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Unlocking Canon’s Latest PTZ Camera Firmware with All New Features – Videoguys
On This Week’s Videoguys Live, James is introducing the new PTZ firmware updates from Canon. This update brings free auto-tracking available to all Canon PTZ Cameras as well as other great new features.
Watch the full video below:
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Canon PTZ Camera Family
New Firmware Updates
- FREE Auto-tracking Now Included with all Cameras
- Improved Color Enhancements & Low Light Capabilities
- Improved Camera Control Experience
- Plus new features & capabilities added to the Canon RC-IP1000 controller
FREE Auto-Tracking Included Now on all PTZ Camera Models
- The free version has limited options available, but still retains excellent tracking performance
- Users who need detailed tracking configurations and tuning should purchase the full Auto Tracking license
Free Auto Tracking Feature Summary
- Subject Auto Detect
- 2 Subject Display Sizes (2&4 only)
- Subject Loss Action
- Prohibited Tracking Area
Fixed Values
- Subject will always be in the middle
- Auto Zoom is always on
- Sensitivity is Level 9 (out of 10)
- Tracking start time is 0 seconds (right away)
- Tracking Selection Area is full screen
- Tracking will always resume after manual operation
Auto Tracking Subject Improvement
- When multiple people are in the camera’s view, it is possible to lose tracking if the subject’s face (head-CR-N700) being tracked is temporarily blocked by another person. Auto Tracking is improved to better handle temporary loss of a subject face/head.
Smoother Auto Tracking Start and Stop
- Improvements have been made to allow a smoother start and stop.
Support for Prohibited Tracking Areas
- Added ability to specify an area to stop tracking. Once the tracked target enters this area, the tracking tops. Can be useful for situations such as presentations where multiple speakers will stand to present, and then sit afterwards.
Improved Subject Composition Adjustment
- Currently, small changes to the silhouette would not trigger any camera movement.
- New firmware algorithm will ensure camera movement even with very small silhouette adjustments
More Exciting New Features
- USB Webcam – UVC Output Improvements
- Pan / Tilt Operation Range Limiter
- Enhanced Focus / Zoom Speed Resolution
- S/N Priority – Improved Strong Noise Reduction
USB Webcam – UVC Output Improvements
- The UVC (USB Video Class) output performance of the CR-N100 and CR-N300 will be improved, and additional output in YUV format will be supported
Pan / Tilt Operation Range Limiter
- Specify a Pan / Tilt movement limit to protect against moving the camera too far off subject
Enhanced Focus / Zoom Speed Resolution
- The current 16 zoom speed steps (24 steps for the CR-N700) will be expanded to 128 steps, and the current 3 focus speed steps will be expanded to 64 steps.
S/N Priority – Improved Strong Noise Reduction
- For 1/2.3” Sensor cameras (CR-N100, CR-N300, CR-X300), there was noticeable noise when shooting in lower light environments due to the automatic noise reduction not being strong enough, which is normally addressed by manually assigning a stronger noise reduction setting. The new SN Priority Mode will make it easier to apply strong noise reduction.
SMPTE Color Bars
- Available on CR-N700 and CR-X300
- Now Available on CR-N100, 300 and 500!
Increased available Clear Scan Resolutions
- On the CR-N700, available clear scan resolution will be increased from 256 to 768 available resolutions, to match frequencies available in Cinema/Pro Video products.
RC-IP1000 Updates
- Support for outputting 2×2 and 3×3 multi-display IP preview screens
- Touch Preset Thumbnail Images
- Waveform Monitor and Vector scope Display
- Auto Tracking Controls
- Copy Camera Settings
Bungie Lays Off Over 200 Employees, Announces Plans For Deeper Integration With Sony
Bungie has announced layoffs affecting 220 employees. In a blog post, Bungie CEO Pete Parsons cites “rising costs of development and industry shifts as well as enduring economic conditions” as the primary factor while revealing some dramatic changes for the company going forward.
These layoffs represent 17 percent of the studio’s workforce and affect every department of the company, with executive and senior leadership roles impacted most. Parsons states that departing employees will receive a “generous” exit package that includes severance, bonus, and health coverage. Bungie also plans to hold employee town halls, along with team and private individual meetings over the coming weeks, to help sort out the next steps. 850 employees remain following the layoffs.
“I realize all of this is hard news, especially following the success we have seen with The Final Shape,” Parsons writes. “But as we’ve navigated the broader economic realities over the last year, and after exhausting all other mitigation options, this has become a necessary decision to refocus our studio and our business with more realistic goals and viable financials.”
Parsons also reveals plans to further integrate Bungie into Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), which acquired the studio in 2022, to leverage its strengths. Firstly, Bungie is working to integrate 155 roles (12 percent of its staff) into SIE over the next few quarters. Bungie states this has allowed it to save additional talent that would have otherwise been affected by today’s layoffs.
Second, Bungie is working with PlayStation Studios to form a new, separate in-house studio that will continue developing one of its incubation projects. Bungie describes this title as, “an action game set in a brand-new science-fantasy universe.”
Parsons then elaborates on how Bungie found itself in this difficult position. He explains that the team’s goal was to ship games in “three enduring, global franchises” and set up several incubation projects to achieve this aim. However, Bungie found itself stretched thin too quickly. This forced its support structures to grow larger than it could feasibly support, especially given the ongoing development of two big titles in Destiny 2 and the upcoming Marathon.
Destiny 2: The Final Shape
Parsons also cites this rapid expansion collided with a broader economic slowdown, the sharp downturn games industry, the mixed reception to Destiny 2: Lightfall, and the need to give the recently released The Final Shape expansion for Destiny 2 (which garnered critical acclaim) and Marathon more development time to ensure a high quality. “We were overly ambitious, our financial safety margins were subsequently exceeded, and we began running in the red,” Parsons states.
“After this new trajectory became clear, we knew we had to change our course and speed, and we did everything we could to avoid today’s outcome,” Parsons writes. “Even with exhaustive efforts undertaken across our leadership and product teams to resolve our financial challenges, these steps were simply not enough.”
Today’s layoffs come roughly eight months after the studio cut 100 staffers last October, and the second since it was acquired by Sony. It represents another wave of game industry job cuts that have run rampant since last year, and hopefully the affected staff can land on their feet sooner than later.