Studio Cameras

I have noticed these two different camera's in this studio shot of ITV Central. Why have they two different types, and what does one do that the other can't?

http://www.rp-networkservices.com/tvforum/uploads/cnstudio.jpg

Also why are they so close, when there is clearly space behind them.

The one on the left is sitting on a rather cheap and nasty tripod, and has the hood of an autocue on the front. The one on the right looks to be on a more substantial pedastel.

The cameras themselves may well be the same.

The one on the left isn't a permanent fixture for a CSO position perhaps? With it being on a tripod rather than a dolly/pedestal

It is most probable that the cameras are the same. Just one has an autocue.

http://localnews.thetvroom.com/images-itv-border/images-2005/main-05.jpg

Here you can see that the two cameras on the right (And the rest probably) look the same except they are on different pedestals, and one has an autocue.

In the good old days of course there'd be a camerman behind each one.

Haven't they got to be close so the news reader can read the autocue?

The Autocue text is fairly large

The camera on the left is on tripod with wheels on the base. It's not good for smooth moving shots, more for easily moving cameras across the studio when not in shot.

I remember a '30 minutes' doc on Central News about 10 years ago & Mr Warman didn't want to be seen on screen with his specs ISTR.

(It was the one where they did 'A day in the life of Central News' & the snow came down. I saw the West version. Was there versions for East & South?)

I was just thinking that the other day.. I remember watching Coast to Coast (former news programme for the South/East) in the early days and the cameramen - wearing headphones - wheeling the cameras back as the credits rolled at the end. The studio seemed to look huge.

Quite difficult to tell whether the cameras are the same or different from that shot. They are mounted on different mountings, and one has an autocue, but they could both be the same make and model of camera head.

The mounting on the left is a very cheap and nasty tripod on a rolling base - not at all what you'd expect in a studio. (You can't alter the height quickly, or move it on shot) The camera on the right has a steering ring - so should at least be a pro-ped, which is a slight improvement. Doesn't have autocue though, so it wouldn't be a camera a presenter would be expected to read to.

As for the position of the cameras - you wouldn't expect them to be hard against the back wall unless they had to be to get a wide enough shot. Presenters often want to be able to read autocue without wearing glasses or contact lenses - though if cameras are too close you can see the presenters eyes moving as they read the prompter. (More a problem with jib mounted cameras operating very close)

Well TVS had decent studios in Southampton and Maidstone for their local news operations - and they were a high quality studio show. In modern ITV terms the studios WERE huge... Compare them to the tin sheds at Whiteley - which are too small even to house projector backdrops.