AT Communications sets sights on touring and festival market with the first 4K UE160 PTZ cameras in the UK

Ground-breaking Panasonic PTZ delivers stunning images in challenging lighting conditions and dramatically reduces moiré effect when shooting against LED walls.

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Client: ATC

Location: United Kingdom

Product(s) supplied: AW-UE160

Challenge

To provide leading AV hire company ATC with the latest generation PTZ cameras to expand its position in the touring and festival market.

Solution

Panasonic AW-UE160 PTZ cameras with 4K 1” MOS sensor, new optical low pass filter to reduce the moiré effect when shooting against an LED wall and RP150 controllers.

"The moment we saw the UE160 in action, we knew it was a game changer. What really caught our eye was the moiré filter, the quality of picture and the interfaces. We were looking at the next generation PTZ camera.”"

When AT Communications (ATC) first saw a demonstration of the capabilities of the latest 4K Panasonic AW-UE160 PTZ camera it recognised immediately that this was the rental and staging camera that would help them expand further into the touring and festival market. They were the first company in the UK to invest in the product.

“The moment we saw the UE160 in action, we knew it was a game changer,” said James Speer, Rental Manager at ATC. “What really caught our eye was the moiré filter, the quality of picture and the interfaces. We were looking at the next generation PTZ camera.”

One of UK’s leading AV hire companies, ATC is a specialist in the corporate and events markets and has its sights sets on expanding further into the touring and festival space from its Midlands and London bases. The company can provide a full service from design to show with the largest revenues coming from its LED wall hire. “We wanted new PTZ cameras that would work effectively with the LED walls and when Panasonic offered us a demonstration, we were keen to see what the latest generation could offer.”

ATC’s has a long and established relationship with Panasonic. The company invests heavily in Panasonic projectors and large screen displays as well as PTZ cameras. It had previously invested in Panasonic UE100 PTZ cameras and they had proved popular with customers – earning their money back each and every year.

On another level

“This latest Panasonic UE160 PTZ camera is on another level,” explained James. “We were proud to have been the first in the UK to have them and they went straight out on tour. It’s still early days but the client reviews are that this is the next chapter in PTZ cameras.”

The UE160 4K PTZ camera features a newly developed 4K 1” MOS sensor that offers the highest sensitivity of Panasonic’s entire PTZ line-up. Production teams shooting at venues can easily capture clear images even in the most challenging lighting conditions. Meanwhile, the UE160’s new optical low pass filter reduces the effect of moiré for clearer picture quality when shooting against an LED wall, which is especially important for touring, festival and events. Its high-speed frame rate will help broadcasters capture slow motion shots in HD, while seamless integration with the robotic camera system brings live broadcast-style movements to the PTZ, resulting in a dynamic and highly engaging video production.

Along with the outstanding high sensitivity of F14 / 2,000 LX and its High-Bandwidth NDI capability, the UE160 is also the first ever compact PTZ camera to support SMPTE ST2110, an IP transmission standard for the broadcasting industry, and wireless transmission with a 5G mobile router (via USB tethering). It supports return input and a rear tally lamp that can also be lit in yellow, which are essential for combined operation with system cameras. In addition, it is equipped with a cropping zoom function that can output multiple angle video with a single camera and 2x high-speed output (HD) from SDI/HDMI.

Exceptional reliability

On top of the next generation capabilities of the PTZ cameras, James said that the reliability of Panasonic products and the relationship with the company were important factors in their decision to invest. “Panasonic is the industry leader, its products are cutting edge and the kit is almost indestructible,” said James. “When it comes to durability and reliability, I have every confidence in the products. If I send out a Panasonic PTZ to a customer, the next time I see it is back on shelf. I don’t have to worry about it. They just work time after time.”

James added that their working relationship with Panasonic was also important. “We know the people on the service side by name. They appreciate our business. We don’t feel like just another customer.”

The latest Panasonic PTZ cameras establish ATC as an AV hire provider at the forefront of technology for festivals, events and tours.

AT Communications sets sights on touring and festival market with the first 4K UE160 PTZ cameras in the UK

Challenge

Solution

On another level

Exceptional reliability

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