How to control camera menus from an iPad, integrate SmallHD monitors with Livegrade and simplify network connections on the rig.
Remote camera control has become an increasingly useful tool in professional film and advertising workflows. Being able to access camera parameters from an iPad, a computer or an onboard monitor makes the work of the camera team and the DIT easier, especially in configurations where physically accessing the camera is complicated.
Through Wi-Fi, Ethernet and wireless data transmission systems, it is possible to control different camera parameters, manage looks and connect several devices within the same network.
Applications such as ARRI Camera Companion, RED Control or the network control interfaces available for Sony VENICE cameras allow access to camera functions from external devices, provided that the camera, the firmware and the connection used are compatible.
But how can we integrate all these devices without filling the rig with cables? And what happens when we want to use camera control and live grading simultaneously from a SmallHD monitor?
This is where the new Ethernet connectivity systems designed specifically for shooting come into play.
1. Controlling camera menus from an iPad or a computer
Many digital cinema cameras allow connection to a network via Wi-Fi or Ethernet to control their functions from external devices.
Depending on the manufacturer and model, these connections allow you to modify camera settings, check technical information, manage certain image parameters or work with looks and metadata.
Some common examples are:
- ARRI Camera Companion: allows control of compatible ARRI cameras from iPhone, iPad and Mac with Apple Silicon, with access to functions such as recording, frame rate, ND filters and white balance.
- RED Control: offers remote control of compatible RED cameras via Wi-Fi, USB-C or Ethernet, depending on the model and configuration.
- Sony VENICE: allows working with image control and management workflows via IP, Wi-Fi and Ethernet connections, depending on the model and the functions used.
This type of control is especially useful for DITs, camera assistants and directors of photography who need to check or modify parameters without interrupting the set’s operations.
The connection can be made directly between the camera and the control device or through a shared network. The second option offers more flexibility when several devices are incorporated into the workflow.
2. What do wireless Ethernet transmitters and bridges provide?
Wireless control systems allow the data of a network connection to be transported without laying a physical cable between the two points.
Some work with conventional Wi-Fi networks, while others use specific radio links to transport Ethernet data. That is why it is worth distinguishing the operating frequency, the type of connection and the actual function of each device.
Not all of them work at 2.4 GHz: there are professional solutions that use other frequency bands to achieve links more suited to the conditions of a shoot.
One example is the OZ Color Set Link Nano, a wireless Ethernet bridge based on Wi-Fi HaLow technology. In its European version it operates in the 863–868 MHz band and is designed to connect camera control and live grading equipment through a transparent network link.
Its function is not to transmit the monitor’s video signal. What it transports is the network communication necessary for the connected devices to exchange control data.
This allows, for example, controlling a camera from another position on set or sending image adjustments to a compatible device without having to run an Ethernet cable across the entire location.
3. OZ Color Set Link Switch: one Ethernet connection for several devices
In a professional camera rig, it is increasingly common to combine different devices connected to the network: the camera itself, an onboard monitor, a wireless transmitter and control accessories.
The problem arises when we need to connect several devices and the camera has a single available Ethernet port.
The OZ Color Set Link Switch is designed precisely to solve this situation.
It is a small three-port Gigabit Ethernet switch, intended to be installed directly on the rig. It allows several devices to be connected to the same network without having to add a larger conventional switch.
Its reduced dimensions, its weight of approximately 42 grams and its power supply via a two-pin connector make it especially suitable for compact camera configurations.
What does it allow you to do on a shoot?
The Set Link Switch allows the network connection to be shared between devices such as:
- The digital cinema camera, for control via Ethernet.
- A compatible SmallHD monitor, with the camera control and live grading functions it supports.
- A Set Link Nano wireless Ethernet bridge, to extend that network to another location.
In this way, the switch allows combining the local connectivity of the accessories installed on the camera with a remote control link.
Important: the Set Link Switch does not create a Wi-Fi network or transmit data by radio. To achieve a wireless connection it must be combined with a suitable device, such as the Set Link Nano, or with another compatible system.
4. A practical case for DITs: SmallHD, Livegrade and camera control
One of the most interesting workflows is combining an onboard SmallHD monitor with Pomfort Livegrade and a wireless Ethernet link to control the camera from another position on set.
Let’s imagine a camera equipped with a SmallHD monitor compatible with camera control and live grading.
The goal is to have two simultaneous network connections: one for the monitor and another to communicate the camera with the remote control system.
A possible configuration would be the following:
- Connect the camera to the Set Link Switch.
- The camera’s Ethernet connection is taken to the switch installed on the rig.
- Connect the SmallHD or FSI monitor.
- The monitor uses one of the Ethernet ports to integrate into the network and communicate with Livegrade, depending on the configuration and the supported functions.
- Connect the Set Link Nano.
- The wireless bridge uses the switch’s third port to extend the network to another location, where the control system is located.
- Control the workflow from the DIT station.
- The computer running Livegrade can communicate with the monitor and with the camera when both are correctly configured on the network and are compatible with the functions used
This approach allows working with the onboard monitor and remote camera control without having to choose between one connection or the other.
Where does Livegrade come in?
Pomfort Livegrade allows working with looks in real time and controlling compatible devices, including certain SmallHD or flanders FSI monitors via Ethernet connection.
When the monitor is configured as a grading device, Livegrade can send it looks in the form of a 3D LUT to modify the image it displays in real time. This allows working on the visual appearance from the DIT station while the monitor remains installed on the camera. A practical case of this workflow, for example, is when a DoP wants to see on their “on board” monitor a different look from the one the clients want to see. In Livegrade you have a slot configured with that monitor as one more LUT box, for independent color control.
The Set Link Switch does not process color or run Livegrade: its function is to facilitate connectivity between the devices. Image processing and look management correspond to the devices and software used.
The exact compatibility will depend on the monitor model, the camera control license when necessary, the camera and the network configuration. It is also important to remember that the wireless link transports control data; it does not replace the SDI video connection that feeds the monitor.
5. Other wireless control solutions worth knowing about
Although the Set Link Switch is especially interesting for its simplicity and size, there are other solutions that address different connectivity needs on set.
Teradek Bolt 7
The Bolt 7 series combines wireless video transmission with a dedicated radio channel for data. The latter enables camera control workflows and wireless look management with compatible tools such as Pomfort Livegrade. It is an option to consider when, in addition to control, wireless video transmission is needed.
Bit Part bitbox
Bit Part develops remote camera control systems that transport Ethernet connectivity via a specific radio link. Its product family offers different connection, power and rig integration options, depending on the model and region.
ARRI NIA-1
The ARRI Network Interface Adapter NIA-1 is aimed at connecting the ARRI control ecosystem with Ethernet networks and expanding camera and lens control possibilities. It is a different solution from a simple switch or wireless bridge, especially interesting in configurations with Hi-5, ECS systems and compatible cameras.
Each of these solutions responds to different needs. The choice depends on whether we are looking to distribute a network within the camera setup, create a wireless control link or integrate data connectivity with video transmission.
6. Better-designed connectivity for the DIT workflow
Remote camera control and Ethernet connectivity are already part of many professional workflows. As more monitors, color tools and control devices are incorporated, it becomes important to plan how they connect and how they share the network.
For DITs, using compact solutions such as the OZ Color Set Link Switch makes it possible to simplify the rig’s cabling and combine devices that need to communicate simultaneously.
In combination with a wireless Ethernet bridge, such as the Set Link Nano, it is also possible to extend that connectivity without running a cable between the camera and the control station.
The key is to understand what each device does, check compatibilities and design a configuration suited to the production’s workflow.
At El Marqués del RAW we closely follow the tools that make the work of the DIT and the camera team easier, from color management with Livegrade to connectivity and remote control solutions.
Because a good workflow does not depend solely on the equipment we use, but also on how we connect it.