Actioncam, a Tulsa, Okla.-based aerial camera provider, used Fujinon’s HA13X4.5BERD wide angle lens to provide coverage of the 2009 NBA Eastern Conference Finals tournament from a slightly different point of view. It made its network debut at the NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four tourney this April.
The lens was mounted on a Panasonic AK-HC1500 compact high-definition camera that formed the nucleus of an aerial camera system operated by Actioncam. It enabled producers to obtain shots previously unavailable at sporting and other events.
"The extra wide Fujinon lens gave us a tremendous shot at the Final Four," said PJ Bennett, Actioncam president and CEO. "At one point during a time out, we zoomed in close to the team gathered at the sideline to go over the next play. The camera was able to fly underneath the scoreboard and zoom in very close. As the time out ended, we pulled out to an extreme wide shot. The effect was dramatic and the network loved it."
The rig is operated by two operators─a pilot and a camera operator. The pilot has joystick control of the camera mount via a four-cable system, while the camera operator controls pan, tilt and zoom functions. According to Bennet the Fujinon lens was selected due to its precise positioning characteristics.
