Preston Cinema Systems
Preston Cinema Systems, founded in 1975 and based in Santa Monica, California, manufactures camera and lens control systems, hand controls, cables, batteries, and accessories for professional film and television production crews.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1975
- HeadquartersSanta Monica, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
Preston Cinema Systems firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Preston Cinema Systems
- Legal name
- Preston Cinema Systems
- Website
- https://prestoncinema.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1975
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Preston Cinema Systems, founded in 1975 and based in Santa Monica, California, manufactures camera and lens control systems, hand controls, cables, batteries, and accessories for professional film and television production crews.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Preston Cinema Systems industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Cinema Camera Control Systems
- NAICS
- Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing (33431)
- SIC
- Photographic Equipment & Supplies (3861), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Production Equipment & Technical Services (Camera/Lighting/Grip, Virtual Production) (MPAAAMAH)
Keywords
Where Preston Cinema Systems is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Santa Monica
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Preston Cinema Systems business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Preston Cinema Systems product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Preston Cinema Systems designs and manufactures camera and lens control systems, hand controls, cables, batteries, and accessories for professional cinematography. The company's products enable precision remote and on-camera control of focus, iris, and zoom for motion picture and television production.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Camera and Lens Control Systems
Companies that use Preston Cinema Systems
Customer profileIdeal customer profiles1 record
Preston Cinema Systems technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Preston Cinema Systems competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- RED Digital Cinema: RED Digital Cinema manufactures high-end digital cinema cameras (RED V-Raptor, Komodo) that are widely used in film and streaming production, and its camera platforms are commonly paired with third-party control systems and accessories such as those Preston produces.
- Chrosziel: Chrosziel is a German manufacturer specializing in lens control systems, follow focus units, matte boxes, and camera accessories for professional cinema — a direct head-to-head competitor to Preston in the same hand-control and lens-control category.
- Tilta: Tilta produces camera cages, hand controls, follow focus units, and accessories used across cinema, mirrorless, and video production. It directly competes with Preston in hand-control and camera accessory categories while operating a much larger, globally distributed e-commerce business.
- Wooden Camera: Wooden Camera designs and manufactures professional camera accessories, cages, and support rigs used by DPs and rental houses worldwide. It directly competes with Preston in the camera-accessory and support category, with broader product breadth.
- ARRI: ARRI is a leading manufacturer of professional cinema cameras, lenses, and lighting, and is the dominant force in the high-end film production ecosystem where Preston's control systems are deployed. Both companies serve the same professional cinematographer and rental-house customer base on feature and high-end TV productions.
Emerging players
- cmotion: cmotion is an Austrian specialist in lens control systems, walkers, and pan-bar zoom controls for high-end cinema production, directly overlapping with Preston's hand-control and lens-control product categories.
- Transvideo Starlight HD: Transvideo manufactures high-end on-camera monitors and director's viewfinders used in feature film production, serving the same DP, AC, and rental-house customer base that Preston supports with its control systems.
- SmallHD: SmallHD makes professional on-camera monitors widely used in film and video production, often mounted on rigs alongside Preston-style hand-control and focus-pulling workflows, making it a complementary/adjacent peer in the same camera-accessory category.
Broad incumbents
- Sony Cinema Line: Sony's Cinema Line (FX6, FX9, VENICE) is a major incumbent in professional cinema cameras with integrated control systems, and competes for the same DP and production-customer wallet share as Preston's accessory ecosystem.
- Canon Cinema EOS: Canon's Cinema EOS line (C70, C300, C500) is a broad incumbent serving the same professional cinema and high-end production market, with proprietary control ecosystems that overlap with third-party specialists like Preston.
Market position
Customer concentration
Preston Cinema Systems social profiles
Digital presencePreston Cinema Systems financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Preston Cinema Systems leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Preston Cinema Systems funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Preston Cinema Systems M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Preston Cinema Systems
What does Preston Cinema Systems do?
Preston Cinema Systems designs and manufactures camera and lens control systems, hand controls, cables, batteries, and accessories for professional cinematography. The company's products enable precision remote and on-camera control of focus, iris, and zoom for motion picture and television production.
When was Preston Cinema Systems founded?
Preston Cinema Systems was founded in 1975. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Preston Cinema Systems based?
Preston Cinema Systems is headquartered in Santa Monica, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Preston Cinema Systems's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are RED Digital Cinema, Chrosziel, Tilta, Wooden Camera and ARRI. Emerging players are cmotion, Transvideo Starlight HD and SmallHD. Broad incumbents are Sony Cinema Line and Canon Cinema EOS.
Does Preston Cinema Systems have an API?
No public API is recorded for Preston Cinema Systems.
What industry is Preston Cinema Systems in?
Preston Cinema Systems's product category is Professional Cinema Camera Control Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAAAMAH, Production Equipment & Technical Services (Camera/Lighting/Grip, Virtual Production). Its NAICS code is 33431 and its SIC code is 3861.