Panasonic PTZ Auto Tracking Firmware Update – Built in Tracking for Free!
By Jennifer P
In this video Kriss from Holdan AV, looks at the latest firmware update for the Panasonic AW-UE40 and AW-UE50 PTZ cameras, which after much demand brings built-in subject auto tracking – a fantastic feature brought to already very capable 4K cameras for free.
This update is out now for the UE40 and UE50, with the UE80 to come later this year.
Tracking is super simple to engage, you can simply turn it on and the camera will then pick up whoever is in the frame and start to track them.
If the camera loses the subject, you can set it so that it reverts to a preset, or a general wide shot, and then when someone is detected again it will automatically start to track. There’s the ability to set a limit for the pan and tilt ranges, so that even if the camera is following someone and they then walk past this pan limit, the camera will not move any further, and if the subject is lost it reverts back to the safety position. Another useful tool to build on this is using masks, from the web UI we can designate areas where we don’t want the camera to detect people. Tracking can also be set to remain active if power cycled, again another nifty feature.
Performance of this tracking system works really well, it seemed really responsive and in conjunction with Panasonic’s direct drive system the movements of the camera seem really smooth and almost organic. You don’t get all the bells and whistles that you would with a tracking system that relies on a host machine, such as Panasonics SF100/200, or the likes of MRMC’s Polymotion Chat, nor can you control multiple cameras from the one interface, or have facial recognition – but, that user really isn’t who this update is targeting. If you just want simple and reliable camera tracking, then this is really attractive solution – it’s pretty much a set and forget situation.
Learn more about Panasonic Connect AW-UE40 HERE
Learn more about Panasonic Connect AW-UE50 HERE
Learn more about Panasonic Connect AW-UE80 HERE
Learn more about Panasonic Connect HERE