Camera Compatibility and Remote Control

Key Considerations:

Obviously the higher you want to safely elevate and control a camera on a mast or pole system, the lighter the payload should be to aid handling at height (at 50ft for instance).

For heavier payloads, you need to know the maximum height you can safely elevate you camera and lens, 360 camera, laser scanner or infrared camera.

You also need to ensure that, as long as you are in clear line of sight and not limited by high local radio noise, you can remotely control the camera to at least perform the following during your aerial survey:

Remote, stable, low latency live view (what the camera sees).
Remote setting adjustments (to perfect your shot)
Remote shutter release (to capture your shot)
Remote video record start / stop (no explanation needed)
Remote optical zoom in / out (to target and analyses a specific area, either during live view or in post review after download)
All of the above remote control via a commercially accessible iOS or Android enabled smartphone or tablet (also enabling you to quickly collect, store, edit, and share the data you capture).

How We Can Help You:

At Vantage Point Products, we know what it takes to safely handle and control a camera and pole system at height, so over five years we have designed and improved our products to perform extremely well within the limits of certain payloads:

Due to our product design, our masts can take more weight than we advertise openly (as above), but we tailor the above payload limits to ensure an average person can safely handle that weight at the maximum height, and still control the mast in real world conditions.

Rather than using inferior telescopic poles not originally designed for safe stable elevated imaging, Vantage Point Products rely on several factors to enable the level of performance we achieved with our products:

The quality Toray carbon fibre we use, and the specific type of strong rigid higher modulus density of fibres across all sections – finished and sourced in the UK, made to our custom design.
The engineering of our camera mounting system, made in the South of England to our own design
The mounting accessories for the smartphone or tablet
The support of our aluminium tripod system, enabling stable vertical mast positioning up to 40ft
The pre and post purchase guidance and manuals we provide in safe mast handling, especially when used without our tripod.

Remote Camera Control:

Over the years, we have come to know exactly which cameras have reliable remote live view and remote control at height, the height range they can be used at, and - more importantly - which cameras do not perform well under wireless or wired remote control.

This means that with us, you get it right first time, and what we supply will work from Day One right out of the box we shipped it in!

Our masts can safely elevate many types of cameras, all with various means of remote live view and / or remote control, including but not limited to:

DJI Osmo Pocket 4K camera gimbal (with Wireless Module)
DJI camera gimbals (with remote live view using mounted cameras built in wireless or wired remote control – S-BUS RC or other kinds)
Gudsen Moza camera gimbals (with wireless motion control pan tilt roll)
Zhiyun camera gimbals (with Bluetooth wireless remote pan tilt roll)
Remote motorised pan tilt heads, such as the original equipment manufacturer model Maxwell Electronics MP-101 Electronic Power Panner (and re-labelled versions sold by re-sellers as the "Bescor MP-101", or "PH Pan and Tilt Camera Powerhead 340 Degrees").
Camcorders (wireless built in, wireless HDMI add on, or wired LANC / multiport
Large or small still cameras (wireless built in, wireless HDMI add on, wired HDMI and or wired LANC / multiport)
360 VR cameras (wireless built in, or wired control)
Laser Scanners such as the Leica BLK 360 (wireless built in)
Infrared cameras (wireless built-in or wired control)
(all of the above remote control methods are model and manufacturer dependant)

If you already have a camera, please let us know the exact make and model, and we will let you know if it can be remotely controlled, by what means, and (if possible) at what range.

If you do not have a camera, then we can recommend some solutions that are commercially accessible (e.g. built in wireless remote control), or cameras that need certain external hardware to enable remote control (wireless HDMI, wired LANC / multiport control, etc)

We are always happy to help! Contact us using our online form and we will reply within the day (usually within 2 hours!). Or you can speak directly to Tom on +44 (0) 23 8098 2366 or email tom@vantagepointproducts.com

Need more information?

Overwhelmed by the variety of materials that aerial imaging camera mast systems are made from? This comprehensive breakdown of cost vs mast material vs performance will help you make an informed choice as to why we only use 100% high modulus carbon fibre.

This article raises some important points to consider if you a trying to decide whether to use a drone or a mast (or both!) to capture elevated aerial images.

Every business owner has to weigh up the costs vs the benefits of using a camera pole system, especially when compared to using a drone.

If you have a tight shoot deadline or are ordering from outside the UK, it will be worth taking a look at our shipping and delivery information or contacting us prior to purchase so that we can help you plan for success.