Farseer’s Upcoming AI-Powered Camera

credits: Farseer

A group of former DJI engineers is preparing to launch something pretty unusual next month, a hybrid AI-powered camera called RocX, which will debut on Kickstarter. The idea behind the system is a bit different from typical compact cameras, the RocX can operate on its own, but it can also mount onto a DSLR or mirrorless camera and physically move that camera using its built-in gimbal. In that setup, the RocX sits in the hot shoe while the main camera screws into the gimbal below, allowing the RocX unit to pan and tilt the larger camera as it tracks subjects automatically.

Farseer, the company behind the project, describes the RocX as an “AI distant-view camera”. The RocX itself uses a 1/2.8-inch sensor with an ISO range of 100–12,800, shoots 4K stills and 4K/30p video, and offers 1080p recording up to 120 fps. The built-in zoom is listed as 50x, covering an equivalent focal length of 35mm to 1,750mm, though Farseer hasn’t clarified how much of that is optical versus digital. Aperture varies from f/2.0 to f/3.2, and the camera supports subject recognition for people, birds and other animals. The unit has a 5-inch screen, weighs around 300 grams, and runs for about six hours on a charge.

There is also a handheld version of the system that mounts the RocX a bit like a DJI Osmo Pocket, with two-axis stabilisation, auto-tracking, and auto-framing. The gimbal version weighs about 2.2 pounds, and the handheld grip weighs around 1.1 pounds. According to Farseer, the Kickstarter campaign is scheduled for December, with early pricing set at $199 for the camera alone, $299 for the handle, and $699 for the full camera-plus-gimbal setup.

You can see full details on Farseer’s website here