Nikon has announced that it is selling its stake in Mark Roberts Motion Control, a global provider of motion control equipment for media production.

Nikon agreed to a share purchase agreement with MRMC Bidco Limited, an entity established by Blandford Capital LLP to manage the company.

Nikon acquired MRMC in 2016. In a move to up its profile in the digital cinema camera market, the company also acquired cinema camera maker, RED, in 2024.

In a statement, Nikon said: “Since acquiring 100% of MRMC’s shares in October 2016, Nikon has been developing business by utilizing MRMC’s robotic motion control solution together with Nikon’s imaging related technologies and its broad sales channels.”

The company added that it has now “reconsidered its business portfolio. As a result, Nikon has concluded that transferring all of its shares in MRMC to MRMC Bidco Limited is the most appropriate course of action, and has entered into this agreement.”

MONTVALE, N.J.—Shotoku will introduce new additions to its portfolio, including Aura, a suite of advanced PTZ solutions that brings the company’s high-end robotic camera control expertise to PTZ production during the 2026 NAB Show, April 18-22, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Shotoku will also make the North American debut of its Swoop robotic crane family and launch its Quick-red referencing system.

As PTZ image quality and performance improve, major broadcasters, legislatures and global corporations are integrating these heads into their broadcast-quality production environments. These deployments, however, have often suffered from lack of a sophisticated, scalable control system.

Shotoku fills this gap with the NAB launch of the Aura TR-XPTZ control system, a powerful yet streamlined platform purpose-built for professional PTZ productions. Derived from the core architecture of Shotoku’s TR-XT Control System, TR-XPTZ delivers the smoothness, reliability and multi-camera sophistication optimized specifically for PTZ environments.

Key Aura TR-XPTZ advantages include:

• A level of control and automation formerly only available to full-scale broadcast robotics in a powerful, easy-to-use system.
• A refined user experience that retains the powerful, intuitive multi-camera and multi-user operations of the TR-XT while stripping away elements unnecessary for PTZ-specific workflows.
• The capability to support both manual and automated workflows for any size production.

Shotoku’s Swoop was developed to replace manually operated cranes and jibs. It overcomes the typical challenges presented by traditional jibs and cranes, including the need for one or even two dedicated operators and the inability to be tightly integrated into robotic camera systems. Swoop removes these obstacles while combining creativity, control and safety in one system.

Swoop is available in two sizes: Swoop 140 and Swoop 220, representing a boom arm reach of 4'7” (140 cm) and 7’3” (220 cm). Both versions combine precision engineering with Shotoku’s reliability, enabling production directors to create and precisely repeat sweeping shots with confidence and ease.

Swoop offers two base options to match production needs and budgets. The SmartPed robotic base (Swoop SP) provides complete freedom of movement across the studio floor with remotely controlled X/Y positioning. Alternatively, a manual base delivers a cost-effective solution where manual relocating of the base between shots or shows is all that’s required.

Swoop integrates seamlessly with Shotoku’s TR-XT advanced control system for complete control. TR-XT’s StudioView display shows Swoop’s location relative to other cameras, while the SoftRail system allows Swoop SP to be controlled along tightly defined SoftRail paths.

Swoop systems are designed from the ground up with safety in mind. Multiple intelligent proximity detectors are mounted along the length of the arm and above and below the payload creating a dynamic protective “bubble” that detects obstacles, stops all movement and prevents collisions.

Shotoku will also feature the new Quick-Ref feature, an advancement in robotic pedestal navigation for Shotoku’s SmartPed and Swoop-SP. Quick-Ref uses a miniature QR-coded floor marker no larger than a postage stamp that contains positional data read automatically by the pedestal when it is over the marker. Reading the marker updates internal navigation frequently and corrects any errors without requiring operator intervention.

See Shotoku at 2026 NAB Show booth C3816.

More information is available on the company’s website.

Mark Roberts Motion Control (MRMC), a Nikon company, has announced that it will celebrate six decades of innovation at the cutting edge of camera robotics and automation throughout the year in 2026.

Founded in 1966 by engineer and inventor Mark Roberts, the company’s technology has been trusted on more than 300 feature films, collectively generating billions of dollars at the global box office. With a global footprint of over 500 motion control rigs operating in 75 countries, MRMC continues to support filmmakers, broadcasters and content creators working at the highest levels of production.

“As we celebrate six decades of innovation, our focus remains firmly on the future,” said Dan Brooks, Head of Marketing at MRMC. “From pioneering motion control for film and television to advancing camera robotics and automation for broadcast, MRMC continues to build on its engineering heritage to support the next generation of creative production worldwide. We look forward to pushing technical and creative boundaries across film, broadcast, and live production for many years to come.”

From its earliest work developing computerized rostrum systems for animation and title work, MRMC has consistently applied precision engineering to creative challenges. In its early years, the company pursued the design and manufacture of electronic control systems to supersede the electromechanical systems then in use on animation stands and optical printers, including systems to control the motion of the table and camera. That philosophy drove the company’s transition from bespoke builds to standardized motion control platforms in the early 1990s, helping to make repeatable, programmable camera movement accessible at scale.

The launch of the Milo motion control crane in 1994 set a new benchmark for MRMC and the wider film industry for precision and repeatability, earning the company an Academy Scientific and Engineering Award in 1999.

This followed earlier milestones, including the development of computer-controlled systems during the 1970s, and the debut of MRMC’s Flair control software in the early 1990s. First deployed in the field in 1992 and subsequently paired with the Cyclops studio rig in 1993, Flair enabled standardized, software-driven camera movement and data capture, allowing motion paths to be programmed, saved and precisely repeated. Together, Flair and Cyclops represented a major step forward in repeatable motion control, providing the exact position of the camera for every frame taken.

Building on this foundation, MRMC continued to innovate across motion control and camera robotics, including the Bolt High Speed range and most recently the Cinebot range, enabling high end cinematography for film, commercial, and visual effects-driven productions worldwide.

More recently, MRMC has expanded its expertise into broadcast robotics, studio automation and immersive capture delivering installations for leading broadcasters and live productions. These include ESPN’s Catalyst Stage virtual production studio in Bristol, Connecticut, Al Jazeera’s next-generation news studio, and robotic camera systems supporting major global sporting events.

Since becoming part of the Nikon Group in 2016, the company has accelerated international growth and innovation across film and broadcast workflows, earning the UK’s Queen’s and King’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade on two occasions.

More information can be found here.

SAN FRANCISCO—MRMC, a supplier of motion control, automation, broadcast robotics, volumetric and remote image-capture solutions, has added Tom Shelburne as key account manager, Americas, for the broadcast market.

Separately, the company said it will continue its push for growth in the Americas by signing audiovisual equipment supplier JB&A as its U.S. distribution partner.

Shelburne brings extensive industry experience to MRMC Broadcast, having held senior sales roles with such companies as Vu, Mo-Sys, Pixotope and Vizrt. In his new role, he’ll be tasked with developing MRMC’s presence with strategic broadcast customers in the Americas.

“Tom’s exceptional industry knowledge and understanding of the Americas region, together with his extensive technical expertise, make him a valuable addition to the MRMC global team,” MRMC Head of Broadcast Paddy Taylor said.

The deal with JB&A is meant to bring value and reach to MRMC’s robotic product line, which has seen significant expansion over the last 18 months, the company said. JB&A was acquired by DCC Technology, an FTSE 100 firm based in Ireland, in 2020 and joined the DCC-owned JAM Industry family of distributors in 2023.

“With over 20 years’ service in the creative industries, JB&A has the experience and drive to help us expand MRMC's U.S. customer base,” Taylor said. “These appointments demonstrate our strong commitment and ambition to continue to grow in this highly competitive market.”

Added JB&A VP, Technology and Marketing Nicholas Smith: “We are pumped to have MRMC as a part of the JB&A family. It has been at the forefront of auto-tracking technologies and building world-class robotics for the broadcast and pro AV industries. The team brings a world of knowledge and expertise to the industry as well as a massive complement of robotics to support our customers’ needs. As the PTZ market has matured in the last few years, MRMC is creating the most diverse catalog of PTZ enablement tools, giving customers new and unique viewpoints for their cameras.”

MRMC, which stands for Mark Roberts Motion Control, is owned by Nikon Group and provides robotic and software solutions used worldwide by film studios, sports broadcasters, football leagues and others, it said.

SURREY, U.K.—Mark Roberts Motion Control (MRMC) has introduced the Cinebot Mini, a small, lightweight, versatile camera robot and will unveil it to the broader market during IBC 2023, Sept. 15-18, at the RAI Amsterdam.

The company has engineered the new camera robot for simplicity with a range of user-friendly features that are well-suited for studio owners, content creators, grips, cinematographers and camera operators, MRMC said. 

The Cinebot Mini robot can be controlled manually and record camera positions, a feature that makes complex camera movements more accessible. Built to be portable, the robot is easy-to-transport, setup and use on location, it said.

It can run up to eight hours on battery power and can be controlled by hand directly from a mobile device or with MRMC’s Flair software.

The robot can handle a camera payload of up to 22 pounds (10kg) and offers a 4-foot-3-inch (1.3m) arm reach, allowing operators to shoot from a variety of angles and positions. For added flexibility, the Cinebot Mini comes with a track and pedestal option. This feature allows the robot to be used on an adjustable pedestal for height variation or equipped with a track for an additional axis of movement, it said.

"MRMC continues to develop the most innovative technologies to meet the evolving needs of the film and cinematography industries," said MRMC CEO Assaff Rawner. "It’s the ideal solution for professionals looking to record and replicate any movement manually made on set with maximum flexibility and ease of use to meet a wide variety of production requirements.”

Typically, motion control has been achieved using software to create keyframes that are then joined together to create a smooth camera path. This has been mostly seen in high-end work or high-budget productions, the company said.

The Cinebot Mini integrates motion control with the familiarity and type of control used on everyday sets, relying on regular grip equipment. Cinematographers can hand-hold the camera in various positions, and the robotic arm will record them. They can also push the track like a standard dolly, and this movement can be recorded and played back, it said.

The idea behind the robot is to make motion control available to any set with simpler, familiar control, a smaller footprint and a more affordable price, it said.

See MRMC at IBC 2023 Stand 12.D20.

More information is available on the company’s website. 

WOODCLIFF LAKE, NJ—Shotoku USA, Shotoku Broadcast Systems’ North American operation, will mark the worldwide debut of its new TR-XT3 studio control system at the 2023 NAB Show, April 15-19 in Las Vegas. 

Also, the company will demo Shotoku’s TI-11X elevator pedestal paired with its advanced TG-18i pan/tilt head for the first time at a major North American industry event, the company said. Other show highlights will include the recently introduced TG-47 pan/tilt head, and the latest Orchestra CMS control system designed to address the growing demands of today’s televised legislature proceedings. Shotoku, an international manufacturer of high-quality, easy-to-use, robust and reliable robotic and manual camera support systems, will also have its SmartPed fully robotic pedestal front and center along with its extended family of pan/tilt heads and control panels. 

Shotoku says the TR-XT3 incorporates all the proven capabilities of Shotoku’s flagship TR-XT control system with a fresh user interface and several new capabilities, including built-in functionality that simplifies the design and configuration of SmartPed studio environment maps.  TR-XT3 is compatible with all new and existing Shotoku systems making upgrades and migrations easily managed.

The TI-11X elevator pedestal will be shown paired with the TG-18i pan/tilt head to offer a highly capable robotic camera channel that includes elevation, according to the company. The TI-11X is based on Shotoku’s new X-Height elevator column and offers a longer range of travel and increased speed over the TI-11 i-height pedestal. Like the TI-11 the TI-11X is aimed at studios where full manual override is not a priority. The new design of the pedestal’s base makes cable management simpler too with the self-contained power and network connectivity within the unit, Shotoku said. Although ideally suited for the TG-18i PT head, the TI-11X is also available for use with TG-27 and TG-47 heads when lighter payloads are required, according to the company.

Shotoku will also showcase the TG-47 compact, mid-level payload pan/tilt head, which combines the size of Shotoku’s TG-27 with the capabilities of the TG-18 and is aimed at mid-sized payloads of up to 45 pounds, which can easily support a typical box camera/ENG lens with mid-sized teleprompter.

Shotoku’s latest version of its Orchestra CMS control system software will be available for hands-on demonstrations. Ideally suited for use in legislative, conference and corporate facilities of any size and type, Orchestra CMS features an enhanced user interface that makes operation simpler and more intuitive, the company said. Fully automated and with live video touch-screen operation, Orchestra CMS can rapidly position multiple cameras to precisely defined positions in response to either an operator command or an external automated trigger. Advanced setup features increase operational flexibility and include a live video spotter camera, floor plan graphic, and/or automated microphone selection triggers.

Shotoku will be in Booth C5320 of the Central Hall at the LVCC.

ALLENDALE, N.J. & ALBANY, N.Y.—The NBC affiliate in Albany, N.Y., WNYT-TV, has updated its main news studio since it first went on the air last spring, adding a new set, on-air graphics, new LED lighting and additional cameras. As part of this upgrade, the station acquired robotic camera systems from Telemetrics.

Previously equipped with three cameras on PT heads and fixed tripods, a shot box controller and two additional cameras on manual pedestals, the station has replaced the pedestals with three new cameras on Telemetrics PT-LP-S5 pan/tilt heads and another on a Telemetrics EP6-600 Televator folding floor dolly that can move around the studio for different segments. In addition, a Telemetrics RCCP-1 Remote Camera Control Panel with Studio Software is now employed in the studio and is operated by the station’s CG operator.

With the RCCP-1 panel, operators are able to control every pan/tilt head in the studio. The PT-LP-S5 servo-controlled head, meanwhile, has a counter-balancing system that allows for teleprompters, confidence monitors and other components mounted onto the head. The PT head can also configure multiple camera with pan, tilt and pedestal parameters via a button on the PT head. Telemetrics also touts the PT-LP-S5’s smooth motion and an accuracy of 0.016 degrees.

WNYT uses the Telemetrics system to produce more than six hours of news content each weekday, plus an additional four hours on the weekends. Other public affairs or sports talks shows are also produced in the studio and take advantage of the Telemetrics system. WNYT’s sister station, WNYA-TV, also uses the studio for its 10 p.m. newscast.