Transport and protection outfit: the present day and trends

By Michael Panchishko

Review contents:

Transport and protection outfit: the present day and trends Outfit from “Almi” Company Shipping package for the TV equipment Moisture protective covers of “Pronto” Company Wardrobe trunks CineBags Transport cases and installation racks of Media Works Company Professional outfit of Kata Company Wardrobe trunks of Lowel Company Outfit from Porta-Brace Company Wardrobe trunks of Rubytron Company The outfit of Scubacam Company for shooting equipment

Every second thousands of camera groups all over the world are carried out the shootings of materials for news and journalistic programs, documentary and television films, various entertaining and scientifically-cognitive telecasts. Frequently people do choose neither place, nor conditions in which they can get in a following time piece, for them this choice is done with a life which the spectator wishes to see in the whole variety. At such variety it is impossible to overestimate necessity of outfit which allows to protect the equipment, and also to make arrival to the shooting area and film crew operation more comfortable. Those times when transportation of a camcorder was made in a huge plastic suitcase from company-manufacturer are still memorable, and lighting devices were transported in brown fiber suitcases with metal locks, and in case of a rain the camera was covered by polyethylene packets, and in case of a snow — by quilted jacket.

However together with impetuous development of TV technique the industry of necessary equipment in the same huge rates is developed. What do we have for today?

It is conditionally possible to divide all equipment into two large segments. Very strong and reliable cases are the first segment. Classical versions are the cases made of a special aluminum section and supplied by metal locks, loops and plastic or plywood laminated walls, and also completely aluminum cases which walls are made from specially rolled aluminum sheet. Weight and large size of such products has predetermined the segments of their use: film production, leasing of the equipment, and also use of these cases as containers for mass delivery of shooting equipment to operation area. To this class it is possible to attribute the cases made from two plastic thermo-vacuum formed halves, so-called “soap trays”. Still until recently such type of cases was widely used as equipment manufacturers, and TV and movie companies for transportation of the equipment, however the become tougher requirements to the shooting speed and reduction of efforts, as in the case mentioned above, leave to these cases a place there where the raised security of equipment prevails over the efficiency of shooting process. Position is aggravated also with that practically all cases of this class are made according the order. Some of these products make in Moscow such companies as Media Works and Pro Lite, and other versions are produced only in Europe and America. And, at last, there are still completely plastic cases made by injection molding from very strong and reliable copolymer of polypropylene. As to the last the bright representatives are Peli cases and Harddig. These cases are tight, provided with pressure compensators that predetermines their use in expeditionary shootings, however the large line of the standard sizes, allowing to pick up the case of the necessary volume, high reliability and an opportunity of fast forming of damper filling or partition installation, and also the shooting process integration systems made by the Russian company UpGrade Bureau allow them to borrow the same niches of use, as from the classical versions, and be useful for TV groups.

Soft covers and wardrobe trunks are the second segment. Conceding to the first segment in impact resistance, they allow to the film crew to be more mobile, and by weather protection these products are far beyond any competition. In the Russian market there are the ancestor of this direction which is the company K&N Products (Porta Brace), ALMI, Kata, Petrol, Eva Marine, and also the company “Pronto”, engaged by production of transparent raincoats.

Practically all companies-manufacturers the wardrobe trunks and rucksacks for transportation of cameras are produced. The some companies make wardrobe trunks for transportation of cameras in car boots, transformed wardrobe trunks for flight luggage sending which represent something medium between a wardrobe trunk and a cover and provide an opportunity of instant extraction of the camera at journalism shooting. There are also rain-protective, winter, deserted covers, specialized covers and boxes for underwater shooting.

The spectrum of equipment for semi-professional cameras even is more impressive, as the cameras are used frequently with a lot of accessories. And application of LCD monitors on them has predetermined the occurrence of flare lens blinds.

The equipment is produced not only for the basic shooting equipment. There are wardrobe trunks and covers for tripods, from super protected products with an opportunity to carry as rucksack and to simple shoulder system and a cocoon on tripod head for fast switching-on in operation.

Not smaller attention the manufacturers give to wardrobe trunks for lighting devices of any standard sizes. There are the products intended for carrying of as separate devices and complete with tripods and fastening racks. Covers and wardrobe trunks for transportation of reflectors and diffusers, thermo stable gloves for fast replacement of fused lamps, special boxes for carrying of spare lamps are produced, from miniature (for halogen lamps) up to 60 and 12-cm — for luminescent lamps.

The equipment for monitors is presented as classical transport both operational wardrobe trunks and cases, and a new class of operational covers for LCD monitors which are provided with flare lens blind and convenient system of carrying.

Recently the sets of VTRs, disk-recorders and mobile stations of digital nonlinear editing on the shooting area are often used. Therefore there were specialized covers for video-recorders and portable editing systems of any kind, format and recording media.

For audio equipment there are the systems of separate and joint carrying and operation of mixers and audio-recorders, cartridge pouches for microphones and radio microphone systems.

Well and, certainly, there is a large quantity of various wardrobe trunks for transportation and convenient use of accessories. There are the rucksacks, belt bags, classical bags and cartridge pouches for accumulators and filters, and unloading belts and sword belts, which are completed with various to destination additional pockets according to the customer’s will. And for operation in unfavorable conditions the various waistcoats and raincoats for the operators are offered.

This incomplete listing shows the multi-form of the assortment of the equipment intended for protection of equipment and people from heavy vital situations and severe weather conditions.

Practically all players in the market try to not leave the progress and apply the advanced materials and accessories, and also use the new technological opportunities. There are applied the strongest fabrics, the lightest and most reliable plastics, carefully chosen finish hardware, “breathing” fabrics for operation in high moist conditions. To make the production stronger, there are applied the seam sealing at rain-protective covers, the forming of damper elements to create the greater rigidity of external pockets. Wide attention is paid to quality and reliability of production. For this purpose the feedback with end users by results of which completion of designs is made is used. In such manner almost all manufacturers are dealt with, though it is necessary to note that the greater market of equipment is occupied by the company-manufacturer, the more information it receives from users and can modernize their production more effectively.

The tendencies in development of outfit are visible by unaided sight. This are the further weight reduction and increase of impact resistance, improvement of indexes of comfort of carrying, increase of the environment protection, increase of a role of design of products and the most important is a personification of made equipment under the certain types of shooting. Therefore the studies in the creation area of new, early unknown materials, attempts to apply the achievements received in other areas of science and technique where compactness, lightness and durability are regarded as of paramount importance are carried out.

So, at huge variety of outfit the consumer needs only to choose. Also it is possible to call here only for one — to the system approach in the component choice. In a life there are no trifles, and if we shall serious to them, it is possible to protect ourselves and our equipment against accidents with which so this diverse world is full.