How to set up CamSync

Included in

CamSync

CamSync lets you produce landscape and vertical streams using two PTZ cameras mounted next to each other, without requiring an operator to control both cameras separately. Typically, the operator controls the landscape camera as usual. Alternatively, you can use the Head Tracking Director to control the landscape camera automatically. The portrait camera then follows the landscape camera and adjusts its framing to keep the people in the landscape shot in view.

CamSync requires a CamSync license.

Scenario description

Parent camera to follower camera

Cam Sync uses the parent camera's position and detected people to adapt the follower framing.

Mount a landscape and a portrait PTZ camera next to each other and point them at the same production area. The landscape camera is the parent and is controlled manually or by another MiruSuite director. The portrait camera is the follower and runs the Cam Sync Director.

CamSync does not simply copy the parent camera’s PTZ values. Instead, it uses the parent camera’s person-tracking data to calculate suitable portrait framing. This allows the parent camera to use an off-centre composition while the portrait camera keeps the visible person or group centred. Whenever possible, CamSync preserves each person’s apparent height. If the portrait frame cannot accommodate everyone at that size, it zooms out further.

WARNING

CamSync is intended for cameras mounted directly next to each other. Cameras with substantially different positions or viewing angles cannot reliably produce matching framing. Ideally, mount the second camera upside down so that the lenses are as close together as possible. Ensure that the camera and its PTZ Controller are configured correctly in MiruSuite.

Prerequisites

Before configuring CamSync, make sure the following requirements are met:

• The parent landscape camera has a PTZ Controller and Person Tracker.
• The follower portrait camera has its own PTZ Controller.
• Both cameras are mounted as close together as possible.
• You have an active CamSync license.

If you still need to configure person tracking for the parent camera, follow the person tracking setup guide.

Configure the follower camera

1. Open the device that represents the portrait follower camera.
2. Add a component and select the Cam Sync Director.
3. Enable the follower camera’s PTZ Controller, as well as the parent camera’s PTZ Controller and Person Tracker.
4. Open the component settings and select the landscape camera in Parent Device. Only another device with a running PTZ controller is offered as a new parent in this list.
5. In the Cam Sync Director settings, use Offset Pan and Offset Tilt (in degrees) to compensate for differences in the cameras’ physical mounting positions. Use positive or negative values as needed.
6. Enable the Cam Sync Director.

TIP

Zoom in as far as possible with the parent camera and focus on an easily identifiable object. Then adjust the portrait camera’s offsets until the same object is centred in its frame.

WARNING

If no parent is selected, the parent and follower are the same device, or an active PTZ controller or Person Tracker is missing, Cam Sync stays in an error state and does not move the follower camera. The parent Person Tracker is required; the follower does not need its own Person Tracker.

Synchronize focus

Cam Sync can mirror the parent camera's focus state on the follower camera. Focus synchronization is disabled by default.

1. Open the Cam Sync Director settings on the follower camera.
2. Enable Synchronize Focus.

Focus targets are translated to match the follower camera's framing. Synchronization is disabled when either camera does not support focus control. Note that manual focus is synchronized as-is, i.e., for different zoom levels between leader and follower cameras, different objects may be in focus.

Tune the framing

Start with the default settings and watch both camera feeds while moving the parent camera through typical shots. Then refine the following settings:

• Set Follow Speed to balance quick reaction with smooth motion.
• Use Steady Zoom Threshold to stop tiny zoom changes from causing visible adjustments.
• Choose Body or Torso in Bounding Box Variant. Body keeps arms in the shot, while Torso ignores extended arms and falls back to body framing when torso keypoints are unavailable. A higher Horizontal Margin is recommended for Torso mode.
• Increase Horizontal Margin when the portrait shot needs more room around people. The margin is measured relative to the parent frame width.
• Keep Correct Pan enabled if the portrait camera should centre the visible person or group, even when the landscape composition is off-centre.
• Enable Correct Tilt to adjust the vertical framing based on the people in the shot. Then use Target Head Position to specify where their heads should appear in the portrait image.

Verify the result

Move the parent camera between a centered shot, an off-center rule-of-thirds shot, and a shot containing multiple people. The follower should keep the same people visible, center them more naturally within the vertical frame, and zoom out when necessary to include the entire group. If the framing is consistently misaligned in one direction, adjust the corresponding offset before changing the correction settings.

Your paired cameras are now ready to deliver coordinated landscape and vertical streams.