Camera rental

What cameras are and what you use them for

A camera captures what happens on your stage and turns it into an image signal that you can show live, broadcast or record. At an event a camera is rarely a standalone device: it is the starting point of an image chain that runs from the capture through a vision mixer to a screen, a stream or a recording. It is precisely that chain that determines how polished the end result looks.

You use cameras when you want people to be able to follow clearly what is happening, even if they are sitting further from the stage or are not in the venue at all. Think of the face of a speaker telling a story, the hands of someone demonstrating a product, or the interplay during a performance. A camera brings those details up close, so your audience picks up the nuance that would be lost from a distance.

Recording, image magnification and livestream

Cameras at an event broadly serve three roles. With recording you capture the programme for later use, for example to review, share internally or edit into an aftermovie. With image magnification you send the live camera image to a screen in the venue, so the audience at the back can see the speaker clearly too. With a livestream the image goes to an online audience watching from a distance. In practice you often combine these roles: the same cameras serving the venue simultaneously provide the image for the recording and the stream.

When to use cameras

Cameras come into their own as soon as image plays a role in your audience’s experience. That is the case at almost any event where there is something worth capturing or magnifying.

Concrete events

• Presentations and conferences: at a presentation or conference you want the speaker and the content to be easy to follow, even in a large venue. A camera brings the speaker up close and at the same time provides the image for a recording or stream, so the core message reaches everyone.
• Hybrid events and livestreams: at a hybrid event or livestream cameras are the eyes of your online audience. A well-considered multicam setup ensures that the people at home follow what is happening just as well as the visitors in the venue.
• Product launches: at a product launch you want the reveal moment and the details of the product sharply in view. A close-up camera captures the details that a launch revolves around, while a wide camera takes in the atmosphere and the audience.
• Corporate events: from a kick-off to an anniversary or a performance, at a corporate event cameras capture the highlights and make the programme accessible to colleagues at other locations.

For each of these situations we determine in advance how many cameras are needed, which shots should come together in the mix and whether the image goes to the venue, to a stream or to a recording.

The technology: setup, connection, rigging and operation

A good camera image is above all a matter of the right positions, a reliable vision mix and careful testing. The components are straightforward, but the way they work together determines the result.

Cameras and setup

We start with the positions. Where the cameras stand largely determines how natural the image comes across. We usually place a wide camera at the back of the venue, straight onto the stage, so the image is calm and clear. We set up a second camera closer or at an angle for a close-up of the speaker, and we aim any third camera at a detail, for example a product or the hands during a demonstration. We work with tripods or a stable structure at a height that gives a pleasant image and does not block the view of the audience in the venue.

Vision mixing and connection

The heart of a multicam setup is the vision mix. All camera images come together on a vision mixer, where the operator cuts smoothly between the sources and, where desired, adds presentation slides, a name caption or a logo. From the mix the chosen image goes to its destination: a projection or television in the venue, an encoder for the stream, or a recording. We take care of the cabling between the cameras and the mix, watch the correct resolution and aspect ratio, and make sure every camera has the same colour rendering so the images do not clash when cutting.

Rigging and testing

During rigging we position the cameras, connect the vision mix and tidy away the cables neatly, certainly along audience walkways. This is followed by a full test. We set the framing of each camera, check sharpness, exposure and colour, and rehearse the switching against the running order. With image magnification we watch the venue screen the way the audience sees it, and with a stream we check on a separate screen how the image reaches the online viewer. That way we know for certain before the start that every source is right.

Operation on location

During the event our crew operates the setup. Camera operators follow the action and keep the framing sharp, while the operator at the vision mix cuts between the shots at the right moment. That way you only have to focus on the programme and your audience, while the image is in trusted hands.

Points to watch specific to cameras

Cameras have their own requirements that differ from other image equipment. It is precisely those points that determine whether the image looks sharp and professional.

Light in the venue

What the eye sees perfectly well in the venue is often not enough for a camera. A camera needs more and more even light to deliver a sharp, colour-accurate image without noise. Speakers and the stage therefore need to be well and evenly lit, without hard shadows or backlight from bright windows. At the same time the light must not be so bright that it overexposes. We tune the lighting to what the camera needs while keeping it pleasant for the audience in the room.

Viewing distance, framing and room to move

The position of the camera determines how much of the stage you see and how close you can get. A speaker who moves around a lot calls for a manned camera or a wider frame, so you do not lose them out of shot. We think in advance about the viewing distance to the stage and the room to move that your speakers or artists need, so the camera can keep following the action without the image becoming restless.

Background and a calm image

What can be seen behind the speaker stands out more on screen than in reality. A cluttered background, an open door or a bright window distract from what matters. We look together at the background and its lighting, so attention stays on the speaker and the image looks calm.

Combining with sound, light and effects

Cameras never stand on their own. They are part of a complete video production in which image, sound and light are tuned to each other, both for the venue and for the camera.

Good sound is at least as important as image for a recording or stream. With its own microphone a camera only picks up room sound from a distance, which often sounds hollow and unintelligible. That is why we take the audio signal straight from the sound system, so speech reaches the recording or the viewer clean and clear.

Lighting also deserves extra attention with camera work, because a camera is more demanding than the eye. We provide even lighting of speakers and stage and prevent backlight or hard shadows that disrupt the image. For a powerful moment, for example a reveal or a performance, we can add extra impact to the image with special effects, making sure that smoke or confetti does not cloud the camera image. That way the whole production works as one, in the venue and on screen.

Practical tips

• Decide early what the cameras need to do. Only recording, image magnification in the venue or a livestream each calls for a different approach, and that choice determines the number of cameras and the vision mix.
• Share the running order in advance, so we know when which camera or source should be on screen. A well-prepared vision mix looks far calmer than loose improvisation.
• Think about the lighting of the stage. Ask us early to look at the light in the venue, then we make sure the camera delivers a sharp, colour-accurate image.
• Allow for the room to move of your speakers. If someone walks around a lot, we match the camera position and framing to that so they stay in shot.
• Test together with us during rigging. We show you how each camera frames and, with a stream, how the image reaches the online viewer, so you know in advance that it is right.

Request a quote

Would you like to rent cameras to record, magnify in the venue or broadcast live your event, conference or performance in or around Amsterdam? HuurAV takes care of the complete image chain, from single- or multicam setups and vision mixing to image magnification, stream and recording, including setup, connection, a full test and operation on location. We think along about the number of cameras, the positions, the lighting for the camera and the sound with the image. If you want to collect and set up individual equipment yourself, that is possible online via SpeakerVerhuur.nl. Tell us what you have in mind and request a no-obligation quote, and we will put together a tailored proposal.