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Digital composite image showing a futuristic landscape with glowing blue markers on water and inset scenes of professionals using ZEISS equipment in a high-tech studio environment.

CinCraft Scenario

Anywhere Anytime
Camera Tracking

Introducing the world’s most flexible camera tracking system.

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ZEISS CINCRAFT SCENARIO

Camera tracking from ZEISS

Meet the only real-time camera tracking system that works indoors and outdoors, on film sets, with green and blue screens and in LED volumes. That uses natural markers, reflective markers, and even digital markers on LED screens. That provides camera tracking data for real-time use and records it for post-production. And that integrates lens characteristics to skip the cumbersome lens calibration process. Meet ZEISS CinCraft Scenario.

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What's new

Introducing our latest features
Film production set with camera equipment and crew members, overlaid by a 3D coordinate grid representing X, Y, and Z axes, illustrating ZEISS technology integration.
Release Scenario 2.2

Improved world alignment – faster and less effort

Accurately matching the virtual camera with the environment is vital to good tracking. Our latest update (2.2) introduces a whole new way to do this. Simply take 3 measurements at different parts of your studio to effortlessly align the tracking floor plane with the physical floor. This new method guarantees excellent results easily and can be done with your camera mounted on any platform, whether it's a crane, a pedestal or even handheld.

Close-up view of a professional camera setup featuring a ZEISS cine lens with focus and aperture adjustment gears.
Release Scenario 2.1

Full manual spherical lens calibration – increasing compatibility

Experience effortless lens calibration with CinCraft Scenario. Insert lens details, perform an initial calibration using a chart, and fine-tune until optimal results are achieved. The user-friendly interface ensures straightforward calibration for any spherical lens. This update enables users to create lens templates from scratch, expanding compatibility with any third-party lenses.

Digital interface showing a colorful STMap data visualization connected to a file labeled "Read 2 Clip.Undistort.STMap.exr" on a ZEISS graphical processing grid.
Release Export 2.0

Seamlessly undistort camera plates ST maps

The new Undistortion ST Maps can be used to undistort camera plates, eliminating the need for shooting lens grids during camera prep. When paired with the matching distortion maps from Export, this allows for easy reapplication of lens distortion in the final stages of compositing.

Digital interface displaying point cloud data format options with checkboxes for PTS Unreal Engine and FBX Nuke, alongside a 3D coordinate graph, representing ZEISS software capabilities.
Release Export 2.0

Simplifying camera alignment in post-production with point cloud

Export point cloud provides VFX artists with data detailing the camera's position during production. The point cloud contains all the features that were used for tracking and will help visualize the space around the camera, which makes aligning the camera in post-production much easier. The point cloud will be provided in two formats: PTS for Unreal Engine and FBX for Nuke.

Indoors? Outdoors? Doesn't matter!

ZEISS CinCraft Scenario works in natural environments, on classical film sets, with green and blue screens and in LED volumes. With distinct operating modes that excel in different places, users can easily choose the mode that is best suited for their project. No other system has this flexibility.
A man walks through a professional film set equipped with lighting, cameras, and other production gear, with a cityscape backdrop and ZEISS camera equipment in use.

Natural feature tracking

CinCraft Scenario’s biggest differentiator is natural feature tracking. This allows the system to be used anywhere where there is enough “detail” in the surrounding space, like for example brick walls, window frames and more. This is particularly useful outside or when shooting on sets that aren’t designed for virtual production.

Person crouching on a studio floor with a ZEISS calibration chart in the background during a professional setup.

Reflective marker tracking

CinCraft Scenario can track non-randomly placed reflective markers. The system’s infrared (IR) emitter allows the markers to be seen in the darkest of stages and the consistency of the markers allows for minimal operational support. On top of this, CinCraft Scenario software provides an interactive guide to ensure optimal marker placement when setting up.

VFX, Live Compositing, Virtual Production

ZEISS CinCraft Scenario provides camera tracking data for use in all major applications – no matter if it is for real-time or post-production workflows – adding yet another layer of flexibility.
A professional actor standing in front of a green screen on a film set, with a camera crew and boom microphone positioned for a high-quality ZEISS production.

Traditional VFX

CinCraft Scenario allows for recording the camera tracking data during the production phase and handing it over to post-production. Having tracking data available quickly and easily in post-production can significantly reduce time and effort – especially in matchmoving. That means that camera tracking is now a major benefit to all productions involving VFX.

A professional green screen setup displaying a presenter in a virtual environment, showcasing ZEISS advanced filming and visual technology.

Live compositing

For live compositing for previsualization or in a virtual studio, CinCraft Scenario provides real-time camera tracking data to neatly replace the green or blue screen on site. For these applications, knowing about the camera position and movement is not only an added value but a must.

A film crew operating a professional camera and crane on an outdoor set, capturing a presenter against a virtual cityscape backdrop using ZEISS technology.

Virtual production

As with live compositing, camera tracking is an absolute must for virtual production in LED volumes. Knowing how the camera and lens are moving and behaving is vital to correctly render the visual effects in real-time, that means getting the perspective and parallax right.

Works just like a charm

ZEISS CinCraft Scenario introduces a user experience designed to match the film crew's workflow. It works with regular off-the-shelf equipment and is natively compatible with major camera and lens encoder systems to provide all the data the system needs to track properly.
A digital 3D wireframe rendering of the ZEISS Compact Prime CP.3 18/T2.9 cinema lens, showcasing its precision engineering and design.

Plug and Play

The integration of the ZEISS CinCraft lens characteristics database in the form of Virtual Lens Packages allows to skip the cumbersome lens calibration process: CinCraft Scenario is plug and play when used with ZEISS and ARRI/ZEISS cinema lenses. Still, CinCraft Scenario will be usable with any lens.

A collection of four black ZEISS lens schematics showcasing different focal lengths, highlighted as "NEW in Scenario 2.0."

Pre-Calibrated Lens Templates

CinCraft Scenario comes with pre-calibrated templates for a variety of non-ZEISS cinema and broadcast lenses with lens distortion and nodal point already measured and included. Through the easy-to-use and wizard-guided Lens Template Finetuner, these templates can then be matched to the real lens that the production is using. This procedure takes up to 10 minutes for a prime and up to 20 minutes for a zoom lens – thereby saving about 50% of the time used for lens calibration. See the list of available templates here.

A cameraman operating a professional film camera equipped with ZEISS lenses and mounted on a stabilizer for high-precision shooting.

Operation is a Breeze

CinCraft Scenario’s self-explanatory user interface and wizards guide the user for setting up the hardware configuration and tracking on a film set in every environment and scenario. Additional tutorials will help to educate operators, that are new to the system and make it easy to learn and master.

Supported Lenses

in ZEISS CinCraft Scenario
A professional lineup of high-quality ZEISS cinema lenses, including ZEISS Supreme Prime and Compact Prime CP.3 series, arranged on a reflective surface.

 

 

 

To offer high-quality tracking data, the ZEISS CinCraft Scenario camera tracking system requires certain information about the lenses used on the production – lens distortion and nodal point among others. CinCraft Scenario offers several methods of inputting this data into the system and the tracking procedure. On this overview page we take a closer look at the different methods and which lenses are supported through which approach.

Plug and Play through lens data

ZEISS Virtual Lens Packages or VLPs are licensed packages containing all the lens calibration information needed for optimum operation. This means end users can simply add the lens to their system and be up and running in no time. In the overview below you will find the currently available VLPs. Additional ones will follow.

ZEISS

ARRI/ZEISS

Primes

Supreme Prime & Supreme Prime Radiance*
Nano Prime*
CP.3 & CP.3 XD*
CP.2
High Speed/Super Speed

Primes

Master Prime
Ultra Prime

Zooms

Compact Zoom

Small effort, full accuracy

ZEISS offers pre-calibrated templates for a variety of non-ZEISS cinema and broadcast lenses. These come with lens distortion and nodal point already measured and included. Through the easy-to-use and wizard-guided Lens Template Finetuner, these templates can then be matched to the real lens that the production is using. This procedure takes up to 10 minutes for a prime and up to 20 minutes for a zoom lens – thereby saving about 50% of the time used for lens calibration.

Cinema Primes

Cinema Zooms

Broadcast Zooms

ARRI

Signature Prime

ARRI

Siganture Zoom

Canon

HJ11ex4.7B
HJ14ex4.3B
HJ21ex7.5B
HJ22ex7.6B
CJ12ex4.3B
CJ14ex4.3B
CJ15ex4.3B
CJ17ex6.2B
CJ20ex7.8B
KJ20x8.2B
KJ20x8.5B
XJ22ex7.3B

Angénieux

Optimo Prime

Angénieux

Optimo Ultra Compact 28.76 U35
Optimo Ultra Compact 37-102 FF
Type EZ-1 FF/VV & S35
Type EZ-2 FF/VV & S35
Type EZ-3 FF/VV & S35
Optimo 15-40
Optimo 17-80
Optimo 24-290
Optimo 28-76
Optimo 28-340
Optimo 45-120

Fujinon

HA18x5.5BERD
HA18x7.6BERD
HA14x4.5BERD
HA23x7.6BERD
UA13x4.5BERD
UA23x7.6BERD
Duvo HZK24-300
Duvo HZK36-450
ZA 12x4.5BERD

Cooke

S4/i S35
S7/i FF
Panchro/i Classic FF
Panchro/i Classic S35

Canon

CN-E17-120
CN-E18-80
CN-E45-135
CN7x17 KAS
Cine-Servo 15-120mm T2.95-3.95
Cine-Servo 15-120mm T2.95-3.95 1.5x

Leitz

Summilux-C
Summicron-C
Prime

Cooke

Varotal/i FF

Fujinon

MK18-55mm T2.9
Premista 19-45
Premista 28-100
XK20-120mm T3.5
ZK14-35mm T2.9
ZK19-90mm T2.9

Leitz

Zoom 25-75
Zoom 55-125

Capturing, computing, connecting

ZEISS CinCraft Scenario comes as a combination of several hardware and software components. Users can configure the system to match their needs or choose one of four pre-configured bundles for different demands.
The camera-mounted camera bar captures raw data via the Scenario software. It's small, lightweight and includes an integrated IR emitter and synchronization technology to allow for tracking in different environments.
Black ZEISS 3D sensor device with multiple lenses and LED indicators on a white reflective surface.
① Right Imager; ② IR Projector; ③ RGB Sensor; ④ Left Imager; ⑤ Ten IR LEDs; ⑥ IMU Sensors (inside device)
Front view of a ZEISS multi-lens optical device with six labeled components including integrated cameras, sensors, and structural elements.
⑦ BNC Sync Connector; ⑧ USB-C Connector; ⑨ Serial Connector
Close-up image of three ZEISS cables with labeled connectors: a BNC connector (7), a USB-C connector (8), and a metallic push-pull connector (9).
The system’s center piece runs the Scenario software to set up and perform camera tracking. It aggregates raw data from CinCraft CamBar, computes position and movement in real-time and can save this data for post-production.
Black ZEISS electronic device with two antennas, ventilation grooves on top, and multiple video and data connection ports on the side.
① Antenna; ② Ethernet Connectors for CinCraft Link and LAN; ③ USB 2.0 Ports; ④ Display and HDMI Ports; ⑤ Power In; ⑥ Power Button
Rear view of a ZEISS device showing labeled ports including antenna, LAN, USB, DisplayPort, HDMI, DC input, and power button.
⑦ Antenna; ⑧ SDI Video Out BNC Connector, ⑨ SDI Video In BNC Connector; ⑩ Encoders Port; ⑪ CamBar Serial Port; ⑫ CamBar USB-C Port
Rear view of a ZEISS device showing labeled ports including ANT 1, video out, video in, encoder connectors, and a power input.
The small and lightweight device receives raw data from CamBar and transmits it over a wired network connection to Origin which is setup elsewhere. It can be rigged on the main camera instead of the Origin and helps keep the tracking hardware’s footprint to a minimum.
Black ZEISS industrial device with ribbed surface, multiple connection ports, and an external antenna on a white background.
① Status LED; ② Sync BNC In; ③ Antenna; ④ Ethernet Connector for CinCraft Origin; ⑤ Power In
Rear view of a ZEISS device showing labeled ports including SYNC IN, ANTENNA, DC IN, and an Ethernet connector.
⑥ Encoders Port; ⑦ CamBar Port; ⑧ CamBar USB-C Port; ⑨ Sync BNC Out; ⑩ Power Indicator
Rear view of a ZEISS device showing labeled encoder ports, a USB-C port, and additional connection interfaces.

Tracking, recording, exporting

ZEISS CinCraft Scenario is composed of several modular software components. Users can pick exactly what they need for their task at hand. The components are available as licenses on a one week, one month or one year basis.
The base software that operates the CinCraft Scenario system. It aggregates info received from CamBar to compute position and movement in real-time. It requires very little setup time and is plug and play when used with CinCraft Virtual Lens Packages.
User interface of the ZEISS CinCraft software showing a tracked camera view, 3D grid perspectives, and detailed image and IR settings controls.
Wrangler records real-time tracking data and camera and lens metadata on the CinCraft Origin's internal drive. Data is recorded with a proprietary file format (herd file) that can be extracted using CinCraft Export.
User interface of the ZEISS CinCraft Scenario software displaying a list of recorded video clips with details such as shot name, take number, start time, timecode, duration, and recording settings.
Export is a separate, free of charge software running on the VFX artists’ workstations. It translates recorded herd files into formats readable by most common post-production VFX software (Nuke, Maya, Unreal, etc.).
Screenshot of the ZEISS CinCraft Export software interface displaying selected video takes with detailed metadata and export settings.
UE Connect provides an easy-to-configure interface to Unreal Engine, enabling the use of real-time tracking data provided by CinCraft Scenario. UE Connect is available for free via the Epic Marketplace.
A 3D-rendered cyberpunk city street scene showing a futuristic vehicle and neon signs, viewed through a virtual camera setup with visible framing guides, illustrating ZEISS lens visualization tools.

Documentation

Explore each section to unlock the full capabilities of the CinCraft ecosystem, with expert documentation, tutorial videos, and essential downloads designed to support your creative endeavours.
  • CinCraft Scenario: Elevate your productions with CinCraft Scenario’s cutting-edge real-time camera tracking technology, providing precise and dependable tracking for virtual production. Access detailed setup, calibration, and usage guides to achieve flawless tracking results.
  • CinCraft Export: Streamline your post-production pipeline with Export, our standalone tool for generating camera tracking data from previously recorded CinCraft Scenario data. Download
  • CinCraft UE Connect: Connect seamlessly with Unreal Engine using our free UE Connect plugin.

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