Revolutionizing The Broadcasting World With Vinten

It's been a busy year for UK-based Vinten. Fresh off of supporting dozens of broadcast networks at the Rio games, Vinten is again setting the pace for the entire industry with the launch of their revolutionary new product, the Vinten Vantage.

The Vantage, which debuted last month at IBC 2016 in RAI, Amsterdam, took home its first "Best of Show" award just three days after its launch.

We sat down with Vinten's Global Product Marketing Manager James Wilson, to get a closer look at the Vinten brand and how their success has transformed the broadcasting world.

Q: 2016 has been a big year for Vinten. Where does the innovation come from and what new technology are you now offering broadcasters?
A: Our innovation is fuelled by our customers' needs and demands. Since Vinten's conception over a hundred years ago, we've always tried to listen to our customers and think about how we can improve day-to-day life on set or on location as well as improve the broadcasting workflow. Our newest product, the Vinten Vantage, really illustrates this. Our engineering team is at the forefront of the industry and noticed that cameras continue to become more powerful, with increased resolution, yet more compact at the same time. The latest cameras are now producing 4K and UHD images, yet the studios are getting smaller. Our customers needed a better solution than a PTZ (pan tilt zoom). They need technology that can keep up with camera trends but are compact enough to fit in a smaller studio environment. The Vantage answers those needs and that's why it's generating so much interest.

So, what is the Vinten Vantage?
The Vinten Vantage is a compact robotic head that offers ultimate motion control and unmatched flexibility during production, all while enabling broadcast-quality video. It's a completely unique product and a viable alternative to a traditional PTZ solution since it distinctively enables the user to choose the best camera and lens for their application without limitations.

What's so revolutionary about this new head?
Even though studios are getting smaller, the production value is increasing. Solutions like the PTZ are lightweight and compact, but they don't offer high-quality 4K images that today's viewers have come to expect. The Vinten Vantage goes one step further than a PTZ and offers completely smooth movement that enables broadcast-quality video. Since it's camera and lens agnostic, the head is compatible with traditional cameras and lenses as well as the latest pro-camcorders like the Canon C100 or the Sony FS7. Right now, no one is offering a solution like this to anyone, broadcasters or otherwise!

The Vantage wasn't the only product you launched this year. You also launched a new track system...
Earlier this year, we introduced the Hexagon Robotic Track System, which answers another challenge that our customers are facing. With traditional track systems, you'll get a high track profile, loose cables that could cause tripping or a single-motor system that might slip. In response, our brand developed the Hexagon System with Tecnopoint, which has the lowest profile track on the market. With no outside cables, it's far less obtrusive than other systems and much safer in the studio environment. Our track system also has four wheels and two motors so it has very high traction with virtually no slipping.

Track systems allow studios to create eye-catching camera moves on-air and our customers also wanted a solution that could be fully integrated with our Vinten Control System. With the Hexagon System, users have the ability to operate all of the cameras on-set and are saved from the high cost of an upgrade.

Your manual range of camera supports were spotted throughout Rio and seem to be the go-to brand both in studio and for live sports. What makes it so distinctive?
Our manual range of camera supports have a long-standing legacy of award-winning engineering and technology that has proven to be ahead of its time. Our Vector 750, with its distinctive pantographic head, is a great example of this. It remains the premiere choice in sports applications because it is 4K ready, offers effortless control of heavy sports cameras while performing consistently and reliably. We are very proud that our products are so reliable and that the cost of ownership is so low due to how long they last. To help celebrate the manual range, we've partnered with an international award-winning filmmaker for a collection of videos celebrating them.

www.vinten.com

This article is also available to read at BFV online here, page 14.

(JP/LM)