Camera for stage manager

[JonoSmallridge]

Hello again

 

Keen to get some info from others that have used a camera to monitor the stage for stage manager consoles. Do people use a generic CCTV cameras with a IR LEDs or are they using some kind of special camera? I find the cheap ones struggle with bright stage lights and the darkness of other parts of the stage and often results to black and white, anyone know of cheap fixes or tricks to get better results? Any info would be helpful thanks.

[david.elsbury]

Often people will use a camera with manual iris control for the colour shot; and a second camera for the IR/blackout view. You can either have two monitors or perhaps you could have a DMX controlled low voltage relay to switch the feed over, programmed by the Lx desk

[Shez]

On cameras with built-in IR LEDs, if positioned above audience e.g. on a balcony front, it often looks like it's snowing upwards. Whilst in IR mode, dust rising up, carried by the heat from the audience is lit very brightly by the LEDs and becomes very visible. A separate IR floodlight, positioned slightly away from the camera, reduces that effect.

Two cameras, one permanently in IR mode, feeding two monitors is a good solution. Single cameras take time to switch modes which is rarely ideal if you need to see what's happening immediately after a B/O.

[J Pearce]

Two cameras, two monitors (we have a spare rigged too). One colour set for reasonable exposure (usually means followspots burn out). One IR set for good dark vision. We don’t use IR transmitters, and find we still get good dark vision, but your experience may differ.

Get good cctv cameras, not the cheapest crap, and pay attention to getting a lens that works for your camera location.

We also have a full HD PTZ camera that feeds our network via rtmp and a custom webpage, and feeds a SDI distribution system. There is a small amount of latency on the SDI line so I advise DSMs not to cue from it, but the image quality and dynamic range are far superior. We also convert this SDI feed to composite video to use as a second colour feed. 

Edited January 22, 2022 by J Pearce

[Martin]

As others have said, 2 cameras is best.  One colour and one IR.

Make sure you get a CCTV camera that has adjustments for exposure, so you can get a good exposure under stage lights.

Remember that IR focuses at a different distance, so you need to manually focus the IR camera in the dark.  It will look out of focus with lights on.

Also bear in mind that if you have IR radiators for assisted listening, then these can cause flare in the IR camera, making the IR camera useless.  So careful placement may be needed for both camera and IR radiators, to avoid issues.