Ncam to launch new PTZ camera tracking technology at IBC2015

Conventional pan, tilt and zoom (PTZ) heads provide a good degree of tracking for augmented reality, but are limited to tracking the movement of the head itself. The Ncam solution uses the company’s ground-breaking core tracking technology, so it detects subtle movements of the camera itself, not the camera head.

“The really clever part is how the system picks up tiny changes in the camera body,” explained Nic Hatch, CEO and founder of Ncam. “Platforms on a high tower, crane or cherry picker will tend to move about a little, and encoded systems are typically unable to track these movements, so the graphics no longer lock to the video. The Ncam PTZ software will detect these movements and maintain alignment.”

Ncam is famous for its Live 7D, which uses a lightweight sensor bar attached to a camera to track natural markers in the environment. It means the camera can move freely at all times, generating a continuous stream of extremely precise positional information which feeds a real-time graphics engine, or on movie sets a pre-visualisation system to match live and VFX elements.

The new PTZ product provides much the same functionality and renowned workflow and speed of set-up, but for fixed position cameras. It works on any camera head, tripod or pedestal, and with any camera. Encoded lenses can add focus and zoom to the Ncam data stream.

“This is part of our tiered product approach, giving customers a real choice of solution,” added Hatch. “Unlike typical hardware solutions, our software is upgradeable, so users can add functionality as they need it via a software license. So, by utilising existing hardware they can upgrade all the way to the full Ncam 7D system.”

The new Ncam PTZ product, and its popular broadcast and film systems, can be seen at IBC2015 on the stand of its worldwide distribution partner Vitec Videocom, 11.E55. Practical demonstrations will also be available in conjunction with FilmLight (7.F31) and Vizrt (7.A20).

About Ncam Technologies

Ncam develops innovative virtual production technology and products for the film, television and broadcast industries. Ncam was founded out of a requirement for an affordable, effective and flexible real-time augmented reality solution for the entertainment sectors, answering specific requirements and needs within virtual production.  Ncam’s award winning technology has been used on: Autumn International Rugby (BSkyB), NFC Championship Game (Fox Sports), Monday Night Football (ESPN), X Games (ESPN), Bundesliga (Sky Deutschland) FIFA World Cup 2014 (SWR & ZDF), Super Bowl XLVIII (Fox Sports), Daytona (Fox Sports) Avengers, Age of Ultron (Marvel), Jupiter Ascending (Warner Bros.), Edge of Tomorrow (Warner Bros.) and White House Down (Columbia).