When filming activity, one of the most difficult things to do is keep the people involved people in the frame. As people move around, keeping the camera trained on them is difficult enough, but moving it in a smooth manner is even more difficult. Luckily, OBSBOT is here to help with their Tail smart camera. The Tail is a surprisingly small camera, that has the ability to track people and keep them in the frame, while still packing full 4K video at 60 frames per second. This means that you can mount the camera in an appropriate position and, as the subjects move, so will the camera. Think of Tail as your own personal cinematographer.
This is accomplished with a motorized 3-axis gimbal, meaning that the camera isn’t trying to crop a wider angle based on the position of the subject, which lessens the quality of the video and often creates a jittery pan. Instead, the physical movement of the lens means that you can keep the video quality and still maintain the subjects you’re wanting to feature. That doesn’t mean that there is no zoom capability. In fact, you can tell the Tail to follow a particular aspect of the frame, such as the subject’s feet during a dance demonstration, and the Tail will only focus on the feet.
Interacting with the camera is also really easy. Rather than having to touch the camera itself, possibly shaking the video, you can take full control of it from a distance using your phone. From there you can decide your subjects and your framing, as well as taking over from the AI, holding a steady shot, rather than having the camera in motion.
The OBSBOT Tail is available now on Kickstarter through March 15, 2019, starting at about $489 USD.
Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.
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