An animation camera, a type of
rostrum camera, is a
movie camera
A movie camera (also known as a film camera and cine-camera) is a type of photographic camera that rapidly takes a sequence of photographs, either on an image sensor or onto film stock, in order to produce a moving image to project onto a movie sc ...
specially adapted for
frame-by-frame shooting of
animation
Animation is a method by which still figures are manipulated to appear as moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Today, most ani ...
. It consists of a camera body with lens and film magazines, and is most often placed on a stand that allows the camera to be raised and lowered above a table often having both top and underneath lighting. The artwork to be photographed is placed on this table.
For
stop motion
Stop motion is an animated filmmaking technique in which objects are physically manipulated in small increments between individually photographed frames so that they will appear to exhibit independent motion or change when the series of frames i ...
photography, the camera can also be mounted on a tripod or other support, pointing in any desired direction.
Since most animation is now produced digitally, new animation cameras are not widely manufactured.
Image scanner
An image scanner—often abbreviated to just scanner—is a device that optically scans images, printed text, handwriting or an object and converts it to a digital image. Commonly used in offices are variations of the desktop ''flatbed scanner'' ...
s,
video camera
A video camera is an optical instrument that captures videos (as opposed to a movie camera, which records images on film). Video cameras were initially developed for the television industry but have since become widely used for a variety of oth ...
s and
digital SLR
A digital single-lens reflex camera (digital SLR or DSLR) is a digital camera that combines the optics and the mechanisms of a single-lens reflex camera with a digital imaging sensor.
The reflex design scheme is the primary difference between ...
s have taken their place.
Examples of professional animation cameras (16 and 35 mm)
A partial list of manufacturers of animation cameras includes:
*
Acme Tool and Manufacturing (USA)
*
Crass
Crass were an English art collective and punk rock band formed in Epping, Essex in 1977, who promoted anarchism as a political ideology, a lifestylism, way of life, and a resistance movement. Crass popularised the anarcho-punk movement of the ...
(Germany)
*
Neilson-Hordell (UK)
*
Oxberry (USA)
*
Double M Industries (USA)
*
A.I.A. Productions (USA)
*
Mechanical Concepts (USA)
The
Bell & Howell
Bell and Howell LLC is a U.S.-based services organization and former manufacturer of cameras, lenses, and motion picture machinery, founded in 1907 by two projectionists, and originally headquartered in Wheeling, Illinois. The company is now ...
2709 (Design 27, first made in 1909) is the prototype of the Acme, and the Acme is the prototype of the Oxberry. Each employs a fixed pin and "shuttle"
movement mechanism for film registration and film advancement, respectively. Other names associated with Acme were Producer's Service Corporation and Photo-Sonics, both of which firms manufactured Acme products at various times. As
Warners was an Acme equipment owner and operator, it is likely that Wile E. Coyote's "ACME supplier" actually is an
homage
Homage (Old English) or Hommage (French) may refer to:
History
*Homage (feudal) /ˈhɒmɪdʒ/, the medieval oath of allegiance
*Commendation ceremony, medieval homage ceremony Arts
*Homage (arts) /oʊˈmɑʒ/, an allusion or imitation by one arti ...
to the Acme equipment employed to photograph the films.
16 mm
The 16 mm
Bolex camera is often used for amateur and semi-professional single frame filming, either using its built-in spring drive, or an attached electric single-frame motor.
Stop Motion Motor for Bolex
/ref>
See also
* Multiplane camera
References
External links
Animation camera movement mechanisms
from the personal website of a Finnish animator
Animation technology
Cameras by type
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