Specifications

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Camera Basics
Image Sensor Technology:
In the past, the only cameras worth buying had CCD image
sensors and the best cameras were 3-CCD where the light
was divided into 3-colors, processed individually and the
most vivid and accurate color images were produced. Today
a single backlit CMOS image sensor is capable of producing
images comparable to the 3-CCD cameras, and with the same
amount of low light characteristics.
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SD or HD
If your application is going to include streaming or other
compressed video applications, it may be more appropriate
to use SD for these types of applications, as a larger image
only means more compression. Another reason is cost and
although the pricing of HD cameras is getting more and more
reasonable, SD cameras are still less expensive than their HD
counterparts.
If the application requires IMAG, high-quality recording or any
other professional video application, HD will give you a clear
image with higher resolution. SD will give you a more grainy
image with lower resolution.
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Camera Location and Camera Count
When locating the cameras in your design you should pay
close attention to:
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Camera viewing angles
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Lighting conditions
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Possible line-of-site obstructions
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Obstructions where the camera is to be mounted
In an office environment, place the camera away from
fluorescent lighting fixtures and open windows. Avoid having
the ceiling and lighting fixtures in the shot. The direct light
will have negative effects on all cameras.
In houses of worship, lighting can be exceptionally
challenging. Because direct sunlight can be problematic,
arrange the cameras so sunlight will not be in the
background of the cameras point of view.
One of the biggest design “Don’ts” is trying to cover too large
of an area with a single PTZ camera.
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Camera Lens Operation
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Smaller videoconferencing rooms will need a wide-end
horizontal viewing angle of 58° to 70° in order to capture
the meeting participants seated at a conference table at a
relatively short range.
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In larger rooms, like houses of worship and auditoriums,
the tele-end horizontal viewing angle and magnification
requirement may need to be as small as 2° to 3° with a 19x to
20x optical zoom range.
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For determining the image size and optical zoom strength of
a candidate HD camera, reference the Vaddio PTZ Image Size
Calculator at: www.vaddio.com/tech-center
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One of the automatic modes of PTZ cameras is Auto Iris, which
estimates how wide to open the iris to collect light based on the
image viewed in the sensor. This works in conjunction with gain,
which is then added if required to help make the image bright
enough for consistent presentation.
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Digital zooms should always be avoided in video production;
they tend to cause poor video performance results.
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Image Control
The Quick-Connect CCU allows users to adjust or “paint” the
color balance, adjust the iris level, pedestal and gain levels
remotely, all while delivering power, video and control over
three Cat. 5 cables at 500 feet away.
Aperture
If a poor lighting situation requires manually setting the iris,
disable Auto Iris, open the iris setting to the lowest F-stop,
reduce iris gain as much as possible while maintaining shot
brightness, and adjust the detail control as needed to soften
the look. Reducing the F-stop will decrease depth of field, but
this will still be sufficient for most situations.
Painting
If color correction is needed before or after Iris adjustments,
disable Auto White Balance, then adjust pedestal so black
areas look black and not grey. Dial in as much chroma as
desired, then use the individual color controls to correct
the color of the shot, paying close attention to blue and red.
The best use of color correction always uses skin color as a
reference.
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Installing Cameras
Ensure all mounts are installed solidly; any free play in the
mounting will show up as movement in the video during
heavy zoom use.
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Lighting
Uniform lighting of 100 lux or better is required, similar to a
well-lit office environment. Specifically, lighting in the 3200
to 5600 degree Kelvin range is needed; a combination of
different light fixture types could be used to balance light
across this spectrum for the best color balance.
Avoid
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Overly light or dark backdrops
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Highly glossy backgrounds
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Windows in a shot’s background
an HD PTZ Camera System
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CALL 800.572.2011 VADDIO.COM
Quick-Connect CCU for PTZ Cameras