The BeetleCam is a remote controlled buggy with a DSLR or mirrorless camera mounted on top which can be used to film and photograph wildlife at very close range.[2]

2013 BeetleCam Classic.[1]

History

edit

Created by Will Burrard-Lucas, its first shots were released in 2010 in a series called "The Adventures of BeetleCam."[3] It filmed African wildlife in the Ruaha and Katavi National Parks in Tanzania. One of the cameras was destroyed in an encounter with a lion.[4]

Will Burrard-Lucas and his brother, Matt, returned to Africa in 2011 with two improved BeetleCams, with the aim of focusing on lions.[5] During this project they created a set of pictures of feeding lions and playful cubs. This series was first released in 2012 in an article called "BeetleCam vs the Lions of the Masai Mara".[6] BeetleCam Mark II used a Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III.[7]

In 2012, Burrard-Lucas moved to Zambia and used a new version of the BeetleCam to photograph leopards and other animals, primarily in South Luangwa National Park.[8]

In 2013, Will Burrard-Lucas founded Camtraptions Ltd. and started producing BeetleCams for other wildlife photographers and filmmakers.[9]

References

edit
  1. ^ Camtraptions Ltd. "BeetleCam Classic".
  2. ^ Priya Ganapati, Wired (April 19, 2010). "Robotic Buggy Takes Stunning Photos of African Wildlife".
  3. ^ Will Burrard-Lucas (April 19, 2010). "The Adventures of BeetleCam".
  4. ^ National Geographic Society (April 27, 2010). "Lion Steals Roving Camera, Takes Photos". Archived from the original on April 30, 2010.
  5. ^ Paul Marks, New Scientist (9 March 2012). "Safari robot snaps feasting lion up close".
  6. ^ Will Burrard-Lucas (29 Feb 2012). "BeetleCam vs the Lions of the Masai Mara".
  7. ^ The Telegraph (1 Mar 2012). "Camouflaged camera films lions close up in Kenya's Masai Mara". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 1 March 2012.
  8. ^ "Close Encounters: Will Burrard-Lucas' wildlife photography". DPReview. Retrieved 2024-04-15.
  9. ^ Steve Fairclough (9 Dec 2016). "Will Burrard-Lucas: How to get close to wildlife".
edit