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  These are examples of the ShootFirst equipment which can be supplied according to your requirements.  Additional gear and personnel can be hired in as needed.  Email for a quote or call 01273 772990 (from outside UK +44 1273 772990).  All bookings accepted according to ShootFirst terms and conditions.    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.
DVCAM, DVCPRO and Betacam SP kits
Four cameras, three formats, your choice
   Most of my broadcast work for the BBC and ITV is on DVCAM - I have three broadcast-quality DVCAM camera kits, including the latest Sony DSR-450P and an Ikegami HL-DV7W for really high-quality pictures in 16:9 widescreen or 4:3.  I can also do DVCPRO (4:3 or 16:9, 25 or 50 Mbps) or Betacam SP (4:3 or 16:9).   Great results in low light, with minimal highlight smear.  Built-in Clearscan shutter for reducing flicker when filming a computer screen.  With the following equipment as required (with two-person crew):
 Fujinon AT (15x8) and Canon (20x8)* broadcast zoom lenses with doublers.  Zoom demands.  Lighting:  650w Arrilite and low-energy fluorescent keylights, 300w mizars, Chimera softlight, gobo projector*, Dedolights, battery light,  2000w blondes* and 800w redheads* are also available as required. Camera
 Matte box* and flag, Promists and grads  Fast-deploying CSO chromakey blue or green screens*
 Fujinon wide angle (10x4.8) broadcast zoom lens with doubler  Sachtler or Vinten tripod with tall and short* legs and rolling base*, Cinesaddle
 4-2 sound mixer, kit of microphones, radio mics, accessories (with sound recordist)  Super-portable Teletest widescreen LCD monitor with radio link or conventional portable CRT monitor*. Field playback machine* for Betacam SP
There are lots of accessories; do ask if you need anything in particular. Rates.
* Some items aren't carried in the car all the time, so be sure to discuss your equipment requirements.
I have a JIB ARM and a TRACK & DOLLY - arty shots for not much money!  See below.
Shoot and Edit?   About DVCAM: DVCAM camera tapes can run for over 3 hours, which could be useful for continuous recording, and can be edited in DVCAM or DVCPRO edit suites.  If you want to shoot on small (40min) DVCAM tapes then for an additional £40 a day I can supply a field player with 5" LCD screen which displays time code.  I also have an editing laptop PC - click on the Shoot & Edit icon.  Handy hint:  If you have problems playing DVCAM or DV tapes in a DVCPRO edit machine, make sure that the playback mode is set correctly in the menu.  These machines will play DVCAM and DV but sometimes have to be told to do it.
TWO-CAMERA SHOOTS?  Not a problem.
   How about a mini two-camera OB?  I have small vision mixer for basic cost-effective OBs either on tape or live to your conference projection screens.  Ask for a quote.
 
Digital Betacam (16:9 or 4:3)
   I can come equipped with a camcorder to shoot on any available broadcast format.  Other than the camera, the equipment is as listed above. Rates.
 
What about the sound?
   Sound is extremely important, and for quality and reliability I'd rather have a sound recordist on any shoot.  If you're employing me on my own then I'll bring microphones for basic sound, but should your plans include complex recording (such as musical performance, several participants in a scene, a round-table discussion or anything remotely fly-on-the-wall-ish) then a proper recordist is essential - I can supply one.
Grips equipment   Let's talk timelapse
   Whatever format I'm shooting on, I can add extra class and style to your production by using my track & dolly and jib arm, available as optional extras.  (Note:  A grip or assistant is normally needed when using this equipment.)  A rolling spider is included in the standard kit, if requested.  I also have a car bonnet limpet mount. Rates.      For cost-effective timelapse sequences, why not try my DSR-PDX10 mini-DVCAM camera? (see below)  It can telescope hours, a day or even longer into a few minutes or less.  You can adjust the duration in the edit.  Possible uses:  night falling over a town; a room being decorated; flowers opening - let's talk about timelapse ideas!
Mini-DV kits
Sony DSR-PDX10   Available either as a second camera or as a back-up is a Sony DSR-PDX10 three-chip mini-DVCAM camera.  It comes complete with a wide-angle lens adapter, tripod, mains light and microphones.  This camera is really handy for unobtrusive filming, posing as a tourist, video diaries and the like and, unusually for a camera of this type, it can shoot in native 16:9 anamorphic widescreen.    Rates. More about mini-dv.

   The pocket-sized Sony PC-6 mini-DV camera is even smaller and more unobtrusive, and comes with a simple underwater housing for use down to 2 metres.  This tiny camera with its flip-out LCD screen and wide-angle lens adapter produces surprisingly usable pictures.  It can also produce short-range monochrome shots in pitch darkness using its infra-red emitter - I also have another infra-red light for room-shots in the dark.  The tapes are the same as those used with the DSR-PDX10 above.  Rates. More about mini-dv.
Pulnix and Sony minicams kit
   There's also the option of a miniature camera kit, comprising a Pulnix minicam with wide angle and standard lenses and a right-angle adapter and a Sony Exwave camera with variable focal length lens.  The kit comes with a wide range of mounts and accessories.  These camera are useful for mounting on vehicles, for sports coverage, covert shooting and for getting amazing shots in places where a full-size camera just won't fit.  Pictures can be recorded onto Betacam or DV.  More information about the minicam kit.
   Sony GV-D1000E and GV-D900E miniature DV digital recorders, which fit into belt packs and enable the Pulnix camera to be helmet or body mounted, offering much greater versatility.
Spycams
  Even smaller and more discrete than the Pulnix are these spy cameras, one of which views the world through a wide-angle pinhole lens about 1mm across. More information about the spycams.
 
Editing, dubbing, viewing copies, transcription copies
Edit suite   Take a look at my edit suite and voice-over booth.  Also available is dubbing between Betacam SP, DVCAM, mini-DV and, by arrangement, other formats.  I can do firewire clones of DV or DVCAM tapes with no loss of quality.  You need VHS or DVD viewing copies of the camera rushes with burnt-in timecode?  No problem.  I can dub Video8, Hi8 and Digital8 tapes to DV or VHS.  Soundtracks can be dubbed to audio cassette or audio CD for transcribing, too.

homeequipmentcreditsrateseditdv hirecontactlightbulb jokesemail
home•equipment•credits•rates•little cameras•contact•area•light bulb jokes?•colour standards•email
This page last updated 10Aug2007