Entertainment Technology News

Following trials at a series of recent sports events in South Africa, Camera Corps has chosen IBC 2009 as the launch venue for a self-illuminating version of its Q-Ball all-weather robotic camera head. Designed primarily for commentator-camera applications, the new Q-Lite option is a multi-element LED ring luminaire which generates a powerful but non-glare soft light to illuminate a presenter.

"Q-Ball has only been on the market a matter of weeks yet has already generated huge demand from all round the world," comments Laurie Frost, founder and Managing Director of Shepperton-based Camera Corps. "Q-Lite can be mounted on any existing Q-Ball to provide brightly illuminated images from traditionally dark locations such as sports or stage-side commentary boxes. LED lighting is tremendously efficient and does not waste energy projecting heat onto the commentator's face."

Camera Corps' Q-Ball is a full dual-mode robotic colour camera with high-precision pan and tilt, 10:1 zoom optics and infra-red night-vision capability, all housed in a robust 115 mm diameter sphere machined from solid aluminium. Pan and tilt can be operated at any speed from 4 seconds to 20 minutes per revolution through an unlimited number of turns. Integral high-precision low-noise motors allow the camera to be repositioned smoothly during live shooting rather than merely between shots.

Designed to allow rapid exterior or interior rigging and de-rigging, the Q-Ball weighs 1.3 kg including mounting shaft and can be operated at any angle. The integral camera incorporates a 1/3 inch 2 megapixel 16:9 CMOS sensor delivering 1080i/720p HD or 625/525 SD, both at 50 or 59.94 Hz and in 16:9 or 4:3 aspect ratio. Signal-to-noise ratio is >50 dB. Focus can be controlled manually or automatically.

The Q-Ball is fully compatible with Camera Corps' range of pan/tilt and CCU controllers. Its interface delivers up to four channels of audio embedded into the SDI feed. It operates from a 9 to 18 V DC power supply. The machined-aluminium casing is available pre-painted to match any required colour scheme, including jungle camouflage.

Camera Corps specialises in providing high-volume support services for reality television programmes as well as very large-scale sports events. The company has achieved a pre-eminent reputation for its ability to acquire exciting and unusual television content from exceptionally challenging environments. Its ever-growing arsenal includes high-level cranes, HD and SD motorised tracking cameras, underwater cameras, bullseye-mounted archery target cameras and fire-proofed high-temperature cameras. The Camera Corps team expands during large-scale events from 10 full-time staff based at Shepperton Studios to as many as 200 specialists, including highly-skilled rock climbers able to establish camera positions in almost any location.

Accompanying 300 DPI JPEG images shows the Camera Corps Q-Ball with Q-Lite option during pre-launch trials in South Africa.

About Camera Corps: Visit  www.cameracorps.co.uk

Camera Corps is exhibiting with Polecam on stand 10.C49 at IBC 2009, Amsterdam