Entertainment Technology News

Camera Corps Q-Ball Goes into Orbit at NAB 2009

By Laurie Frost and David Kirk
posted May 7, 2009, 09:19

Every exhibition has its outstanding success story - there is always one product that attracts visitors like wasps to a honeypot. At NAB in recent years it has been the Red camera. This time, it was Camera Corps' Q-Ball. The level of traffic visiting this exhibit was consistently heavy and very highly motivated by the concept of affordable multicam production with easy-to-use and affordable high-precision robotic point-of-view cameras.

With a diameter of only 115 mm (smaller than an audio CD), the Q-Ball consists of a full dual-mode colour camera, high-precision pan and tilt system, 10:1 zoom optics and infra-red night-vision capability, all under full remote control. Camera Corps co-exhibited with Polecam which naturally encouraged visitors from the sharp end of the programme production chain. The comments received from visitors were extremely encouraging.

The Q-Ball's price point brings an entire multicam system well within the budget of individual programme makers and even the smallest production companies. Remote-controlled multicam offers huge advantages over traditional studio and OB production by greatly increasing the number of main and POV cameras that can be operated by a given production crew.

Designed for exterior or interior use at any angle, Camera Corps' Q-Ball is fully compatible with the company's range of pan/tilt and CCU controllers. Pan and tilt can be operated at any speed from 4 seconds per cycle to 20 minutes per rotation through an unlimited number of turns with no visible stepping. Integral low-noise motors allow the camera to be repositioned smoothly during live shooting rather than merely between shots. The camera interface delivers up to four channels of audio embedded into the SDI feed.

Fast installation and de-rigging are central to the Q-Ball design. The camera is based on Camera Corps' HD MiniZoom which 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 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratio. Signal-to-noise ratio is >50 dB. Focus can be controlled manually or automatically. Housed in a robust fully weatherproof sphere machined from solid aluminium, the Q-Ball weighs 1.3 kg including mounting shaft and can be operated at any angle. The camera interface operates from 9 to 18 V DC power supply.

Camera Corps has long experience 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. Camera Corps' ever-growing arsenal includes high-level cranes, motorised tracking cameras, underwater cameras, bullseye-mounted archery target cameras and fire-proofed high-temperature-tolerant cameras. The Camera Corps team expands during large-scale events from eight 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.

Media contacts:
Laurie Frost, Managing Director, Camera Corps Ltd
Tel: +44 (0)1932 592 299
frost[at]cameracorps[dot]co[dot]uk

David Kirk, Stylus Media Consultants
Tel: +44 (0)1342 311 983
stylusmedia[at]gmail[dot]com

Camera Corps Ltd
Shepperton Studios
Studios Road
Shepperton
Middlesex TW17 0QD
Tel. +44 (0)1932 592 299
Fax. +44 (0)1932 592 674
Web: www.cameracorps.co.uk