The Television Camera Equipment --- Bridging The Studio And Homes

What’s the essence of a television production without an important ingredient --- the camera? Would a production be successful without the magic of the camera and its accessories? Truly, one can say that the television production’s lifeline passes through the veins of the camera. In the first place, without the television camera equipment, there wouldn’t be any show or production to watch for. This is where the first transmission of the studio production happens, so it can be viewed and enjoyed in the home television sets.

As technology progresses, so are the camera equipments. Though there have been much improvement and enhancement in the camera technology, it is important to note that the main parts are still there, as these make up the framework of a camera. In a production, whether it’s set in or out of the studio, the camera operator must check that the equipments are in place, in order, and in proper condition. He must see to it that the principal parts are functioning well, making sure that the camera head --- including the lens, imaging device, and viewfinder, the camera mount, and the pedestal, are all ok.

As an operator of television camera equipment, the camera operator must know the parts and functions of the camera; he has to know the camera inside and out. For example, the lens --- it has external optics which collects and focuses the light onto the object or image, the imaging device or internal optics which includes the beam splitter and deals with image retention, the view finder which serves as the window to the world, and the camera mount which is attached to the camera as a support.

The camera operator plays a big role in the production because he has to be a professional --- have the skills, proficiency, muscular coordination, smoothness, etc., in order for him to be noteworthy in his video coverage especially if it’s a live or an “on-air” show. Being a camera operator entails long hours of practice and preparation, especially with the evolution --- advancement and complexities of television camera equipments these days. He has to know the dos and don’ts of handling a camera, moving a camera, and caring a camera before-during-after the shoot. Come to think of it, as a viewer, would you like to watch a show that has cameras moving and blurring that it gives you a headache after watching it? Definitely not! This is why camera operators play a big role too, it is in their steady hands that the viewers worldwide appreciate and understand the show.

In the world of television, camera equipment is given focus because it is through this medium that the world sees and appreciates the prepared production and show. And it is with the help of the cameramen that people get to enjoy TV shows.