Professional quality imaging; small, inconspicuous form factor; networking capability, and more all point to an enormous potential for PTZ cameras in a house of worship environment.
It sounds like a match made in heaven for most churches: a piece of gear that can help improve video production quality, be remotely operated or even automated, and reduces the number of trained operators required. Of course, we’re talking about PTZ cameras. They’ve been around for decades, but until recently they were considered glorified security cameras – not the sort of equipment used in serious AV productions.
Times have certainly changed. If you’re watching any major sports program or have been to a major concert recently, chances are what you’ve been watching was brought to you, at least in part, by PTZ cameras.
In the church market, PTZ technology is widely used, but misperceptions are common, especially among smaller churches. This is mostly due to the stigma of an inglorious past, poor implementation, or bad experiences with ultra-cheap imported no-name cameras that provide dismal results and zero customer support.
Still, the benefits are undeniable: professional quality imaging; small, inconspicuous form factor; networking capability, and more all point to an enormous potential for PTZ cameras in a house of worship environment.
To that end, Church Production and JVC Professional Video have partnered to start a three-part initiative. The first is to raise awareness of the production quality that PTZ cameras can deliver. Secondly, the initiative will research and communicate best practices for using PTZ cameras in churches. And last, to create a dialog with church techs and creatives on the unique needs within the church market with the goal of developing equipment that better supports a church’s needs and goals.
Introducing the Aspire Program
As an extension of the PTZ Initiative, JVC Professional Video, a division of JVCKENWOOD USA Corporation, will launch the Aspire Program, which will supply a multi-camera PTZ streaming system from JVC to a church that is currently not streaming. This can be a house of worship that would like to begin streaming or one that has suffered a setback (fire, theft, etc.) that currently prevents them from doing so. If your church fits those qualifications or you know of one that does, please click here.
“JVC Professional Video is a highly respected brand in the professional A/V marketplace. We’re excited and honored to be starting this initiative with the JVCKENWOOD USA Corporation team,” says Brian Blackmore, editor at Church Production.
“We have seen a tremendous increase in interest from the house of worship market for streaming technologies that will enable churches to continue to grow into the future. We are grateful to Church Production for providing JVC with a platform from which we can teach the industry about the benefits of PTZ cameras, while also researching the market more fully to evolve our business and technologies. We look forward to this partnership,” says Joseph D’Amico, Vice President, JVCKENWOOD USA Corporation.
