Configure camera tracking

Add a camera system

A camera system is a camera including its lens and a tracking system. The result is a tracked camera with various other tracked parameters depending on the tracking system you use.

1. Click "Add camera system"

2. Give it a descriptive name

Configure the camera and lens

1. Choose a filmback size that matches your output video aspect ratio

   • Choose from the drop-down of known cameras

     • All supplied camera definitions are either 16:9 or 17:9 in aspect ratio. Their aspect ratio is defined by their filmback width and height dimensions. If you do not match aspect ratios, the output image may be “letter-boxed” or “pillar-boxed” into the output video frame.

   • Or create your own for non-standard aspect ratios

     • Click on "Add camera type"

     • Enter camera type name

     • Enter width and height of the filmback (sensor size in millimeters) - check the documentation of your camera for the filmback size related to the aspect ratio you are shooting in

2. Choose your lens aperture

   • This is important when visualizing depth of field later on

Configure camera tracking

Here you configure everything related to the camera tracking system.

1. Choose the assigned tracking service

   • Best practice: Use the tracking service on the machine the camera system will be routed to

2. Change the port if needed

   • This is where your tracking data should be sent to

3. On your camera tracking system: Enter the IP address and port number of the assigned tracking service

   • For the Ncam system, the IP address and port number should be entered in the Advanced section of the camera tracking protocol

4. Choose the camera tracking protocol for your camera tracking system

5. Check the status field

   • Your tracking configuration is set up correctly if it shows incoming data

   • You can also check the Network status in the Editor

Advanced

1. Optionally override some advanced settings

   • The "Advanced" section covers protocol-specific details and how the data should be mapped. When you calibrate tracking, you might have to come back here if the camera movement is mapped wrongly.

When using a Distortion mode in combination with a lens file where Distortion is disabled, make sure to also disable Center Offset (Lens tracking > Advanced).

Camera mount

1. Choose a camera mount

   • Depending on the camera tracking protocol, you can choose between up to 3 different camera mount types:

     • No mount setup

       • For advanced camera tracking systems that provide correct position and rotation values out of the box e.g. Ncam

       • For untracked cameras

     •  Tripod/Dolly

       • For tripods and dolly-mounted cameras

       • For PTZ cameras

     • Camera crane

       • For camera-crane-mounted cameras

   • The helper images provide information on the measurements needed.

     

     

2. Optionally choose a lens file under Lens tracking > Advanced

   • Camera tracking systems most often have lens data (focus and/or zoom) integrated into their configurations. However, if you need to use a custom lens configuration, choose the lens file from the drop-down menu, and optionally edit the zoom and focus encoder limits.

     • A lens file contains additional calibration data for the lenses you are using. It can include the following parameters: Focus Distance, Distortion, Nodal Offset, FOV, and Center offset. These files can be generated:

       • manually by using the provided lens file template

       • by our internal Lens Calibration tool

       • from lens files of other manufacturers, using our internal conversion tools

         

Learn more about Lens files in Pixotope

Next step

Continue to Configure object tracking