The rise of the PTZ camera

When you hear about cameras that can pan, tilt and zoom via remote control, you might think of video surveillance. However, the use of PTZ cameras is becoming common in content creation, and the pandemic shutdowns have accelerated that process. When you look at history, you actually see that pan-tilt-zoom technology has just recently come full circle.

Hollywood has actually used cameras that can be controlled remotely for some time now. Cameras with complete computer-controlled pan, tilt and zoom functions date back to the middle 70s. The use of these motion-control cameras really caught fire after the debut of "Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope" (1977). These sophisticated film cameras were mainly handmade and required a high level of engineering prowess to operate.

By the '90s, some savvy entrepreneurs would adopt the idea of motion control to give security cameras more functionality. The idea of cameras mechanically panning and tilting wasn't new. New zoom capability and remote control functions added a greater dimension. This became important considering the low resolution of most security cameras. Additionally, keeping costs down was key.

Read the article

Lessons from the field

Why the pan shot is so valuable

Moving the camera is an important tool in a filmmaker's toolbox and can accent important storytelling moments in a film. Master filmmakers should have a clear understanding of when to intentionally move the camera to convey different emotions. One such technique master filmmakers use to add movement to scenes is the pan shot. Read more.

Creator Handbook: MrBeast dishes out the harsh, "painful" truth for wannabe content creators

YouTube's most-followed individual Jimmy "MrBeast" Donaldson shared a cautionary story about the fast-paced world of online content creation, where sites like Twitch and YouTube provide opportunities for fame and money.

Aspiring content creators can draw inspiration and sobering insights from MrBeast's journey, which has amassed millions of fans and a $100 million empire. Read more.

6 video transitions that aren't cheesy

In today's competitive world of video production, enhancing the quality of your video is practically a must. One of the best ways to improve your videos is to use unique and clean transitions. However, not all transitions are made equal. Bad transitions can have the opposite effect.

Let's take a look at a few transitions that won't make your videos feel cheesy. But first, let's determine what constitutes a transition. Read more.

How to ask great documentary interview questions

Logitech revealed a new 4K wireless livestreaming camera, the Logitech Mevo Core. It's an interchangeable lens video camera for multi-camera streaming.
7Artisans unveiled the 50mm f/1.8 Sony E-mount lens. This lens is 7Artisans' first autofocus lens.
NVIDIA debuts its Blackwell B200 GPU. According to the company, it's the most powerful chip designed for AI.
YouTube will now make people label if their content is made using AI. It rolled out a new tool to label videos as altered or synthetic.
OpenAI showed off more AI-generated videos from Sora. They are just as wild as last time.