The CamMate High Definition Crane

Featuring

The CamMate Camera Cranes

Main Cranes & Equipment About Us On Location Credits & Links Contact Us

The World's first High Definition Crane Head from the innovators at CamMate Systems has arrived, and they have chosen Eagle Eye Productions to be the first to make it available to you.

So what makes this HD crane head High Definition? And why is it so special?

As the nation moves into the HD world, CamMate is taking the lead in Camera Crane technology. With the high bandwidth signals, until now, to operate HD cameras extra cables and batteries or an external power supply were needed to see the signal. Now, with Fiber Optic technology and some special connectors, the signal can flow freely through the slip rings. This allows full freedom of movement of the head without the restriction that the extra cables give. The new HD cameras also draw nearly 14.5 volts of power and the new head and electronics will power them (when using AC power). No other crane head can do this.

This Head is very versatile as well. Beta-cams, Video, and Film are still supported just as easy as in the past. It's the same crane technology as in the past with the New Fiber Optic slip ring technology. The HD/SDI signal is converted into the Fiber Optic signal, then it flows through the slip rings, down to the base where it is reconverted into HD/SDI. The CamMate HD head works just like the latest "L" shaped head (described below) for all other CamMate Cranes. The only external difference is the use of one single mode Fiber Connector line from the head down to the electronics box.

CamMate "L" Shaped head

The unique design of the CamMate "L" shaped head provides smooth, quiet jitter free operations. The reliable 32 channel slip ring enables full, unlimited 360 degrees of rotation. A single cable provides camera power (excluding film cameras), four video BNC and one Triax connectors, also pan, tilt, zoom, focus, iris and Beta-cam start/stop. The head can be mounted either above or below the crane itself depending on the shot required. In the below position, the camera can work within a couple of inches of the ground. The pan and tilt motors are extremely quiet and smooth operating which will not interfere with sound recording. Now with the new "tabletop" modification, the camera can operate virtually sitting on the ground. The pictures on the right (below) show a CCU cable that can easily be tied up for clearance. Cameras can also be connected to remote production trucks with Triax cable through the slip ring (with our Triax-to-coax adapters), avoiding the need to attach a cable directly to the camera. Of course, stand alone Beta-cams and film cameras are easily mounted.