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Configuring Target Loss

Pan/Tilt Limits Still Apply

If you've configured Pan/Tilt Limits on your camera (see the guide for Move 4K or Move SE), they also constrain Target Loss recovery — the camera will never move outside your configured limits when it repositions to a Target Loss Preset, even if the preset itself would otherwise move the camera further.

What is Target Loss?​

Target Loss is a feature used with auto-tracking and auto-framing that determines how the camera behaves when it can no longer detect the tracked subject.

Depending on your production, you may want the camera to remain where the subject was last seen and wait for them to return. In other situations, you may want the camera to automatically return to a designated location, such as a podium, stage, or head of a table, where it is more likely to find the original subject or acquire a new one.

Target Loss Settings​

There are two settings associated with Target Loss: Target Timeout and Target Loss Preset. These settings can be modified live to change how the camera behaves when a subject is lost.

  • Target Timeout: Defines how long, in seconds, the camera waits after losing sight of the tracked subject before performing the configured Target Loss action.
  • Target Loss Preset: Defines where the camera moves after the tracked subject has been lost for the duration of the Target Timeout.

The ideal settings depend on your scene and how your subject is expected to move. Sometimes it is best for the camera to move to a specific location where it can acquire the original subject or a new subject. Other times, it is best for the camera to remain in its current position and wait for a subject to return.

Wait for a Subject to Return to the Last Location Seen​

Use this configuration when you want the camera to remain where it last saw the subject rather than return to a predetermined location.

  1. Target Timeout is not necessary for this setup.
  2. Set Target Loss Preset to Track Now. This tells the camera to remain at its current location and wait for a subject to acquire.

With this configuration, the subject is free to move throughout the scene. If the camera loses the subject, it will remain at its current location until the original subject returns or a new subject is detected.

Return to a Subject Acquisition Location​

Use this configuration when you know where the camera is likely to find a subject, such as center stage, behind a podium, or at the head of a table.

  1. Create a Preset pointing toward the location you expect a subject. This is often center stage, behind a podium, or at the head of a table.
    1. Make sure the camera is zoomed out enough to clearly capture the subject's face and body.
  2. Use the Tracking Start Location dropdown to select the Preset you created in Step 1.
  3. Set Target Timeout to 3–6 seconds. Depending on your scene, you may need to increase this value to give the subject enough time to leave and re-enter the camera's view.
  4. Use the Target Loss Preset dropdown to select the same Preset you created in Step 1.

With this configuration, the camera begins at the designated acquisition location and tracks the subject as they move throughout the scene. If the subject is lost for longer than the configured Target Timeout, the camera returns to the acquisition location and waits to acquire the original subject or a new one.