Tulsa, OK-based Actioncam used Fujinon lenses as part of its HD aerial camera system for coverage of the 2009 SEC Championship game in Atlanta on CBS Sports. The Actioncam system features the Fujinon HA13x4.5BERD lens, which is paired with a Panasonic AK-HC1500 HD POV camera.
CBS used Actioncam throughout the season for its NCAA college football broadcasts. In addition to the SEC Championship, Actioncam will also be used for coverage of the Army/Navy game, Sun Bowl and Gator Bowl for CBS.
Actioncam operators rely on the wide angle of the HA13x4.5BERD lens and its 13x zoom to get the best shots during the game. When a player sprints down the sideline for a touchdown, for example, Actioncam can follow the player down the field. In contrast, other aerial camera systems have to zoom in to stay with the action.
The Fujinon lens is a big hit with camera operators who work in teams of two to pilot the camera on the cable system and frame the shot. They like the ability to get a wide shot and still have lots of zoom capability.
In addition to the lenses, a tiny fiber-optic link provided by MultiDyne Video and Fiber Optic Systems transmits the broadcast’s HD-SDI and SDI TV signals. The MultiDyne HD-1500 is used in the camera head of the Actioncam aerial camera system to send video to the Actioncam production truck, supporting rates of 5Mb/s to 1.5Gb/s. Using single-mode operation, the link distance for the HD-1500 is up to 12.4mi (20km) at 1.485Gb/s.
In addition, multiple MultiDyne HD-1500 units are used in the Actioncam production truck to route video to the network’s truck and then to the operator station. The HD-1500 is available in stand-alone and compact rack-mount configurations, simplifying installation in mobile production trucks and giving Actioncam the ability to mount six units in one rack.
