Last year came the Skater Mini Dolly, a small, compact camera dolly that enables POV camera shots as low as two inches. It's great for product shots, where anyone can use it for tracking subjects in any direction.
Now the manufacturer, P+S Technik of Germany, has introduced the Skater Scope, a compact periscope lens system that allows lens height, tilt angle and lateral view to be fixed rapidly and in almost any position. For example, it is now possible to bring a video lens right above a surface or to adjust the lens height according to an object with great precision.
The short design and efficient light transmission makes the Skater Scope a flexible snorkel system that extends beyond tabletop and macro shots. For setups with limited space, such in vehicles, a maximum distance between the lens and an actor can be obtained with the aid of a bent tilt module.
The cameraman can freely choose the angle at which the tilt module is bent (+/- 105 degrees) as well as the degree of pivot for the entire tilt block. Combined with motion control, the scope has a user-selectable range between the straight tilt module (borescope) and the bent tilt module (periscope).
Naturally, the scope was made to complement the Skater dolly. Even with an extremely low lens position it is still possible to obtain views from a lower position. It is also possible to turn the complete tilt block laterally via the pivot adjustment and "fly over" objects.
The Skater Scope is available for video applications in standard and high-definition versions with a B4 camera mount. For film, there are PL or Panavision mounts. A B4 version for Zeiss Digi Primes is coming, according to the company.
For more information, visit http://www.pstechnik.de.