2010Follow Focus forum
Controlling focus, iris, and zoom on broadcast cameras from a gimbal without an assistant camera
16 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
DisputedParticipants disagreed and reached no conclusion. Read the findings as positions, not as an answer.
What the thread found
- Broadcast cameras often have zoom servos but lack motorized focus and iris controls, requiring separate solutions for each function
- Combining multiple systems like Bartech motor controllers and G-Zoom units can provide gimbal-mounted control but may lack integration
- A gimbal-mounted hardwire controller from Bartech with a small wheel can control iris or focus motors but the small diameter wheel size makes smooth on-air iris operation difficult
- Iris control in live television broadcast is typically managed by a dedicated shading operator rather than the camera operator
- Wireless broadcast-quality control systems can provide both iris and paint (color correction) control remotely
Depends on
- The discussion focuses on broadcast camera setups from 2010, which may not reflect current equipment options
- Bartech gimbal-mounted iris controller is acknowledged as difficult to operate smoothly on air due to its small wheel size
- The necessity of iris control from the gimbal depends on whether a separate shading operator is available