Modular Design

camBLOCK™ is a system of motion control blocks that connect to create camera movements like a pan, tilt, dolly, and more:

• The blocks connect with specialized hardware and mounts.
• 1 to 16 blocks can be used simultaneously in a system.
• Each block contains its own motor, gearing and micro-electronics housed in an  anodized aluminum body.

With this modular design your system can be as simple or complex as you need it to be. You can use a single block for simple single axis camera moves or connect multiple blocks for a pan/tilt/dolly configuration. You can use blocks as product movers and even add lens controls, to create complex camera moves.

Compact, Light Weight and Efficient

• Each camBlock™ weighs only six pounds.
• A completely assembled pan/tilt configuration weighs only 7.5 pounds.
• The lightweight design allows you to transport your motion control system to soundstages, remote locations, and even the the tops of mountains.
• When traveling by airplane you can check your system as luggage while staying under airline weight restrictions.
• The camBLOCK™ system can run for 8 hours on a single camera battery.

Easy to Use

The camBLOCK™ software runs on a Pocket PC and is very easy to use.

• The software uses a familiar time line / keyframe interface to control the camera movements.
• You simply position your camera where you want it and add a keyframe on the time line.
• By placing multiple key frames at different points on the time line you can create complex fluid moves.
• Like a move you made? Save it, and open it up for later use.

Run at Any Speed

• Once you have set up your shot, you can play it back at any speed (up to the maximum motor speed).
• Speed up a move that's too slow or run it extremely slow for time lapse.
• There is no slow limit, you can turn a 30 second real time move into an all day time lapse.
• You can even composite real time and time lapse shots to be composited together.

Unique Motion Time lapse

Synchronized time lapse allows you to shoot multiple time lapse shots simultaneously, multiplying your productivity.

When shooting time lapse you typically shoot one frame at a time, waiting several seconds between shots. With synchronized time lapse you can capture several different moments at the same time.

One system, one camera - capturing motion in three different shots simultaneously.

Stop Frame Animation

In this mode, you can shoot your camera move (or moves!) one frame at a time. Great for animation. You can even set up multiple camera moves so you animate once but get several shots.

Real Time Remote Head

With the addition of the joystick module you can remotely control the head in real time. You can even adjust the speed and feathering of the movements allowing the control to be quick and responsive to smooth and elegant. Great for use as a remote head on the end of a jib arm.

Design

camBLOCK™ brings a new level of portability, scalability, and control to location motion control cinematography.

With a compact modular design the camBLOCK™ motion control system can be as simple or complex as you need, allowing you to configure a system with pan, tilt, dolly, lens controls, turn tables, and more. All axis of movement are synchronously coordinated through the camBLOCK's™ controller running our custom camBLOCK™ control software. The graphical touch screen controller allows for precise control through a familiar time line/keyframe interface allowing for real time movement, repeatable moves, advanced motion time lapse, high resolution imaging, and more functionality.

• Modular and Scalable
• Compact and Portable
• Familiar Time line / Keyframe interface
• Run at any speed, real time to time lapse
• Compatible with modern compact video/film cameras and DSLRs
• Unique Multi-Time lapse capability
• Stop Animation
• Real Time Remote Head
• High Resolution Panoramic Photography
• and more!

Philosophy

The goal of camBLOCK™ is to create motion control systems specifically for cinematography that are small enough, compact enough, and tough enough to travel to location with you, bringing advanced motion control techniques into the field that were previously prohibitive.

The camBLOCK™ system is compact with each camBLOCK™ weighing only three pounds. A completely assembled pan/tilt configuration weighs only 8 pounds. This compact and lightweight design allows you to transport your motion control system to soundstages, remote locations, and even mountaintops. When traveling by airplane you can even check your motion control system in as luggage.

 

Configurations

The camBLOCK™ system consists of networked intelligent motorized blocks that can be connected together with accessories to create camera movements such as pan, tilt, dolly, etc. The individual axis are then coordinated with the camBLOCK™ controller running the camBLOCK™ software. With this modular design your system can be as simple or complex as you need it to be. You can use a single block for simple single axis configuration, or connect multiple blocks for a pan/tilt/dolly configuration, possibly use blocks as product movers, and even add lens controls.

camBLOCK™ Software - Overview

The camBLOCK™ software is run on a graphical touchscreen interfaced Pocket PC in common language for camera operators to understand. The software utilizes a familiar timeline / keyframe interface to control the camera movements. You simply position your camera where you want it and add a keyframe on the timeline. By placing multiple keyframes at different times on the timeline you can create complex fluid moves. Like a move you made? Moves can be saved and opened for later use.

Unique Motion Timelapse and Animation

camBLOCK™ can take any move that was set up for real time and shoot it as a motion timelapse with controls over every possible timelapse setting. In addition, camBLOCK™ takes timelapse to the extreme with a unique Multi-Timelapse capability allowing you to shoot multiple timelapse moves simultaneously, multiplying your productivity. This same functionality can be used for animation, allowing you to shoot several shots while only animating once.

Even more functionality

In addition to realtime and timelapse control, there are other software modes for even more functionality. A high-resolution panorama mode allows for the automated photography of high resolution photographs. Enter your lens information, and your start and top point, and the camBLOCK™ will automatically divide the area into as many overlapping photos as you program it for. And screens for real time virtual joystick control allow for smooth real time operation, allowing a camblock configured for pan/tilt to act as a remote head.

camBLOCK™ Software - Overview

The camBLOCK™ software is run on a graphical touchscreen interfaced Pocket PC in common language for camera operators to understand. The software utilizes a familiar timeline / keyframe interface to control the camera movements. You simply position your camera where you want it and add a keyframe on the timeline. By placing multiple keyframes at different times on the timeline you can create complex fluid moves. Like a move you made? Moves can be saved and opened for later use.

Unique Motion Timelapse and Animation

camBLOCK™ can take any move that was set up for real time and shoot it as a motion timelapse with controls over every possible timelapse setting. In addition, camBLOCK™ takes timelapse to the extreme with a unique Multi-Timelapse capability allowing you to shoot multiple timelapse moves simultaneously, multiplying your productivity. This same functionality can be used for animation, allowing you to shoot several shots while only animating once.

Even more functionality

In addition to realtime and timelapse control, there are other software modes for even more functionality. A high-resolution panorama mode allows for the automated photography of high resolution photographs. Enter your lens information, and your start and top point, and the camBLOCK™ will automatically divide the area into as many overlapping photos as you program it for. And screens for real time virtual joystick control allow for smooth real time operation, allowing a camblock configured for pan/tilt to act as a remote head.