The immediate benefits of PTZ cameras are glaringly clear—remote operation, all-in-one capture, NDI connection and an ever-increasing list of other pros over cons as manufacturers lean into the recent uptick in demand for good PTZ units.
But does it make sense for you, right now? You don’t want to just buy a cool new toy for the sake of it; you want to make a solid purchase that your production team can utilize for a good number of years to come, a tool in your production toolbelt that will see lots of use.
And Church Production is here to help. We’ve put together a few questions for you to consider whether or not a PTZ camera is the best option for your production ministry.
PTZs come in handy when you simply don’t have the manpower to run a three or four camera production, but want the flexibility of multiple shots.
Question One: What Are You Trying to Accomplish?
Obviously, you need to capture or livestream events and services, but to what end? A church looking to simply make services available to people who can’t attend in person will have different priorities than a church looking to grow a fully online congregation or audience. The former church needs good broadcast audio more than high-quality camera gear or a skilled broadcast team and that’s an ideal situation for a PTZ setup. Because PTZ cameras can be operated remotely by the same person running the switcher, you only need one person, and a relatively inexpensive (think, $3k-$7k) rig can get you video tomorrow.
Beginner PTZs start at around $500, but don’t expect your livestream to look like Bethel.
But the latter situation, a church looking to create a unique online experience for a dedicated online congregation, requires something that PTZs alone can’t do very well. PTZs can supplement a smaller broadcast team (think, one director + two or three camera operators) with extra angles, but to create that “in-the-room” broadcast feel of Bethel Redding, UpperRoom, Hillsong, Gateway, et al, you need operators with cameras in their hands.
Perhaps you find yourself in a third vein, however, needing a camera or two in an auxiliary room to capture or stream smaller gatherings, classes, etcetera. This is another ideal scenario for a PTZ camera or two – cameras that offer all-in-one capturing, auto-tracking and streaming.
Whatever your situation, it’s essential to first sit down with leadership and determine the final purpose your production ministry is trying to accomplish so you can budget for the correct gear.
Question Two: How Many People do you have?
PTZs come in handy when you simply don’t have the manpower to run a three or four camera production, but want the flexibility of multiple shots. Or perhaps you need to simply stream to people in your congregation who otherwise can’t make it to church that Sunday, and you don’t have the volunteers to pull that off. Low-manpower teams are ideal for PTZ cameras, which feature set-and-forget capture or fully automated tracking. If you have (or are) a multitasker, a joystick-controlled PTZ could be run from the audio engineer position or a ProPresenter operator.
Small teams are opportunities to get really creative and see how well you can pull off excellent broadcasts with few resources.
However, if you do have the manpower as well as some budget, I would strongly suggest equipping a broadcast team with regular cameras to capture and stream services. Even with wired SDI connections, you can give your operators enough room to move around a little bit and create dynamic shots that put viewers in the room.
Yes, a team requires more work and leadership skills, but equipping the saints for the work of the ministry is the main calling of a church leader; giving operators the opportunity to use their talents and skills is worth the extra effort. The Lord sees that and honors it; it delights his heart.
Reasonably priced PTZ cameras can pull double duty for streaming services and simple talking-head-style captures.
Question Three: How’s your budget?
That’s such an annoying question, I know.
But you need to weigh bang for buck—beginner PTZs start at around $500, but don’t expect your livestream to look like Bethel. You can also spend over $15,000 for a PTZ camera and with the additional spend, you’ll get much improved image quality, longer zoom ranges, smoother, more natural camera moves, and likely many more years of reliable operation.
That being said, PTZs can do a lot with a little, and reasonably priced PTZ cameras can pull double duty for streaming services and simple talking-head-style captures. At the end of the day, you’ll want to weigh the best bet for spending your money.
Final Thoughts
PTZs are a powerful tool for broadcast, and their flexibility makes them a great choice for a wide array of production situations. If you’re considering making the jump to a full PTZ setup or adding a PTZ to your build-out, talk to your team, your leadership, and see what your budget can swing. We love PTZs here at Church Production and can’t recommend them enough.
