The HD-RH1F camera system from Iconix Video was used to capture stereoscopic footage of boxer Amir Khan for a 3-D film from Reebok.
The film was unveiled at the February 4 launch of the company's multi-year endorsement deal with the popular U.K. athlete. The film, entitled HAVE YOU GOT WHAT IT TAKES? may also be produced as a supporting feature in 3-D theaters in the U.K. later this year, in addition to anaglyph web versions for download.
The four-minute stereoscopic 3-D film showcasing Khan's astonishing hand speed, agility and boxing skill comes from the UK-based 3D specialists The3DFirm, comprised of shoot and post facility Axis Films, production company Can Communicate, and Inition, which specializes in the development of custom real-time 3D graphics applications.
For the two-day shoot in Bolton, England, Axis Films employed Polecam's prototype 3-D head rigged with two Iconix RH1 cameras recording to two Sony HDW-S280 decks in order to capture close-up stereoscopic footage of Khan in action, including a closing flurry of punches aimed directly at the camera.
"The Iconix provides exactly what we were looking for in a 3-D camera and rig," said Paul Carter of Axis Films. "Interocular distance is an overriding factor when shooting 3-D, and the small size of the Iconix allowed us to position the camera heads very close together. Their size also allowed us greater flexibility in terms of movement and getting in close to the action. And the material captured with the Iconix intercut perfectly with the footage from the Panasonic VariCams we also used on the shoot."
A first for point of view cameras, the HD-RH1F system captures and outputs video in 35 different format and frame rate combinations, including all HD resolutions: 720p, 1080i and 1080p while supporting frame rates of 24, 25, 30, 50 and 60 frames-per-second (fps), as well as NTS and PAL. The HD-RH1F incorporates an expansive array of features found only on top-of-the-line HD camera systems while utilizing an innovative signal processing architecture. This POV camera system, which includes a very robust separate camera head and processing controller unit, is the smallest high performance HD camera in the industry. The lightweight HD-RH1F remote camera system is comprised of a POV camera head weighing 2.5 oz.; a 4.0 lb. universal HDTV controller unit; power supply, and 3, 6 and 10 meter cables.
