Sony has announced their first ever camera tracking system, the OCELLUS (ASR-CT1), which consists of a sensor unit, processing box, and three lens encoders. The system can be used with a wide variety of cinema and broadcast cameras, providing marker-free tracking through a host of infrared LED sensors. The captured tracking data can help with virtual productions, augmented reality overlays, on-set compositing, post-production effects work, and more.
The sensor unit is lightweight, compact, and can be mounted via an included NATO rail in any position or orientation. The unit has sensors on five of its faces, helping capture accurate feature points even at longer distances. The OCELLUS uses “Visual SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping)” technology to capture location data indoors or outdoors in any kind of lighting. The sensor unit connects to the processing box through a single USB-C cable that transmits power and data.
The processing box can use a single SDI cable from the camera to sync information and metadata. The box features an OLED screen that displays the IP address, tracking info, lens data, and more. It can send real time free-d tracking, camera, and lens metadata to rendering programs like Unreal Engine via its Ethernet connection, as well as record FBX tracking data files directly onto an SDXC card. Additionally, the processing box has a Genlock input and Timecode input to aid in syncing. If an SDI output isn’t available on the camera or the lens doesn’t pass information through the camera, the Lens Encoders can record rotation data for the zoom, focus, and iris rings and pass that information on to the processing box.
The OCELLUS is designed to work well with Sony’s Virtual Production Toolset software, and the system has a dedicated web menu to assist with map creation, tracking, and lens calibration. If you’re working on any kind of spatial content creation, the OCELLUS can help you take things to the next level. Pairing it with Sony cameras and lenses can give you the most seamless experience, but it’s nice to see compatibility extend to third party cameras and glass. Expect the ASR-CT1 kit to start shipping this fall.
For more information about the Sony OCELLUS, including features, specs, and highlights, be sure to check out the detailed product page. Or drop us a line below, and we’ll do our best to answer all your comments and questions.
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