Control system and method for single-handed seamless camera control

An image capture control system for single-handed seamless camera control of a camera during capture of video content, the image capture control system comprising:

• a single-handed seamless camera controller including:
• a stick extending from a base and configured to operate bi-directionally to adjust a lens iris of the camera;
• a first continuous rotatable control element disposed around the base of the single-handed seamless camera controller and that is configured to rotate about an axis of the stick to control a first parameter of the camera;
• a second continuous control element disposed on the stick of the single-handed seamless camera and configured to control a second parameter of the camera;
• a third continuous control element disposed at a distal end of the stick with the second continuous control element disposed between the first and third continuous control elements, and wherein the third continuous control element is configured to control a third parameter of the camera, and
• wherein each of the first continuous control element, the second continuous control element and the third continuous control element are configured to be physically manipulated simultaneously by a hand of an operator of the single-handed seamless camera;
• and
• an image capture setting controller configured to:
• detect adjustment of at least one of the first, second and third continuous control elements of the single-handed seamless camera,
• retrieve a video function that is mapped to the detected adjustment, with the video function related to a respective image capture setting of the camera;
• map a current value of the adjusted continuous control element to a respective value in a range of values of the video function;
• and
• apply the mapped value to the video function of the camera to control the respective image capture setting of the camera.

An image capture control apparatus for single-handed seamless camera control of a camera during capture of video content, the image capture control apparatus comprising:

• a stick extending from a base and configured to operate bi-directionally to adjust at least one setting of the camera;
• a first continuous rotatable control element disposed around the base and that is configured to rotate about an axis of the stick to control a first parameter of the camera;
• a second continuous control element disposed on the stick and configured to control a second parameter of the camera;
• and
• a third continuous control element disposed at a distal end of the stick with the second continuous control element disposed between the first and third continuous control elements, and wherein the third continuous control element is configured to control a third parameter of the camera,
• wherein each of the first continuous control element, the second continuous control element and the third continuous control element are configured to be physically manipulated simultaneously by a hand of an operator of the single-handed seamless camera.