Porta Brace
Looking to protect and transport your valuable video-camera rig? Here we highlight five soft cases designed to keep your gear organized and safe at hand during your shoot. All the bags have adjustable dividers, exterior and interior pockets, grab handles and, except for the roller bags, an adjustable shoulder strap.
A Place for Everything Bag
Found on almost any pro video set, Porta Brace’s durable, padded Cordura nylon camera bags are made right in Vermont. This maker's DVO-2 DV Organizer Camera Case fits cameras up to 18" long and is
It’s a beautiful day and the sun is shining, with not a cloud in the sky, beaming down plenty of light for almost limitless depth-of-field for your footage. While all that sunshine can produce wonderful exposures, it may not be so great for your health or for the well-being of your equipment. Read on for some ideas on how to beat the heat during a summer shoot.
Desert film shoot: hot!
Camera Crew
Starting with the very basics, outfit yourself with a pair of
Defining and recommending bags for someone to use every day is tough, though I will say the key to any good everyday carry (EDC) bag is that it be just large enough to fit your essentials. Taking that into consideration, I’m going to try and do the impossible and recommend some bags that creatives in various professions may want to check out in the hunt for their next pack.
Photographer: Peak Design Everyday Backpack 20L
Of course, we are going to start with
One thing I really don’t enjoy when I’m out taking pictures is having to carry a tripod. My tripod came with a case, but I prefer leaving it home when I’m out taking pictures. When traveling from point A to point B, or when not in use, my tripod resides safely in its case, but when I’m out on the prowl with camera in hand, I prefer attaching a tripod strap from its ends and slinging it over my shoulder.
Tripod Straps
Tripod straps are often overlooked when it
The holidays are upon us; who is going to turn down an ARRI Alexa LF? I know I won’t, so if any long-lost relative is reading this and is unsure how to make a good impression, feel free to give me an ARRI Alexa LF or, for that matter, any of these Digital Cine Cameras would be
Video/film shoots can be challenging, what with 12-hour days, exterior locations in all kinds of weather, and lugging equipment to the ends of the earth and back. Here are some practical gift items to add a little comfort, both physical and mental, to your friend’s (or your own) shoot. Many of these items are not camera specific and are useful for grips, electrics, and other crew members, as well.
Gene Kelly may have been singing in the rain, but you can bet his camera crew dreaded each and every time the rain machine spouted its fake downpour
Unsure of what to do? Suffering from restless, sleepless nights as you wonder what to get your filmmaker friend, niece/nephew, or significant other? Maybe you got some new video gear and it just won’t fit into your current gear bags? Or even better, you’ve had a very successful year and, as December 31 approaches, you realize you need some extra tax deductions. Well, whatever your reason, it’s time for a new bag, or two. But what kind of bag are you looking for? Fashionable, utilitarian, soft, or rigid? DSLR/mirrorless, camcorder, or lighting
If you’ve taken the plunge and invested in one, two, or a full set of cine-style lenses, you’ll now want to take the best care possible of your lenses. Not only will the lenses function better if they’re properly maintained, but you’ll be protecting your (probably substantial) financial investment. Most cine-style lens care and maintenance is the same as for still or ENG-type lenses, so if you’ve made the switch from these other lens types, you’ll know the drill.
Carrying Cases
When transporting your cine lenses between locations, although
Looking through an on-set or kit bag, you never know what little surprises you may run into. For example, one Assistant Cameraman (A.C.) with whom I studied years ago, used to carry disposable razors. Why, you may ask? An actor with whom that AC once worked was always worried about his five-o’clock shadow, and the makeup person didn’t have a razor. I didn’t carry around disposable razors, but in my time as a camera assistant, gaffer, and D.P., I assembled a rather odd assortment of items. So, I took a stroll thought the B&H website in
In an era that has witnessed rampant outsourcing of products and services, and innumerable items manufactured in foreign lands, it’s heartening to know that the B&H website offers more than 8,000 product SKUs from close to 250 companies promoting a Made in America status.
Featured below are 18 such companies, and their associated products that caught our attention.
Imaging Products
* The golden era of American-made cameras harks back to the 1880 launch of the Kodak Box Camera, which had the slogan “You press the button—we do the rest.”