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8 mins read
From 30 June to 2 July, Visual Impact's stand at Mediatech Africa Expo brought together more than a dozen of the industry's leading camera, lensing and production-technology brands: ARRI, Blackmagic Design, Sony, Canon, ZEISS, Laowa, Cooke, Angénieux, Teradek, SmallHD, Wooden Camera, Nanlite and OptiTrack among them, for South Africa's broadcast, film and AV community.
"There's no substitute for experience, and there's no substitute for being in the room. An expo like this is essential – it's where people get to come up close with equipment they've only ever seen online, and where our team gets to do what we do best: not just sell, but educate." – Marius van Straaten, Visual Impact
That philosophy shapes how the company positions itself in a market that's consolidating fast and competing hard on price. Where camera houses once represented a single brand, Visual Impact now carries the full spectrum of elite camera and lensing brands side by side; a shift van Straaten says rewards knowledge over sheer volume.
"We're one of the last companies in this industry with an in-house engineering team. Two of our engineers are based in Johannesburg, two in Cape Town, and honestly, they're magicians – there's very little they can't repair. That depth is what customers are really buying into." – Marius van Straaten, Visual Impact
Visual Impact's own Marius van Straaten and head engineer Tom van Greuning drew a full house for their session, "25 Years of Reality TV: What Does It Take to Make It Actually Work?"; a look back at decades of on-location engineering experience, war stories included. International guest Óscar M. Olarte Ruiz of MR Factory in Madrid spoke on AI and hybrid production, and van Straaten returned for a second session, "What Happens When Technology Understands Space: Revealing Tracking."
The campaign's footprint extended well past Kyalami. Across Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn, plus four paid social campaigns, the six-week push generated a combined 166,334 in reach and 287,160 impressions, from 111 organic posts and more than 8,000 paid results – more than double the content volume originally planned for the countdown.
Responding to demand from Western Cape production professionals who couldn't make the trip to Johannesburg, Visual Impact and Media Hive extended the experience with "Mediatech Comes to Cape Town," a two-day in-studio showcase on 8–9 July at Media Hive Studio.
Highlights included a live multi-camera demonstration of ARRI's ALEXA 35 Live system, the reveal of ARRI's new Omnibar light bar, and dedicated wireless-audio sessions with Lectrosonics international specialist Jim Bakker.
"Missed us in Joburg? We brought it to you. Our crews are rated among the top three in the world for a reason – resilient, hands-on, always ready to make a plan. If people leave here having learned something, and knowing we've got their back long after the sale, that's success." – Marius van Straaten, Visual Impact
The technology on display told its own story about where the industry is heading: large-sensor cinema cameras moving into multicam broadcast environments, PTZ and wearable cameras redefining reality TV production, and a growing, genuine curiosity around AI-driven workflows.
"AI will find its place, and it will change some roles – anyone who tells you otherwise isn't being straight with you. But it will also open up a new chapter for this industry, and we intend to be part of it." – Marius van Straaten, Visual Impact
About Visual ImpactVisual Impact is a South African broadcast and production solutions provider representing leading camera, lensing and technology brands including ARRI, Sony, Blackmagic Design, ZEISS, Laowa, Cooke, Angénieux, Teradek, SmallHD, Wooden Camera, Nanlite and OptiTrack, backed by an in-house engineering team across Johannesburg and Cape Town.
About Media HiveMedia Hive operates a production-ready studio facility in Cape Town, offering a BBC-standard soundproofed stage, pre-lit green screen, and drive-in access for film, broadcast and content production.
Visual Impact
Johannesburg: +27 11 788 9879 ·jhbsales@visuals.tv
Cape Town: +27 21 468 6000 ·ctsales@visuals.tv
Media Hive Studio
1 Glynville Terrace, Gardens, Cape Town · +27 21 468 6000 ·info@mediahivestudio.tv
Shop Visuals(online store)
Media contact:Marius van Straaten, Media Hive · Visual Impactmarius@visuals.tv
Visual Impact South Africa is one of the largest broadcast and film equipment rentals, sales and service companies in South Africa. As part of the international Visual Impact group of companies, we have access to a wide range of equipment and in-house technical expertise.
Visual Impact South Africa, with offices in Johannesburg and Cape Town, provides broadcast and production equipment rentals, workflow solutions, and technical support across Africa, including mobile editing and data management services. The company represents leading global brands such as Sony, ARRI, RED, Canon, and Blackmagic Design, and has facilitated major reality TV productions like I’m a Celebrity, Idols SA, MasterChef SA, and The Bachelor Germany.
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