ShootFirst / Nic Small - BROADCAST TV CREW

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Size really DOES matter...
This page looks at my range of smaller cameras. Apart from decent small DVCAM camera, there's a little underwater camera, minicams and some tiny spy cameras, which work in conjunction with a small mini-DV video recorder.	If you found this page via a search engine and you haven't seen my home page, please read this. I'm a freelance cameraman in Sussex, and this is camera gear which I own and can bring when you hire me. I generally don't sell or dry-hire equipment.

Sony mini-DVCAM camera
Unobtrusive, cheap and surprisingly good quality

   I have a three-chip mini-DVCAM digital camcorder which is small, unobtrusive and easy to use. It offers good picture and sound quality, whilst not attracting attention like larger cameras.
   It's used for in-car filming (I have several sucker and clamp mounts), covert work (posing as a tourist, for example) or as a back-up for more expensive equipment. It works well in low light, and has a host of features such as picture stabilisation, time lapse, photo mode and a colour viewfinder screen.
   The camera can record proper full-height 16:9 widescreen pictures. Many mini-DV cameras produce a ghastly low-resolution compromised widescreen by masking their 4:3 chips.
   It records mini-DVCAM or mini-DV, using 40 minute or 60 minute tapes.
   The camera comes with three lithium batteries, charger/mains power supply, wide-angle lens adapter, simple tripod, dub cables (Firewire, S-video, phono/BNC & SCART), infra-red remote control, two lapel mics, hand-held interview mic, directional gun mic (with camera mount) and headphones.

This camera is often in demand for its timelapse facility, and produces wonderful 'passage of time' footage of, for instance, night falling over a town or the progress of decorating a room.

The mini-DVCAM camera kit costs an extra £50 a day plus VAT when you're hiring me and a broadcast-quality camera kit.
Whilst is camera is suitable for some applications, it shouldn't be regarded as a substitute for a proper broadcast-quality camera kit.

Pocket-sized mini-DV cameras with waterproof housing
Splish, splash ... er ... splosh

I have three of the smallest mini-DV cameras which can be useful where subtlety is needed, as they are smaller and even more discrete than the mini-DVCAM above. With wide angle lens adapters they can sometimes be used in place of wired minicams (see below) as they are "one-piece" camcorders and doesn't need cabling to recorders. I also have an underwater housing, ideal for submerging a little DV camera in up to 2 metres of sea, river, pond, pool, bath, puddle - you name it. The housing is useful protection against splashes and dust and possibly other unwelcoming environments too. This equipment costs an £50 a day plus VAT, available only as an extra when booking me with my main shooting kit.

This camera is great for occasional dunking, but you need more serious underwater filming then I can point you in the direction of underwater specialists.

Pocket-sized mini-DV camera with underwater housing

Vio POV.1 waterproof solid state minicam and recorder
Remarkable new minicam

Described as "the holy grail" of miniature cameras, the Vio POV.1 consists of a mountable camera head with its dedicated tapeless video recorder which records onto SD cards. Both the camera, recorder and built-in microphone are waterproof (to 1m), dustproof and shock-resistant. The makers say that it's "military specification".
I have a variety of mounts and suckers to attach this camera to cars, bikes, boats, helmets and probably quite a few other things as well.

This camera kit costs an extra £50 a day plus VAT when you're hiring me and my main camera kit.

Other minicam kits
For special shots like these in YOUR production, my selection of miniature cameras could be the answer!

Take a look at the results which are possible from my collection of minicams. For example, this little CCD camera head is only 110mm long and has an extremely wide angle lens, which means that it fits in all sorts of places where a full-size camera just can't be used. It can be mounted on the inside or outside of cars, helicopters or most other vehicles, and in many other spots - let's think of some ideas for your production!
Sony mini-DV recorders

A selection of mounts (including clamps and a limpet mount) are supplied too.
Pictures are recorded onto mini-DV using one of my recorders. These small machines fit into a belt pack, enabling minicams to be mounted on a person's head or body for sports, action or covert filming.
The complete minicam kit with a DV recorder costs an additional £50 a day plus VAT, when you're hiring a me as a cameraman with my main shooting kit. I don't dry-hire this equipment.

Above: One of my minicams in the cockpit of a Bell 206 JetRanger helicopter for a piece to camera.
(from BBC Tomorrow's World)

Pulnix minicam inside washing machine

Above: View from my minicam inside an unmodified washing machine.
(from MBPTV)

Now with remote pan and tilt head for ... er ... remotely panning and tilting. It's quite useful, actually.

Minicam shots of flying lesson in a Cessna 150

Left: Coming in to land - flying lessons in a Cessna 150 at Shoreham Airport (from BBC).

Right: My minicam and mini-DV recorder attached to the aircraft of Steve Cook, British champion hang-glider pilot (from ITV Meridian).

Spycams
Tiny, sneaky little things

   NEW - Even smaller and more discrete than the rest of the minicams are these spy cameras, one of which views the world through a wide-angle pinhole lens about 1mm across.
    I have several of these tiny cameras can be installed in jackets or bags, where they can be barely visible. They produce fairly good colour pictures, which can be recorded on my Sony mini-DV recorders (see above) which are wearable in a belt pack or pocket. They're intended for covert and secret filming, and are ideal for documentaries and consumer programmes.
   The spycam kit with DV recorder costs an additional £50 a day plus VAT, when you're hiring me as a cameraman. I don't dry-hire this equipment.

NOTE: Hire rate is 80 GB Pounds Sterling a day, excluding VAT and carriage. Client is responsible for loss or damage to this equipment if used in a hostile environment, even if I'm there.

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This page last updated 11Dec2008