November 2013 www.tvbeurope.com


Freefly Systems’ Movi 10 stabiliser will carry up to 5kg and costs $15,000 for a complete rig


TVBEurope 21


Motion-control magic to multiglider sliders IBC Wrap-Up


David Fox looks back to the IBC show, providing a review of the major camera support product launches at the event


SMOOTH CONTROLLABLE movement at a low price is such an attractive feature that when a New Zealand start-up sought support for a simple device that combines motion control with time-lapse photography, it became a huge success on Kickstarter, with thousands of pre-orders and all of its initial production run sold in advance. The Syrp Genie costs less than $1000 and uses a small base that can fit on a tripod or dolly for pan/tilt moves, or tracking using rope-driven linear movement, and is smaller, less complicated and less costly than existing systems. “In video mode, with the panning accessory attached, the Genie can perform perfectly smooth pans or tilts. When attached to a slider, the Genie will enable you to capture precise tracking shots that are otherwise impossible to get by hand,” said co-founder Ben Ryan. On a slider, it is driven by a simple rope attachment (using 3mm rope that comes in 10m, 50m or 100m lengths), which can pull at least 20kg along a track. This also means it can pull itself along on a skateboard or even a hand-made cable-cam for longer shots.


High-speed robotics The Bolt High-Speed Cinebot from Mark Roberts Motion Control is a particularly quick robotic camera crane designed for high-speed cameras that MRMC thinks will also shine in automated studios, such as newsrooms (thanks to being very quiet), as well as in sports venues. “We have other systems that


are faster, but this ramps up or down much quicker,” explained MRMC’s CEO Assaff Rawner. “It can go from stationary to move a metre and back to stationary in half a second.” It carries up to 15kg and its ability to interface with Canon and Fujinon digital broadcast lenses means all aspects of the motion can be integrated as part of its trajectory.


MRMC also has three new


Polycam software-controlled tracking systems for live sports production that allow multiple triangulated cameras and lenses to automatically track a point (or numerous points) of interest, simultaneously, in realtime, using a single control interface. The new BlackcamSystem B10 is claimed to be the world’s smallest professional remote controlled camera system on


tracks. The dolly and remote head measure just 18cmx14cmx10cm, weigh 2.3kg (plus miniature camera), and are quiet enough to be placed almost anywhere. The black anodised track


takes up little space, at 15cm wide and 3cm high, and can be linear or curved (with tight curves). The variable speed system can move at up to 1.5m per second.


Shotoku has a new ergonomic,


high-resolution Virtual Tracking pan and tilt head that will work with a wide range of camera and lens configurations. The SX-300VR promises “high-accuracy, realtime data output with absolutely no loss in manual performance.” Its Serial Position Interface


Up to speed: The Bolt High-Speed Cinebot rapidly accelerates and decelerates


allows it to do frame- synchronised high resolution data tracking, and it has the Viscam Fluid-Leaf Drag System for smooth, continuously adjustable pan and tilt drag with enhanced torque for improved operator control. It carries up to 38kg and, for realtime full 3D tracking, it can be used with one of Shotoku’s VR pedestals such as the TP-90. There is also a non-VR version, the SX-300. Egripment has introduced an Encoding Package for VR work that can be fitted to many of its support products, including cranes, remote heads, telescopic columns and camera tracking dollies. Camera cranes for VR- applications are usually expensive, but the company promises that the Encoding Package will deliver “high quality and reliable crane operation in a much more affordable price range.” Existing Egripment cranes, such as the TDT Crane Arm, the Scanner Classic Arm, the Scanner Elite Arm, and the Jan Jib System, can be upgraded with the package. The tracking interface


provides information obtained from all measured axes via Ethernet, allowing multiple systems to be operated on one network, and tracking data can be easily integrated with graphics software.


Virtually there: An encoded Egripment TDT3.0 ENC in use at TVN Poland


Aerial hot shots The new Shotover F1 is a compact six-axis gyro stabilised platform for use on helicopters,


on poles. Bradley has designed a clever joint that rotates in three axes to stabilise the camera for pan, tilt and roll, which means you can point the camera in any direction you like without drift. “It is manufactured entirely


VariZoom’s McKay takes Stealthy approach to camera support


watercraft or almost anything that moves. It has look down capability and can be used inverted, or right side up for multiple mounting options. It can be rigged quickly and accommodates a wide range of cameras and lenses. Its lightweight carbon fibre construction facilitates manoeuvrability (it pans 360º continuous, tilts +45 to -140º and rolls +-85º) and allows the F1 to ship as excess baggage on commercial flights. It is easily integrated onto a wide variety of mounting platforms, and uses fibre connections for 3GHz video feeds. It also features customisable graphics overlay for realtime operator feedback, auto or steerable horizon, inverted operation using auto- position detectors, and a choice of remote controlled polarised filter rotation, rain deflector and other accessories. GPS Geo pointing and auto tracking are also options. Bradley Engineering’s new


Gekko is a fast-reacting stabilised gimbal with remote control that can be used for aerial filming with small UAVs, on boats, cars or aircraft, and has its own battery for use with handheld cameras or cameras


from professional components, none of our parts come from the radio-controlled model aeroplane market, and none of the controls are plastic,” said company founder, David Bradley. The 1.4kg Gekko takes a payload of more than 10kg, so it can handle cameras of any size, from a GoPro to an ARRI Alexa. The cameras are fitted to a 200mm wide plate. There is a built-in CCU and


radio-operated remote control for the engineering set-up, gyros, motors and camera controls, including paint and racking. There is an optional upgrade to Bradley’s larger Gyro controller, which offers more ergonomic actions. An alternative method of


controlling drone cameras is offered by a new remote control pan-bar with adjustable fluid feel. The Drone-Bar “is a collaboration between Cartoni and Mo-Sys Technologies [and] is based on Cartoni fluid heads,” said Mo-Sys’ CEO Michael Geissler. The fluid damped pan bar connects to most RC camera gimbals (FreeFly, PhotoHigher, etc) commonly used with drones or UAVs. Drones “are gaining popularity and enabling new ways of filming. Those gimbals are under drones or also handheld like a Steadicam. In any case they need an additional camera operator, but those are now forced to use hobbyist-like radio control transmitters,” and this offers a professional alternative. He claimed that: “Some of the new breed of camera gimbal operators said


Like a dream: Genie


being demonstrated by Ryan at IBC


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