10-metre serialised coax unlocks new perspectives and affordable crash-cam deployment
Garbsen, Germany — 31 August 2026
PROTON Camera Innovations GmbH (Booth 10.F21) today announces the launch of the PROTON FLEXY, a next-generation micro POV camera that takes the company’s flexible architecture to an entirely new level. Building on the foundation established by the original PROTON Flex, the FLEXY introduces serialised connectivity via standard 50 Ohm coax cable – enabling camera head extensions of up to 10 metres and delivering a level of deployment flexibility previously unimaginable in miniature broadcast cameras.
The FLEXY is built around a two-part architecture that separates the imaging head from the processing unit, but with a critical evolution: the connection between head and ECU is now a single 50 Ohm coax cable terminated with standard SMA connectors. This serialised design allows for cable runs of up to 10 metres, giving production teams the freedom to place the tiny camera head in locations while the processor – and its associated power supply and connectivity – remains safely accessible.
This carries significant advantages in deployments where a full camera unit would normally be at risk from damage – for instance, in rally or stock car races. Because the FLEXY head represents just one-third total camera cost, it now becomes more economically viable for production teams to mount the lens in higher-risk areas, knowing that the ECU and its expensive processing components remain safely hidden away, protected from harm. Moreover, because the connection has been changed to a standardised SMA and the cable to a 50 Ohm coax, production engineers can engage in quick repair and replacement using equipment they likely already have to hand. This means production teams can now pursue genuinely daring perspectives – be that a car bumper, a crash helmet, a ski flag or a goal post.
The camera head itself is available in two form factors. The IP67-rated lipstick head measures just 19mm in diameter and 34mm in length (including SMA connector), while a square head option measures 19x19x24mm with an integrated micro coax cable. Both house a 1/3-inch global shutter sensor with 12-bit dynamic range, delivering crisp 1080p imagery through Proton’s VEGA broadcast-grade image processor. The ECU measures 34x34x19mm and provides HD BNC for SDI output, a Hirose HR10 connector for power and control, an SMA connector for the FLEXY head, and a 3.5mm stereo audio socket for external audio input. Power draw is just 3W across a 6.5-25V range, maintaining PROTON’s commitment to low-power, low-heat integration.
The FLEXY joins a growing ecosystem of miniature broadcast cameras from PROTON, all of which leverage the company’s core competency in miniaturisation but offer distinct feature sets for different deployment contexts – whether that be a need for zoom, 4k capture, weatherproof operation, specific form factors (ultra-mini, lipstick, or body/lens separation), or larger sensors with global shutter. With the addition of the FLEXY, production teams now have access to a camera system that can be deployed in locations up to 10 metres from its processor, using standard coax cable, with a replaceable head that costs a fraction of the total system. The only limitation is their imagination – with even cable length now removed as a logistical limitation.
Speaking of the launch, Marko Hoepken, CEO and founder of PROTON Camera Innovations, said: “So many of our customers have said to us: we love what a PROTON CAM can do, but it’s a shame that they’re too precious to us to risk in exactly the environments where they could deliver the best shots. So with the FLEXY, we asked ourselves: what if the camera head could go anywhere, and where the risk of damage became a negligible concern?”.
He continued: “The answer is a system where the expensive electronics stay safe, the head is affordable and replaceable, and the cable can run up to 10 metres. For motorsport, for extreme sports, for any high-impact environment, this changes the economics of daring shots. You can now capture the crash without crashing your budget.”
More information about PROTON and its products is available at http://proton-camera.com/ and https://doc.proton-camera.com/.
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