Pan Tilt Zoom camera filming a band performing

Blog

Why remote production is here to stay, with Pan Tilt Zoom

Matthew Koshy
Matthew Koshy

Marketing Specialist, Canon Europe


One year on. We’ve seen the pandemic revolutionise content production. It’s forced broadcasters, content creators and even educators to look at the way they capture and share content with their audience. If you work in production, you probably know the score – you’ve got smaller crews, reduced budgets, and are probably still trying to play catch-up due to pandemic-related production delays from the last year. Not only that, but there’s more pressure than before, as Covid-19 has changed our viewing behaviour – thanks to ongoing European lockdowns and social distancing, the way we engage with and watch content has shifted. In fact, last year the average time spent consuming content doubled – we’re spending more time than ever consuming content at home.
 
More than ever, customers are asking for multi-purpose technology solutions that enable high-quality content to be captured remotely – delivering a first-class viewing experience. Today, we’re launching our new PTZ camera line-up - the CR-N500, CR-N300 and CR-X500 - to support remote production, for both this year and beyond.
 
Here, I take a look at why remote production is here to stay.

PTZ camera and joystick controller
PTZ camera and joystick controller

Streamlining production capabilities

In line with the growing demand for smaller scale and efficient production teams, many content creators including traditional broadcasters have shifted to remote production. We’ve listened to your needs. Our PTZ cameras help capture and share rich, immersive stories and compelling live-content, without the high-costs associated with traditional broadcast cameras and equipment. Almost every production, in any vertical, can benefit from remote production including sports, House of Worship streaming, live University lectures or a typical broadcast environment. 

As we look towards streamlined production environments, creators also need to address the need for increased flexibility with support for a variety of transmission protocols. Kit needs to be easy to set-up and use - our PTZ line-up is suitable for everyone, whatever your skill set or experience. You can even stream straight out of a single camera to your desired content delivery network, such as YouTube. 

Innovative live streaming

We’ve seen that the need for remotely-produced video is greater than ever – growing exponentially across sectors. Can you believe the live streaming industry grew 45% between March and April of last year?
 
Whether you’re watching a reality TV show or a university lecture, those performing – and presenting – need to feel at ease, for the most authentic viewing experience. Where technology needs to be inconspicuous, our PTZ cameras offer discreet, professional high-quality footage. Additionally, the kit being used ‘on set’ needs to have flexibility for a range of shots – from wide-angle, to close up. The CR-N500 and CR-X500 have a 15x optical zoom and CR-N300 a 20x optical zoom, all with image stabilisation that guarantees smooth, shake-free imagery from wide angle to telephoto - whilst retaining 4K optical resolution throughout the zoom. They’re the ideal cameras for creating impressive content remotely.
 

Seamlessly integrated workflows

For remote production to be a success long-term, creators also need to look to solutions that fit into existing workflows. Combining Canon’s incredible video technology with flexible network technology such as IP streaming, the CR-N500 and CR-N300 make it easy for creators to stream directly to their content delivery platform, while having multiple connectivity options, like HDMI and SDI, means these cameras also seamlessly fit into existing AV and broadcast workflows. Both the CR-N500 and CR-N300 and CR-X500 offer a number of connectivity and network options to support a broad range of use cases with as little effort and complexity as possible.
 

The future of remote production

Over the past 12 months, we’ve seen a rise in remote content creation and streaming due to the pandemic. But people have adapted to the new normal. Looking to the future, the quality and quantity of content will be key to keeping consumers switched on – which means we’ll see more and more content creators turning to remote production if they haven’t already. Canon’s new PTZ line-up opens up a world of opportunities, for everyone from small-businesses to Houses of Worship and large broadcasters. With remote production becoming easier to do, it is clear to see that from 2021 and beyond, remote production will become the norm. It is here to stay.
 
Looking at Canon’s full line-up, alongside the cameras launched today, we’re ready for the future of streaming and broadcast. Are you?