated 15 years of PTZs this year. But what are some of the features that set Panasonic’s range apart? • Professional-grade pan-tilt-zoom optics in various applications • A single cable for power, control, video and audio • Flexible installation options • IP access and control • Multicam network operation for up to 200 cameras • Optional presenter auto-tracking software over IP • Pro video outputs and connectivity • IP64-rated outdoor options In just 15 short years, more than 250,000 Panasonic PTZ cameras have been sold globally, marking them out as a clear mover and shaker in the field. 15 YEARS OF LEADING THE WAY
CREAM OF THE CROP Birddog’s P4K PTZ is the real deal. With a huge, one-inch Sony Exmor R CMOS backlit sensor, the P4K’s 14.4 million effective pixels deliver stunning pictures in 4K resolution and using full-bandwidth NDI. Excellent light sensitivity makes the P4K perfect for all broadcast scenarios
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