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A BirdDog X5 Ultra PTZ camera captures the action at Transformation Church, where pro-level audio, lighting, and visuals all work together to help the team communicate the gospel.
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A BirdDog X5 Ultra PTZ camera captures the action at Transformation Church, where pro-level audio, lighting, and visuals all work together to help the team communicate the gospel.
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A BirdDog X5 Ultra PTZ camera captures the action at Transformation Church, where pro-level audio, lighting, and visuals all work together to help the team communicate the gospel.
Transformation Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma is known for pushing boundaries in worship production. The church sees excellence in visuals and sound not as an indulgence, but as a vital part of communicating the gospel in a digital age.
It’s a belief that Aaron Samperio, AVL technician and video lead, embodies every week. From LED displays to camera setups, he’s responsible for crafting the video experience both in-house and online. So when Church Production offered the opportunity to demo the BirdDog X5 Ultra PTZ camera, he was curious—but cautious.
“I’d heard of BirdDog, but I wasn’t that familiar,” Samperio admits. “I expected a learning curve. What I didn’t expect was how fast it would integrate into our existing system—and how good the image would look.”
Over the next several weeks, Samperio tested two X5 Ultra units in two very different contexts: one as a stage-right VIP shot in the main auditorium, and the other as the wide camera for the church’s Wednesday-night youth ministry, a newer but rapidly growing part of their outreach. In both cases, the cameras delivered—in unexpected ways.
Setup was shockingly fast—scan the QR code and you’re in the UI in seconds.
A Surprising First Impression
Pulling the camera out of the box, Samperio was struck first by its design.
“It felt light in the hand, but not cheap,” he says. “It has a modern, square form—very different from the PTZs I’ve used before. Sleek, almost Apple-like in a way.”
More than aesthetics, though, what caught his eye was the e-ink label on the side of the camera body. Instead of searching for a hard-to-find IP address buried in a menu system, the information was printed clearly on the device itself. A scan of the QR code launched BirdDog’s clean, browser-based control interface—BirdUI—without needing software installation.
“That part alone made setup way easier than I’m used to,” Samperio says. “I was into the camera and adjusting settings within minutes.”
BirdUI offers five tabs—Dashboard, Network, System, AV Setup, and Camera Control—all visually intuitive. Samperio calls the UI “cinematic,” not in a technical sense, but because it’s streamlined and deliberate.
It’s the kind of gear that lets you focus on the message—not the tech.
“Compared to other PTZ interfaces, which can feel like aircraft cockpits, BirdDog’s UI feels like it was designed for real-world use by volunteers and staff who just need it to work.”
Zooming in on PerformanceWith the cameras mounted and connected via PoE+ and SDI, Samperio began evaluating image quality. Both cameras were positioned over 50 feet from their subjects—one focused on VIP seating during Sunday service, the other capturing youth worship on a temporary stage in the church’s ballroom.
Thanks to its Sony 1/2.8-inch CMOS sensor and 20x optical zoom lens, the image remained sharp and vibrant even fully zoomed in.
“I was surprised how clear it was,” he says. “Even from the back of the room, you could read expressions on faces without pixelation or blur.”
Supporting resolutions up to 4K60p (UHD 2160p60), the X5 Ultra can easily serve both streaming and IMAG needs. It also offers 1080p and lower resolutions for compatibility with legacy systems. Although Transformation Church operates in 23.98 fps, and the camera defaults to 30fps, the conversion process via their switcher was seamless.
Compared to our other PTZs, this felt modern, intentional, and surprisingly affordable.
Smooth Moves, Volunteer-Friendly Controls
Perhaps the most pleasant surprise was the camera’s motion.
One of the biggest challenges with PTZ cameras is making movement feel natural. Without skilled operators, camera pans and tilts often look robotic or jarring. But with the X5 Ultra, Samperio discovered settings that made a major difference.
The camera includes “Pan Tilt Slow” and ease-in/ease-out speed ramping, which help smooth the start and stop of movements.
“It didn’t feel abrupt—it felt intentional,” he says. “Even if a volunteer moves it too fast, it still looks good.”
This feature, combined with the nearly silent motors (rated at just 28 dB), made the camera a quiet performer both onstage and behind the scenes.
AI Tracking: Real Automation for Real Churches
For the church’s Wednesday-night youth service, Samperio activated one of the camera’s most advanced features: AI Presenter Tracking.
Using onboard processing, the X5 Ultra can automatically follow a person’s upper body or full body across the stage. That means dynamic camera movement—without needing a dedicated operator.
“For a church with limited staff, that’s a game changer,” says Samperio. “You don’t have to settle for static wide shots anymore.”
The AI was responsive and accurate, even in challenging lighting. With adjustable tracking zones and speed settings, it stayed locked on without hunting or jittering.
Connectivity Without Compromise
For Samperio, the test wasn’t just about image—it was about how well the camera would fit into a complex existing system. Transformation Church uses Ross Carbonite switchers and a mix of broadcast infrastructure.
The X5 Ultra’s connectivity proved more than up to the task:
- 12G-SDI, HDMI 2.0, USB-C (UVC), and even NDI|HX3 for high-efficiency IP streaming.
- Streaming protocols like RTMP, SRT, and RTSP, making it equally suitable for campus IMAG, streaming, or overflow routing.
- It even features a built-in NDI decoder, which Samperio notes could be great for auxiliary displays or confidence monitors.
“I swapped out a Panasonic camera with the X5, and honestly, I expected to have to rework something on the backend,” he says. “But it just worked.”
Built for Church, Priced for Reality
At a street price of $2,995, the BirdDog X5 Ultra is not the cheapest PTZ out there—but it may be the one of the best value in its class.
“It comes with the power brick, a remote control, and even some stickers,” Samperio laughs. “But seriously, for what it does, the price is more than fair.”
While it lacks some higher-end features like HDR or native 23.98fps modes, Samperio emphasizes that for churches—especially startups or multisite campuses—it checks nearly every box.
“You don’t have to have a big crew to make it look great,” he says. “If you’re building from scratch or need to add a couple new shots to your mix, this is an easy win.”
For under $3,000, it delivers performance I’d expect from much pricier cameras.
Final Thoughts
The BirdDog X5 Ultra PTZ camera may not be a household name in the church AV space—yet—but if Samperio’s experience is any indication, it soon could be.
In a production world where excellence matters but resources are tight, it delivers not just a good image, but a complete experience: high-quality visuals, intuitive controls, flexible connectivity, and advanced tracking that make it a natural fit for ministry.
“It’s the kind of gear that lets you focus on the message—not the tech,” Samperio says.
And that, for churches like Transformation, is exactly the point.
