European Aquatics Championships: Omnicam4Sky special camera captures split images above and below water By David Davies
Tuesday, July 9, 2024 - 08:18
Print This Story
Credit: European Aquatics
Grup Mediapro company Omnicam4Sky has provided a host of special camera solutions - including the Waterline Dual Cam that allows the capturing of split images above and below the waterline - for use at the European Aquatics Masters Championships, which took place in Belgrade from 26 June to 6 July.
Established as an R&D-driven subsidiary of Grup Mediapro in 1997, Omnicam4Sky is focused primarily on the development of innovative camera systems. It has long-standing associations with sports federations including FIFA, UEFA and Conmebol, and in the last month alone has supplied special cameras for events including the UEFA Women's Champions League Final and the UEFA Europa League Final.
Omnicam4Sky's involvement in the European Aquatics Masters Championships provided a particular opportunity to showcase the breadth of its recent innovation. Multiple units of its Underwater PTZ solution - which constitutes an aluminium rail with underwater glass dome enclosure for Panasonic UE-80 UHD cameras - were used to capture the artistic swimming, swimming and jump events.
Omnicam4Sky also provided one K2 remote-controlled track camera with stabilised 15 8 Canon lens and pan-bar (essentially a regular tripod with zoom and focus handles instead of traditional joystick control) for the swimming events, as well as a single AquaJib - which comprises a pole with underwater glass dome enclosure housing a Dreamchip Atom SSM500 ultra-slow motion camera - for jump events.
But arguably the most intriguing single solution from Omnicam4Sky to be utilised at the championships was the Waterline Dual Cam. Employed throughout the artistic swimming events, the Waterline Dual Cam provides two perspectives on the same image - one from above the waterline, and one from below.
Jorge Quinta Gaspar, CEO of Omnicam4Sky, says that the origins of the current camera stretch back as far as 2009 and a swimming training centre project in Portugal. We had a railcam with a Sony Z700 PTZ camera on top, and underwater there was a small zoom camera, which was a Sony HXR-MC1, he recalls. It was pretty similar to what we see now in the artistic swimming event, where the concept is to have the two cameras - one outside the water and one inside - and then stitch the two images together.
Controlled remotely with a motorised iris focus zoom lens and multi-matrix support, the Waterline Dual Cam enables a seamless, horizontal line that clearly divides the integrated waterline image regardless of the presence of waves and ripple effects.
The current HD solution rectifies the principal challenges encountered with the 2009-era product. It wasn't so good in terms of manipulating the images with the software we were using, and as a result the final effect wasn't too great, says Gaspar, who adds that the moving underwater camera was ultimately deemed to be unsuitable for actual swimming competitions because the waves it created in the swimming pool could affect the swimmers. So, what we have now is a much better quality solution that revolves around fixed cameras which run along a track [some distance] above the water, and also close to the waterline, that can be controlled very effectively in terms of pan and zoom.
Software upgrade
Integral to the performance of the latest-generation solution is the significant evolution of the control software, which means users can now benefit from access to very high-quality 3D imaging of the cameras in use . An extensive period of testing before deployment also proved to be invaluable.
We are always testing new things and looking into possible improvements, confirms Gaspar. For instance, for a long time we were using plastic domes with the PTZ solutions, but more recently we have switched to glass domes as part of our ongoing efforts to get the best from the cameras.
In terms of the performance of the Waterline Dual Cam at the European Aquatics Masters Championships - where host broadcaster duties were shared between Arena Sport and RTS Serbia, the feedback received from the operators has been very good, with the system performing well throughout the event , he says.
Read more Arena Sport and RTS Serbia share host duties for European Aquatics Championships
Gaspar also points out that the Belgrade event was by no means the only major recent aquatics-related outing for Omnicam4Sky solutions, with the Doha 2024 World Aquatics Championships - which took place in Doha from 2-18 February - involving extensive use of the 4Sky four-cable suspended dynamic camera system. Incorporating a stabilised camera head, a choice of Panasonic or Sony cameras, Canon lenses and remote OCP camera control, 4Sky is able to move dynamically across a sports field or arena from virtually any spot or angle - allowing it to shift vertically and horizontally across a pre-defined indoor or outdoor space.
We have worked on a lot of aquatics events in recent years, using our own camera systems developed in-house, confirms Gaspar, adding that in Doha the 4Sky was employed by Sky as part of its coverage. We are always innovating, both in terms of new systems and improvements [to existing ones], in order to capture the kind of images and angles that wouldn't have been possible even relatively recently.
He also thinks that a continual focus on making its special cameras as easy to use as possible has contributed significantly to Omnicam4Sky's current prominence in the sports market. Everything we do is from the ground-up with [a major emphasis] on making it all versatile and user-friendly for the operators, says Gaspar. You really don't want to be making any aspect of the production more compl
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
18/08/2026
SMT will provide race technology for FOX Sports' coverage of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. on August 23, when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races ...
18/08/2026
The live, YouTube-native roundtables combine fan voices, credentialed reporters,...
18/08/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/08/2026
The industry legend sounds off on replacing the Heat's iconic Medusa score...
18/08/2026
William F. Rasmussen, the sports fan-turned broadcaster and entrepreneur whose out-of-the-box idea of a 24-hour cable sports network, ESPN, changed forever the ...
18/08/2026
DAZN Group has completed its acquisition of ViewLift, a provider of streaming and digital solutions for sports content owners. The acquisition was first announc...
18/08/2026
The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) has added SI TV, Sports Illustrated's 24/7 streaming channel, as a broadcast partner for the remain...
18/08/2026
The Esports Foundation has announced that the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), originally scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh, will be postponed to Novemb...
18/08/2026
Diversified has announced a new Global Managed Services Practice, consolidating the company's managed services capabilities into one organization. Rob Mello...
18/08/2026
Appear has completed a proof of concept with Thoroughbred Racing Productions (TRP), demonstrating multi-camera remote live production over bonded 5G cellular an...
European Aquatics Championships: Omnicam4Sky special camera captures split images above and below water By David Davies 
