Camix Prizm – camera state tracking system for virtual production

Camix Prizm — solution (hardware + software) for configuring, calibrating and streaming virtual camera state data. The solution allows you to connect almost any existing tracking system (tracking position, rotation, zoom, focus values), calibrate set lens + camera (including such data as lens distortion, virtual camera point position, field of views, focusing distance) and stream the exact state of the virtual camera using FreeD or OSC protocols.

How it work

Prizm works like a… prizm. As a collecting prizm: combines data

from camera, tracking system, lens encoders, sync generator

to virtual camera state (position, rotation, field of view, lens distortion etc.)

One of the most important tasks of virtual camera tracking — calibration.

Prizm allows you to calibrate any set of lens + camera in 45 minutes!

Calibration file contains zoom focus dependent information about:

Calibration

• lens distortion (radial distortion model with k1, k2, k3 etc. params)
• position and rotation of virtual camera point (without any additional offsets)
• virtual camera field of view (HFOV, VFOV, focal length, matrix size)
• focus plane distance (precision distance from virtual camera point)
• environment axes position and rotation (zero point and axes direction)

After changing the position or replacing the tracker,

recalibration takes no more than 5 minutes!

Accuracy

Full control over tracker and encoder data:

• clamp filter
• kalman filter
• linear interpolation filter
• tracking and encoder data dela

Full control over streaming data:

• setting environment axes
• setting units of measure
• streaming data delay

Fast and accurate lens + camera and environment axes calibration:

• lens distortion at dynamic zoom / focus
• virtual camera position / rotation at dynamic zoom / focus
• virtual camera HFOV / VFOV / focal length at dynamic zoom / focus
• focus plane distance at dynamic zoom / focus

Cases

Camix Prizm supports various tracking systems, including virtual camera tracking systems,

which allows you to choose a solution for specific shooting conditions:

• camera movement restrictions
• Illumination restrictions
• Indoor or outdoor location

* and similar tracking systems (Manus VR, Tundra, Stype, Ncam, Vicon)

Supported tracking systems:

HTC Vive (Steam VR), Antilatency, Intel RealSense, OSC|FreeD UDP streaming

Supported encoders:

Camix Gear, Camix Servo, OSC|FreeD UDP streaming

Supported 3D engines:

Unreal Engine, Aximetry, Disguise, Unity, Zero Density, Ventuz, Poxotope, OSC|FreeD UDP streaming

F.A.G

Can I make a lens file?

Yes! With a simple, fast and accurate calibration procedure, you can create a lens + camera calibration file — virtual camera calibration file.

How to set up a virtual camera in a 3D engine?

Camix Prizm sends data via FreeD and OCS protocols. Using FreeD (D1), you get the exact position of virtual camera point, but you do not get any other calibration data (the protocol does not support this). Using OCS, you get ready-made data about the state of the virtual camera, you just need to receive them via OCS and bind to the same parameters of the virtual camera.

Can I set coordinate system position and rotation?

With calibration procedure, you can specify the zero point (origin of the coordinate system) and the direction of the axes (right, up, forward).

Is it possible to calibrate a lens with «live focusing‎»‎?

Yes, calibration means that all calibrated parameters (lens distortion, position and rotation of virtual camera point, field of view, focal plane distance) depend on both zoom and focus values.

Can I track the camera outdoors?

Prizm allows you to use a variety of tracking systems. Some of them are suitable for outdoor use: Antilatency, Intel RealSense T265, Mo-Sys e-Sensor tripod, etc.

Can I calibrate a photo lens without gear rings?

You can use Сamix Gear encoders with a toothed ring of a folow focus system or similar.

More information on the Camix website!