<p>What you look for is probably a combination of the Bescor / Hague MP360 motorized pan tilt head with the CamRanger controller. CamRanger are selling the combo under their label, you can see some nice video explanations at <a href="http://camranger.com/camranger-pan-tilt/" rel="nofollow">their web site</a>. If you don't need the extra pizzaz then you can look at just the MP360, or even the lower-end <a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/64399-REG/Bescor_MP101_MP_101_Motorized_Pan_Head.html" rel="nofollow">MP101</a> which is a great product too.</p>

<p>Note that these heads have a tilt limit of 30deg, so, depending on your setting, you may have to throw in a correction plate.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-26T13:53:29.057Z
2015-05-26T13:53:29.057Z
avnr
<p>Our church wants to install a video camera to record services and sermons, nothing fancy - here's what I'm thinking:</p>

<ol>
<li>Mount a remote-control pan/tilt head on the wall or railing of the balcony</li>
<li>During the service, attach a video camera that has remote-control zoom/start/stop control</li>
<li>Have software that lets the operator hit buttons that say "pan/tilt/zoom so the camera is pointing at the pulpit" or "pan/tilt/zoom so the camera shows the entire altar area".</li>
</ol>

<p>The challenge, of course, is that we don't have $5000 to spend on one of the fancy commercial systems (nor do we need something that sophisticated).</p>

<p>We have a Canon VIXIA HF-R52 that you can control remotely (zoom/start/stop), and I'm considering the Panasonic CTR-1 Remote Pan Tilt Cradle, what I can't tell is whether the controls for either let you say "go to zoom level 8.3, pan 20 degrees from center and 30 degrees down from horizontal" (which is what I would need, in order to give the operator a button for "pan/tilt/zoom to the altar".</p>

<p>BTW, I don't want the system that follows motion, or requires everyone to carry a special tag that the PT head detects and follows.</p>

<p>Is there a low-cost solution that gives me what I need?</p>

<p>I saw this question: <a href="https://video.stackexchange.com/questions/9835/remote-pan-tilt-zoom-cameras-that-arent-expensive">Remote pan/tilt/zoom cameras that aren't expensive</a> which is similar, but didn't go far enough.  As far as I can tell, the low-end pan/tilt heads let you say "pan to the left" but they don't let you say "pan to 30 degrees left" which is what I am looking for.</p>

<video>
Is there a low-cost automated pan/tilt/zoom system?
Betty Crokker
# Is there a low-cost automated pan/tilt/zoom system?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-05-24)

Our church wants to install a video camera to record services and sermons, nothing fancy - here's what I'm thinking:

1. Mount a remote-control pan/tilt head on the wall or railing of the balcony
2. During the service, attach a video camera that has remote-control zoom/start/stop control
3. Have software that lets the operator hit buttons that say "pan/tilt/zoom so the camera is pointing at the pulpit" or "pan/tilt/zoom so the camera shows the entire altar area".

The challenge, of course, is that we don't have $5000 to spend on one of the fancy commercial systems (nor do we need something that sophisticated).

We have a Canon VIXIA HF-R52 that you can control remotely (zoom/start/stop), and I'm considering the Panasonic CTR-1 Remote Pan Tilt Cradle, what I can't tell is whether the controls for either let you say "go to zoom level 8.3, pan 20 degrees from center and 30 degrees down from horizontal" (which is what I would need, in order to give the operator a button for "pan/tilt/zoom to the altar".

BTW, I don't want the system that follows motion, or requires everyone to carry a special tag that the PT head detects and follows.

Is there a low-cost solution that gives me what I need?

I saw this question: [Remote pan/tilt/zoom cameras that aren't expensive](https://video.stackexchange.com/questions/9835/remote-pan-tilt-zoom-cameras-that-arent-expensive) which is similar, but didn't go far enough. As far as I can tell, the low-end pan/tilt heads let you say "pan to the left" but they don't let you say "pan to 30 degrees left" which is what I am looking for.

**Tags:** video


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-05-26. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

What you look for is probably a combination of the Bescor / Hague MP360 motorized pan tilt head with the CamRanger controller. CamRanger are selling the combo under their label, you can see some nice video explanations at [their web site](http://camranger.com/camranger-pan-tilt/). If you don't need the extra pizzaz then you can look at just the MP360, or even the lower-end [MP101](http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/64399-REG/Bescor_MP101_MP_101_Motorized_Pan_Head.html) which is a great product too.

Note that these heads have a tilt limit of 30deg, so, depending on your setting, you may have to throw in a correction plate.


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