Camera Corps reports very strong interest in its expanded range of ultra-compact remotely controlled television production equipment at the recent Broadcast Video Expo show in London. Center of attention on the company’s stand was the RF Q-Ball wireless pan/tilt/zoom camera, a new addition to the Camera Corps rental fleet.
“The original Q-Ball had a dramatic impact on television production when it was introduced at the 2009 NAB Show,” comments Camera Corps’ Sales & Project Co-ordinator Dan Jarmany. “It made remotely controlled broadcast production cameras easy to transport, install and operate, not just inside studios but outdoors in practically any climate. RF Q-Ball, makes installation even easier as no cables are needed to carry guidance signals to the remote head or to bring the HD-SDI video and audio video back into the control room.
“BVE visitors very quickly picked up on the advantages RF Q-Ball provides. One example is outside broadcasting from major public venues where there are restrictions on attaching cable support fittings to the structural fabric of listed buildings. Another is in sports coverage where an additional camera is needed in a difficult location at short notice and the crew doesn’t have time to run cables over or under an arena or race-track.
“RF Q-Ball also attracted interest from wildlife programme-makers both for the speed with which it can be installed plus the very low noise and high mechanical precision of the pan/tilt/zoom/focus drives. The camera head and transmitter can be operated for up to 8 hours from batteries if no mains power supply is within immediate reach. Transmission range is over a mile which is more than sufficient for all normal purposes.
“With the same DVD-sized spherical housing as the original Q-Ball and the more recently announced Q-Ball Preset, RF Q-Ball is much easier to conceal than traditional television production cameras. The camera head can be mounted directly to the transmitter or connected by cable. Standard finish is in black to minimise visibility if located within view of other cameras.”
“BVE 2013 generated a very healthy level of new rental and sales leads,” adds Camera Corps’ Equipment Manager Neil Ashworth. “Visitor numbers to our stand were higher than at IBC 2012 and the market is evidently much more buoyant now than during the weeks immediately after the 2012 London Olympics. BVE’s new Docklands venue is definitely an improvement on the event’s former Earls Court site.
“This year’s show attracted an unexpectedly high proportion of attendees from the European mainland plus even a few from the Middle East and India. We gave demonstrations to a wide range of existing and potential clients including UK broadcasters, reality show producers and specialist programme makers from the expanding medical documentary sector; Q-Ball’s combination of high image definition, compactness and full remote control are ideal for use in operating theatres.”
“Our attention now turns to the 8-11 April NAB Show in Las Vegas where RF Q-Ball will be launched as a hire-only product,” states Camera Corps’ founder and Managing Director Laurie Frost. “Over the four years since the original Q-Ball was introduced, it has made remotely controlled television systems accessible across a a very wide range of applications. Q-Ball opens up wide range of creative opportunities and offers huge advantages in terms of production efficiency.”
Camera Corps’ Q-Ball, Q-Ball Pre-Set and RF Q-Ball are ultra-compact remotely-controlled cameras with integral 10-times zoom optical lens and smooth-accelerating pan/tilt motors. Housed in a robust 120 millimetre (4.5 inch) diameter aluminium sphere, each camera head has a 2 megapixel CMOS sensor and is capable of operating in daylight or infra-red illumination. The camera delivers 1080i/720p high definition or 625/525 standard definition at 50 or 59.94 Hz refresh rates.
RF Q-Ball enables up to 96 Q-Ball and/or MiniZoom cameras to be operated via a single data transmitter attached to a standard Camera Corps RCP remote control panel or Joystick panel. The entire system is waterproofed for use in all weather. Antennas can optionally be coupled via extension cables.
Camera Corps will be represented at the 2013 NAB Show by Laurie Frost (Managing Director), Jim Daniels (Technical Director), Jeff White (Design & Development Engineer) and Neil Ashworth (Equipment Manager).
Resources:
