Polecam info

Why Polecam?

Polecam gives you a crane type shot when you couldn't get one before either due to restrictive location or budget.
* To put a crane in a boat or a car has always been exclusive to Hollywood - not now! * The portability of Polecam is always a big winner. With a rig time of 10 minutes and the ability to carry a Polecam as well as an ordinary Betacam unit in an ordinary car makes it unique. * Polecam is not an essential piece of kit. You can cover a football match with 1 camera so why does Sky Television have up to 20 - the answer is increased production value.
Polecam gives a crane shot when one has 'NOT' been able to get one before, whether it be the pit lane of a motor racing circuit (Polecam is the only crane ever to be licensed in a pit lane due to the fact that tripods are forbidden) or a small studio for the shopping channel. It is all about increased production value.
'Technical Blurb' Polecam provides smooth, floating jib arm shots, with the ability to relocate with ease. This is due to the fact that Polecam can be attached to the body by way of a harness, which has been designed in conjunction with a registered osteopath to aid weight distribution and portability. The Polecam can be operated in the harness or on a tripod, with a relocation time in as long as it takes to walk there, be it just a few steps, up some steps or even in & out of a boat.
Much easier than with a conventional jib. The lightweight nature is all due to a radical redesign of the concept of a jib arm, including materials used in construction as well as the latest camera technology.
The rig comes complete with 5 universal, custom wound carbon fibre sections (1 as spare) each measuring over 1m (3’) in length and 4cm (1.6”) in diameter, which provide useable, steady shots during booming. A small FX microphone is also positioned at the end of the boom. The counterweight arm of the Polecam rig only protrudes to the rear a maximum of 1m (3’) and contains the counterweights, batteries (10Ah), CCU & Interface Unit.
Polecam can be rigged and de-rigged quickly, and is unique in that it requires NO tools in construction. The average rig time is 10 minutes with de-rig time of 5 minutes. Polecam breaks down into two custom designed bags developed by CP Cases, in the Pro-Bag range (Cordura® by DuPont) with the mast bag having backpack harness capability.
'More Technical Blurb' The 3-chip, 750 line resolution mini-camera, with a component/composite output to Digi-beta/Beta SP recorder or microwave link, plus optional SDI converter, is mounted on a custom made, self leveling, miniature pan & tilt unit, with joystick, allowing the camera to be moved quickly and smoothly. The unit also incorporates a mechanical iris drive for the lens, controlled from the joystick itself (or by remote from an OB van). The whole unit is small enough to drop into a cup of coffee! However, the system can incorporate most mini-cam systems both single & triple chip. The entire head unit weighs less then 0.5kg (1lb) and is therefore very appealing from a health & safety aspect. Polecam can also be used from the back of a moving vehicle such as car, jeep, golf buggy, quad bike etc. and even from the back of a motorbike, as well as fixed to any tripod, remote head, stand or dolly system. Viewing of the camera picture is by means of a high quality TFT LCD monitor mounted on the boom. All the cables between the P&T head unit and the rear end pass inside the mast as opposed to being strapped to the outside. This aids rig time as well as protecting the cables themselves. Polecam can be used in a variety of applications ranging from sport, music, documentary, drama, security & military, corporate and wildlife.