Configure camera systems

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 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

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

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.

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 of the nodal point out of the box e.g. TrackMen

       • For untracked cameras

     •  Tripod/Dolly

       • For tripods and dolly-mounted cameras

       • For PTZ cameras

   • The helper image provides information on the measurements needed.

     

Configure lens tracking

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, follow the steps below.

1. Choose the lens file from the drop-down menu

2. 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

3. Ensure that the zoom and focus encoder limits are correctly set

   • To help find these values, checkout Find encoder limits below

Find encoder limits

1. Make sure that the camera is routed and that tracking data is coming in

2. Click the "Listen to encoder limits" button

3. On the camera: Move the Zoom and/or Focus controls to their min and max positions

   • Their values are continuously read

     

     
     

4. Click the "Stop and apply" button to stop listening and apply the limits

   • Optionally: Unselect Zoom or Focus in case only one of them should be applied

   • OR click "Stop" to not change anything

Next step

Continue to Configure routing