Sailfish Case Study - 1D high speed cable cam system

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1D high speed
cable cam system

customized to the customer

Sailfish

is a unique point-to-point high speed
cable cam system.

1D cable speed system
Top speed of up to 75 mph / 120 km/h
Shotover G1 and B1 integration
Winch fiber connection - optional
Dolly weight (without batteries): 35 kg
Total system length up to 1200m

Key Features

Engineered for the adrenaline rush of sports be it cycling, horse racing, auto rallies, skiing — it’s a master for any long distance, high-velocity shots.

The cam system has been sparked by and customized to a specific vision from our partners, UK-Based suppliers for top-tier remote camera systems to the broadcast, sport and film industry.

Dolly payload up to 25 kg
Acceleration up to 5 ms²
Movement presets, safety protocols
Path record and repeat
AR tracking data - optional (under development)
Designed for use with JoyMechanix or 3rd party heads: Mitchell mount - optional

Sailfish

is a unique point-to-point high speed
cable cam system.

1D cable speed system
Top speed of up to 75 mph / 120 km/h
Shotover G1 and B1 integration
Winch fiber connection - optional
Dolly weight (without batteries): 35 kg
Total system length up to 1200m

Key Features

Engineered for the adrenaline rush of sports be it cycling, horse racing, auto rallies, skiing — it’s a master for any long distance, high-velocity shots.

The cam system has been sparked by and customized to a specific vision from our partners at Luna Remote Systems, UK-Based suppliers for top-tier remote camera systems to the Broadcast, Sport and Film Industry.

Josh Levi-Rodgers

At Luna Remote Systems, I've encountered various tech,

Luna Remote Systems

but the Sailfish from JoyMechanix
truly raises the bar.

Tailor-made for our needs, it’s been exceptional in high-speed events like horse races and athletics. Robust, dependable, and consistently delivering smoot footage under challenging conditions.

Thank you to JoyMechanix for perfectly meeting our requirements. Looking forward to their next innovation.

Stage 1

In April 2022 our partners approached us with a request for

Hunting for a speed demon

a versatile, high-speed cablecam system

— a speed demon clocking up to 70 mph for those
pulse-racing, dynamic shots, especially in sports.

Now we weren't just designing

We were dreaming

— dreaming of a system that would not just fill but overflow the gap in our lineup for capturing the raw thrill of sports from every angle, at every speed.

We were producing different winches for cable cam systems for several years, but never worked with such high speeds.

Our Cable Cam Systems

Stage 2

Picture this: we're crafting the Ferrari of the camera world. High-speed, sleek, precision incarnate. But here's the thing

Version 1.1 — Shattering a drum to find our real rhythm

— even Ferraris
don't start perfect.

Enter the Sailfish 1.1 — our dream machine. We’ve tested the prototype under the overload and high speed and shattered the first version into pieces during a stress test literally

Why?

A tiny tilt in the drum's balance. It was like watching your prima ballerina slip mid-twirl.

But here's where the magic happens.

That wasn't a failure.

Sometimes, you need to shatter a drum

to find your real rhythm.

destroyed the first drum

Stage 3

Armed with insights from V1.1 broken down,

Version 1.2 — Anticipation in the Air

we developed the Sailfish version 1.2.

This iteration was all about refining and enhancing based on our initial learnings — we added a solid,
one-piece drum to the winch.

Testing v1.2 was rigorous: overload scenarios, vibration analysis, balance checks. Superior balance of the Sailfish v1.2 allowed us to address and rectify the vibration issue effectively.

Our lab was buzzing with activity as we strove to perfect the Sailfish.

The outcome?

Testing v1.2 was rigorous: overload scenarios, vibration analysis,
balance checks. Superior balance of the Sailfish v1.2 allowed us
to address and rectify the vibration issue effectively.

Our lab was buzzing with activity as we strove to perfect
the Sailfish.

We didn’t just tackle the issue; we exceeded our performance benchmarks, ensuring the system’s reliability and stability,

even at 70 mph speed

With Sailfish 1.2 perfected and passed to the customer,

anticipation was in the air.

We were on the edge of our seats, eager to see it conquer the live arena.

Stage 4

Seeing the Sailfish ace every frame at the

Sailfish Live — Our Engineering Victory Lap

Saudi Cup horse racing event

and Wimbledon 2023

was our engineering victory lap.

Flawless performance,

capturing those blink-and-you-miss-it shots that were once just wishful thinking.

The feedback from those big leagues was invaluable. Every word, every suggestion, every nudge to do better — we soaked it all in, knowing it would only make the Sailfish better.

Stage 5

Sailfish 2.0 — A Game Changer

we reimagined Sailfish

into a sleek single-winch, two-pulley system
instead of one large drum.

This innovation wasn’t just about aesthetics; the main triple groove pulley is designed to increase friction.

More cable contact, more grip, zero slip, even at breakneck speeds, high-stress operation of cable cam systems.

The second pulley features the encoder that

tracks coordinate errors

in high-speed chases and heavy braking, and talks straight to our software.

Software calibrated the system with surgical precision to ensure precise coordinate positioning
of the camera.

We paid attention to every detail, ensuring that each component was optimized for performance and reliability.

For this new version we crafted a custom dolly — a hub, equipped with the set of sockets for radio transmitters and designed to seamlessly integrate with customer's specific camera heads.

We’ve also adjusted the new build for

quick battery swap.

Building V2.0 was a labor of love. Diving into feedback and data,

Sailfish Product Page

It's a game changer

Testing V2.0 was relentless.
We pushed it through hellish conditions, demanding perfection. When it delivered flawlessly, time after time, we knew it: V2.0 isn't just a new version.

YOUR VISION, OUR CRAFT

Thinking about customizing Sailfish for your project, or have another idea you want to bring to life?
We stand out by tailoring our proven camera motion systems to fit your needs precisely.

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