SURREY, U.K.—Mark Roberts Motion Control (MRMC) has introduced the Cinebot Mini, a small, lightweight, versatile camera robot and will unveil it to the broader market during IBC 2023, Sept. 15-18, at the RAI Amsterdam.
The company has engineered the new camera robot for simplicity with a range of user-friendly features that are well-suited for studio owners, content creators, grips, cinematographers and camera operators, MRMC said.
The Cinebot Mini robot can be controlled manually and record camera positions, a feature that makes complex camera movements more accessible. Built to be portable, the robot is easy-to-transport, setup and use on location, it said.
It can run up to eight hours on battery power and can be controlled by hand directly from a mobile device or with MRMC’s Flair software.
The robot can handle a camera payload of up to 22 pounds (10kg) and offers a 4-foot-3-inch (1.3m) arm reach, allowing operators to shoot from a variety of angles and positions. For added flexibility, the Cinebot Mini comes with a track and pedestal option. This feature allows the robot to be used on an adjustable pedestal for height variation or equipped with a track for an additional axis of movement, it said.
"MRMC continues to develop the most innovative technologies to meet the evolving needs of the film and cinematography industries," said MRMC CEO Assaff Rawner. "It’s the ideal solution for professionals looking to record and replicate any movement manually made on set with maximum flexibility and ease of use to meet a wide variety of production requirements.”
Typically, motion control has been achieved using software to create keyframes that are then joined together to create a smooth camera path. This has been mostly seen in high-end work or high-budget productions, the company said.
The Cinebot Mini integrates motion control with the familiarity and type of control used on everyday sets, relying on regular grip equipment. Cinematographers can hand-hold the camera in various positions, and the robotic arm will record them. They can also push the track like a standard dolly, and this movement can be recorded and played back, it said.
The idea behind the robot is to make motion control available to any set with simpler, familiar control, a smaller footprint and a more affordable price, it said.
See MRMC at IBC 2023 Stand 12.D20.
More information is available on the company’s website.
