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Camera Robots Help Artists Capture Action-Filled Photos and Videos

Intelligent robot technology has expanded beyond cinematography and has found its place in photography now, too, as shared by a photo and video production company that has started to use one to achieve shots and angles that would be hard to replicate manually.

Although cinema robots are still out of reach for many creators due to the high cost that accompanies such technology, they are becoming more approachable and devices of this kind have slowly begun to enter the workflows of smaller production companies that don't have multi-million dollar Hollywood studio budgets.

Designed to cut production times and to increase efficiency, cinema robots -- such as the ones designed by SISU Cinema Robotics -- have also become more user-friendly and require minimal technical knowledge so photographers and filmmakers can get started right away after their product training.

The line between photography and videography is also blending, as many cinema cameras can capture RAW still frames that work just as well as a traditional still camera but allow a photographer to capture video at the same time. For example, photojournalist Tom Palmaers captures photos and videos simultaneously thanks to RAW video. The stills featured in this story are another example of this: RAW frames extracted from clips captured using a RED Ranger Gemini camera.

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Paul Lanterman, Creative Technical Specialist at OMS Photography, an imaging and production company, tells PetaPixel that the company he works for has embraced a SISU cinema robot and now uses it as part of its photo and video projects. OMS Photography was in the market for a motion control system for its commercial videography project, and while its photography team had extensive experience crafting still imagery, the company wanted to find a system that would blend those talents with added opportunities of moving the camera on set.

Previously, the team used several slider-based systems but felt they lacked flexibility, and changing sets and editing paths took too much time out of the shooting schedule and often left them with disappointing end results.

After they tested out the SISU robot, they found the appeal in its ease of use where "if you can move your arm, you can program a camera move in movements." The robot utilizes a wand's trigger and joystick which allow users to position the camera with a wave of their hand and it can be easily programmed to perform accurate movements.

Lanterman explains that after they unboxed the system, they plugged it in -- using standard AC power -- and one hour later, they had "clients on set, directing flybys of products." The device is now used for 75% to 80% of the team's video work because the system helps them get a higher volume of completed shots without needing more equipment or more people on set, which offsets the higher cost of renting or purchasing it.

An added benefit is the ability to extract stills, should the client want exact frames captured in any video clips. The repeatability of the robotics means the same shot can be used for multiple takes of different products:

For OMS Photography, the robot allows the team to treat video shots with the same attention to detail that they can on still shots. For example, after they design a camera move, the system lets them go to any point on the path and see exactly what they'll capture. This level of precision and repeatability allows the production team to tweak everything throughout the entire shot, such as reflections, background, lens flares, subtle lighting, and so forth.

Each programmed move also makes it very clear what the result will be with no surprises along the way, which helps instill visual confidence in clients.

"It's like working with live stills," says Lanterman. "It eliminates bad takes, which then saves time on set, space on the media, and time spent copying files that nobody will want to use."

Although cinema robots such as these are capable of performing complex moves and angles, they can also perform simple slider moves, zolly shots, and others. Lanterman notes that "the ease of setting up a simple move and saving it to get the same shot on 24 different product/combo shots is really powerful."

The cinema robot opens up creative and technical possibilities that may not be possible when shot manually -- precise repeatability is one such factor that is simply impossible without one. However, Lanterman explains, that for that reason, the set might need to be more detailed and robot users need to pay more attention to ensure background areas are camera-ready. This is because the more dynamic camera moves can reveal angles that are not typically visible.

Similarly, extra preparation is needed for high-speed and slow-motion projects to ensure that everything is where it needs to be and in focus. For this, shooters need to think it through ahead of time and be good at visual analysis to figure out where things might not be lining up before the shot has begun.

These types of motion control systems aren't new but are slowly coming down in cost and becoming more accessible to smaller and medium-sized production companies. Although this particular SISU system is more suited for commercial projects and would still land somewhere between $3,000 to $5,000 in rental fees per day -- plus an operator -- or from $109,000 to $169,00 as an outright cost, Lanterman explains that the OMS Photography has seven photographers and this technology is now well within the company's reach.

For individuals with smaller budgets, a DIY motion kit setup would be more suitable, however, the technology has advanced and continues to do so, eventually bridging the gap and providing smart device accessibility to more individuals and companies.

More information about SISU robots can be found on the SISU Cinema Robotics website and the OMS Photography portfolio can be viewed on the company's website and Instagram.

Image credits: All images provided by OMS Photography and used with permission.

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EarthCam Collabs with Sony in New All-Weather High-Res Timelapse Rigs

EarthCam, which recently made waves when it took the largest photo ever captured of New York City, has launched two additional high-resolution timelapse camera rigs that use a Sony Alpha 7R Mark IV at their core.

Following the launch of the EarthCam GigapixelCam X80 in May, the company has announced two more high-resolution timelapse camera rigs: a wide-angle 61 MegapixelCam and the 61 MegapixelCam Robotic, which adds a precision 360-degree pan and tilt base.

The non-robotic wide-angle camera features a Sony 20mm f/1.8 prime lens mounted to the Alpha 7R Mark IV to offer wide, high-resolution files. The lens on the robotic version isn't specified may be user-customizable, but PetaPixel has reached out to EarthCam to confirm.

EarthCam may use the Sony camera system at its core and therefore the image quality is well documented, but thanks to the Sony Camera Remote SDK, the company is able to build significant functionality around the camera. The EarthCam enclosure protects from the elements and comes equipped with what the company bills as a "maintenance-free" wiper, battery, and data backup. The camera can be controlled remotely and tasked with documenting ongoing progress or specific milestones.

Most of EarthCam's clients are commercial or industrial, but because of the advanced software features, the system has several creative applications as well. EarthCam doesn't publish how much each of its enclosures costs, but it's likely to be more expensive than most creators would be willing to afford. And while competitors like PhotoSentinal allow for several of the same features and comes much more affordably priced for the average small business owner, EarthCam takes performance to a different level.

Both of the new 61-megapixel systems use an industrial solid-state embedded Linus OS platform with an ARM9 CPU and 64-gigabytes of onboard backup storage. It can be connected via either ethernet or a wireless 4G or 5G connection and powered by a standard wall outlet or outfitted with solar if it is placed in an area where traditional power is not available. EarthCam also provides custom software that can be used to monitor and adjust the camera from a computer or mobile device.

Earlier this month, EarthCam published a video that shows the kinds of projects that can be made with its products and why high-resolution is of particular value. Beyond timelapses like the one below, EarthCam rigs outfitted with a robotic base (like the new 61-megapixel Robotic) can also produce extremely high-resolution gigapixel images by stitching together a large number of photos.

These camera rigs can also be used for live streaming, which EarthCam demonstrates with a camera that is currently live over Times Square in New York and is broadcasting in 4K.

While as mentioned EarthCam doesn't publish exact pricing, it does say that these new models are "mid-priced" and are designed to make it easier for small or midsize businesses to afford. Long-term timelapse production is a niche art, but it's still highly valuable for commercial photography businesses and if EarthCam can bring its pricing down to the point where it is at least comparable to cheaper options like PhotoSentinal, higher quality long term projects are likely to come as a result.

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This 120 Gigapixel Photo is the Largest of New York City Ever Taken

EarthCam recently unveiled the GigapixelCam X80, which is a robotic camera that can produce more than 80,000-megapixel panoramas. To prove it, the company used the X80 to make the highest resolution photo of New York ever captured: 120,000-megapixels.

EarthCam's devices can be mounted pretty much anywhere and are typically used by construction companies to document long-term builds or used as live-streaming cameras in a host of global locations.

EarthCam.com, the global network of owned and operated live streaming webcams, was built as a way to transport people to interesting and unique locations around the world that may be difficult or impossible to experience in person. Providing a virtual window to the world, viewers can freely explore the globe from unparalleled vantage points, such as the torch balcony of the Statue of Liberty, which has been closed to the public since 1916. EarthCam.com derives revenue from advertising and licensing of its proprietary webcam content.

"This is our ninth year of creating gigapixel tech," EarthCam's Founder and CEO Brian Cury tells PetaPixel. "Our robotic use of it goes back years earlier. We've been on a mission to make the best outdoor webcams for clients and it is what has got us nine of the top 10 stadiums in the last few years."

The kind of client that would demand the products that EarthCam produces is, as expected, unique.

"There is a narrow group of amazing clients who wants the best, the highest quality they can be," Cury continues. Because of the challenging environments that EarthCam clients demand, having a fully robotic solution on a solidly-mounted housing is the only way to successfully operate a camera over time.

The X80 is the company's latest product that combines its specialized housing and computing with a Sony a7R IV and, in the case of the New York gigapixel image, the 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G E-mount lens. While the well-known Sony camera lives in the housing and is the core of the imaging capabilities, Cury was adamant that making the device was more than just throwing a camera in a weatherproof housing, but the culmination of a decade of experience in both hardware and software for this extremely specialized purpose.

While the X80 was originally built to capture 80 gigapixel photos, EarthCam stretched the device to the limits of its capabilities in this particular image, which Cury says is actually 120 gigapixels.

Click to view the fully interactive 120 gigapixel photo.

"If you printed this photo out, it would be the length of 272 New York hot dogs end to end," Cury says, laughing. In a more "boring" measurement, he says it comes out to 136 feet wide at 300 DPI.

The GigapixelCam X80 is $24,995 as fitted, but if a client does not need a robotic version, those are less expensive. EarthCam's line starts at $1,900 for a time-lapse camera with solar power and goes up from there.

The photo was taken from a mounting position on the Empire State Building, and the Sony a7R IV inside is able to be controlled thanks to Sony's software development kit (SDK).

"We put together the X80 using the a7R IV (before we used Nikon cameras)," Cury says. "We loved this camera, and Sony who has traditionally not been very fluid with APIs and code has released a lot of public code and more data beyond that lately."

Creating images like this is the premier capability of the camera, but it's also meant to be able to make them in any environment, repeatedly.

"We connect the camera to a computer and an industrial power supply so this thing can work long term, and we put a heater and a fan in there that can actively heat and cool the camera so you can put it anywhere from Saudi Arabia to Alaska," Cury explains. The company also has a solar option that would allow the X80 to be self-sufficient for extreme lengths of time, provided it can get enough sun.

"It's a robust system, with a super high-end filtration system on it as well. And we have controls inside to operate a wiper and a washer system so we can keep it clean."

When it comes to making a photo of this magnitude, Cury says that everything has to be ultra-precise. The video below shows the insane detail that the company was able to produce by combining its technologies with the Sony a7R IV:

"The whole system is automated. The camera is taking 61-megapixel images and the server is organizing them. It takes thousands of photos and stitches them together server-side," Cury explains.

Normally, attempting to load a photo of this magnitude would crash your browser, but because of how EarthCam's server is set up, it instead loads tiles as the viewer interacts with the image so that it can quickly load the resolution only where it is needed.

EarthCam provided a few zooms into key areas of the full gigapixel image to give an idea of how much sheer resolution the camera is capable of creating.

During the capture process, Cury says that even though it is automated and precise, it's not perfect.

"There are usually about 10% that are out of focus, but in this case, it was under 5% retakes that we had to do," Cury says, touting the capabilities of EarthCam's latest X80. "That's where the beauty of this camera comes in. If you're a photographer and you rented this spot to take this photo and you spent your day trying to make this, if you get anything out of focus it's a killer. It's very disappointing. With this camera, you just get on it the next day and you just get the photo you need, or you wait for the right day to do it again. You don't have to worry about missing anything. You can get that beauty shot whenever you want it."

Cury explains that a photo the size of this New York Gigapixel isn't made necessarily in a single day, though it certainly could be.

"This photo was probably created over several weeks, but that being said we could run a simple version where it runs 77 photos at 70mm to create a 2.6 gigapixel photo and that takes 15 minutes," Cury explains.

There are certain times and days that are picked out to assure that key areas of an image look their best.

"We played a lot with lighting. We went and got shots that were maybe better lit," he says. For example, both the Statue of Liberty and the World Trade Center were captured at different times to assure the best lighting on each.

While EarthCam's advanced technology does a lot of the heavy lifting, the finished gigapixel image of New York was not just all done by the robot, as the final photo still needs an artist's touch to be truly finished.

"The system will create it for you robotically, but you need an artist to really touch it up and make it look how it does," he explains. "The camera is the paintbrush, you need it and it's important. But it's not easy getting a camera on top of the Empire State Building. A lot of times we don't brag about the camera because it can be a bit of a distraction. But in this case, we are because it's a great camera and it's not easy to do this stuff."

To see more of EarthCam's projects, the company has a YouTube channel full of locations around the world that are captured through its robotic cameras here.

_Image credits: Photos courtesy of EarthCam and used with permission. _

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