Formula E has acquired more than 50 AtomOne mini AIR camera units from Dream Chip to travel on-board the sport’s cars.
Timeline TV, which provides technical facilities and crew to Formula E, selected the AtomOne mini AIR for integration into the fleet of 22 cars – with multiple cameras in each car – due to its miniature profile and weight, picture quality, robust and reliable design, and its straightforward integration with existing control workflows, said Dream Chip.
The camera, which is slightly bigger than a one euro coin, and weighs 25 grams, delivers 10-bit colour depth and 1080/60p/i output to a 1/2.5-inch sensor, with rolling shutter, S-Mount lens and HDR compliancy.
The 85° 3.4mm lens delivers shots that immerse viewers in the action; capturing the split-second reactions of the driver, the view they have from the cockpit, or allowing for close-to-the-ground mounting to enhance the speed and excitement felt by audiences, said the company.
Daniel McDonnell, CEO of Timeline TV said: “In serving some of the biggest broadcasters and production companies in the world, it’s vital that we offer constant innovation – focusing on giving producers the ability to capture the intricacy, excitement and emotion of sport. In motorsports, that comes with its own unique set of challenges in relation to weight, space and safety.
“The AtomOne mini AIR provides the perfect solution – delivering crisp, immersive images whilst remaining entirely unobtrusive. And since it’s capable of being mounted virtually anywhere, it allows producers to achieve completely new things with camera position and perspective”.
Dream Chip’s sales director Stephane Ducobu added: “AtomOne has a readily established background in the field of motorsports, and thus we know that onboard cameras are mission critical in terms of the broadcast: not only must they be small and lightweight, but they must be reliable, robust, safe and easily integrated into a complex workflow of other cameras and production equipment.
“Our AtomOne mini AIR offers all of this, whilst offering no compromise when it comes to image quality. We’re both excited and proud to see our cameras mounted on the next generation of motorsports vehicles, and look forward to watching the 2023/24 series pans out”.
