Image courtesy of BirdDog and K&A Productions Ltd.
It wasn’t long ago that PTZ cameras were reserved for performing what could be classified as video grunt work: capturing security footage.
MARK TARBET, PRESIDENT, RIDGE AV LLC, CEDAR PARK, TX—“For a lot of churches, [PTZ cameras] allow us to get more intimate angles than you can get from a manned camera in the back, because they can be positioned anywhere.”
Over the past several years, manufacturers have made considerable progress in the product category, though, transforming PTZ units into full-fledged members of many a house of worship’s camera rig. The pandemic has accelerated this trend, as churches place an even higher priority on digital presence.
“There have been some big technical advances that have made PTZs really viable [for churches,]” says Mark Tarbet, president of Ridge AV LLC, an AV design and integration firm based in Cedar Park, Texas. “They’re at the point where [the image quality] is pretty close to a more expensive manned camera.”
Creativity magnified
David Price, founder of Avenue Systems, an AV design and integration firm based in Milwaukee, notes that PTZ cameras have inspired church techs to get more creative. “Even bigger churches that have studio cameras––with lenses that cost eight to 10 times as much as a really nice PTZ camera––will still incorporate PTZ cameras into their workflow now, just because of the dynamic nature of the shots they can get.” He says that some churches he works with are experimenting with positioning PTZ cameras on sliders, for example. “It’s one thing to put a box camera on a slider, but when you put a pan/tilt/zoom camera on a slider, now you can add multiple angles of motion all at the same time, whether that’s simply [panning] across the crowd in the back or whether that’s doing something on stage.”
DAVID PRICE, FOUNDER, AVENUE SYSTEMS, MILWAUKEE, WI—“Even bigger churches that have studio cameras—with lenses that cost eight to 10 times as much as a really nice PTZ camera—will still incorporate PTZ cameras into their workflow now, just because of the dynamic nature of the shots they can get.”
Prior to COVID, Hill Country Bible Church, based in Austin, Texas, was delivering pre-recorded broadcasts to remote worshippers. During the early months of the pandemic, the church identified the need to produce engaging live streams to better serve over 6,000 congregants––who, when not in lockdown, were attending church either in person at Hill Country’s two campuses or online.
This led to the purchase of a new 4K camera system comprised of two Panasonic AW-UE150 PTZ cameras, as well as two Panasonic AK-HC5000 studio cameras. The PTZs are used to capture static shots, such as a framed “teaching shot” of the large screen on stage that the pastor uses to display key points of his sermon. The studio cameras are used for capturing the people on stage.
“[With these cameras,] we’re able to send out a much better experience to those who are on the web, as well as those who are in other venues,” says DeWayne McNally, executive pastor of ministries at Hill Country. He adds that with this new setup, Hill Country is able to customize the feeds that each group of viewers is watching. For example, the church’s online audience receives a slightly different experience––one that is refined for remote viewing––than what is delivered to the worshippers at Hill Country’s second campus. “There are nuances based upon where people are, and it’s all because of the various capabilities that we have as a result of this camera upgrade.”
The ability to pre-program presets lets less technical operators run a quality production without requiring the same skills as a veteran camera technician.
Power to the volunteer
For volunteer-driven churches, one of the main advantages PTZs offer is the ability for one person to operate multiple cameras. IP-based PTZ camera systems allow for control from anywhere, including off-site. The ability to pre-program presets lets less technical operators run a quality production without requiring the same skills as a veteran camera technician. “A single operator can control three, four, or five PTZ cameras with macros and presets quite easily, compared to having three or four manned cameras where you have to have a single operator per camera,” Price says. And, as the pandemic remains active, the ability to run a production with a leaner video team is welcome. “A lot of our churches have been stressed out with keeping volunteers going because even with this latest variant, everyone’s been sick all the time. PTZ cameras have kind of been their savior; they can get through a weekend even if they have a major group of volunteers calling off sick, because they just need one person.”
Panasonic's UE150 PTZ camera, courtesy of Oak Creek Assembly of God.
The need for fewer camera operators, combined with the form factor of a PTZ, enables church techs to capture more interesting shots, according to Tarbet. “Being able to add PTZs in with manned cameras allows you to increase the production quality because they give you more angles,” he says. “For a lot of churches, they allow us to get more intimate angles than you can get from a manned camera in the back, because they can be positioned anywhere.” (Ridge AV oversaw the deployment of the camera upgrade at Hill Country.)
DWAYNE MCNALLY, EXECUTIVE PASTOR OF MINISTRIES, HILL COUNTRY BIBLE CHURCH, AUSTIN, TX—“What we’ve done here has enabled us to reach more people and impact more people."
McNally underlines that delivering the right experience to the appropriate viewership––whether in person, attending at a multisite location, or watching online––is crucial in reaching both existing and new attendees. At Hill Country, PTZ cameras play an important role in this. “What we’ve done here has enabled us to reach more people and impact more people,” he says. “The fact that we can keep people engaged in our conversations is huge. For us, that is what this is all about.”
