The Summer Olympic Games have always been a showcase for the latest cutting-edge technology. As a photographer, I’ve always looked forward to Olympic years because it’s typically when camera makers roll out their greatest flagship models. But beyond the hardware, there’s a tonne of other innovation that goes into making the games fairer and more fun to watch, from unique camera and sensor systems that support precision-timed finishes to increasingly immersive broadcasts.
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, one particular advancement blew me away; volumetric video production. These systems use hundreds of cameras positioned around a venue to capture real-world objects and spaces in 3D, allowing broadcasters to compile replays that thrust viewers into the action, providing glimpses of key moments from almost any angle.
