tracking dancers on stage + on body cam options?

[westframe]

Hi visual fanatics ,

I've been using a lot of gear in the passed, but I'm looking for updated camera versions / options for the following 2 situations I want to create - please help if you can;

1.
What is the best camera-setup / situation, for tracking the movement of a group of dancers on stage? I used to work with a simple infrared IR-camera setup front-of-house. Have the light design on stage, strengthen a "backlight" to make the dancers pop in front for to make a "silhouette image". Is this still the best way to get a black-white video input, with least amount of latency, to use as movement-matte (in TouchDesigner and/or Resolume)? Or are there other types of simple-setup cameras to get the general movement on stage as input...? (If infrared is still the best option: any direct links to European shops online to buy a stable ip-version IR-cam with least amount of latency?)

2.
I'm looking for the newest "on body camera" with least amount of latency and stabilising on-board; to have 1 dancers on stage wear it and send the video-image wirelessly to front-house (as video-input into Resolume and/or TouchDesigner). What about the GoPro HERO5/6/7black or the DJI Osmo Pockets...? And run it through a WiFi router on stage - any experiences? And/or other cams out there /gear that can pull this off simply and beautifully? (720P should be fine, 1080P even better... Black and white image might even do as well and/or any infrared camera options out there... (cool effect)?).

All updated 2018 / 2019 info is very welcome!

Thanks a lot in advanced !

- Ruben
r u b e n [AT] r u b e n v a n l e e r . c o m

[Arvol]

I can't comment on any IR gear as I haven't messed with anything other than a Kinect, But from my experience with the many regular camera setups goes:
If you go wireless, you're going to have a LOT of latency.
The least amount of latency I've had in any camera setup is currently NDI cameras. Super low latency (no A/D conversions in external or internal capture cards)

[westframe]

Thanks arvol,

Did you ever try NDI camera > WiFi router > Resolume input?

I want to give a mobile phone (with ip-app) or NDI-cam to a dancer on stage and videoproject it’s video-stream wireless somehow... I can work with a max latency of 300ms.

If Yes, What specific hardware should work best? With Resolume and/or TouchDesigner?

I have a hard time finding any decent info on this matter.

Thanks!

[Arvol]

I use NDI camera's direct and they're great.

ANY wireless video setup is going to give you at least 1 second of latency.

About 2-3 years ago I had a few artists crew on stage install IP camera and NDI camera app's on their phone and I had them connect to a wireless AC router on stage that was sent down a cat6 cable to a gigabit switch at FOH and piped directly into Resolume. This was a cool FX and A few of them went down into the pit as well. I had about 4-6 sources to mix from.
The latency was about 2 seconds.

The only wireless thing I've seen Pro's use in this industry is Mic's and IEM's lol.
If latency isn't an issue, you should be good