Professional outfit of Kata Company

By Timur Musaev

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

Has passed that time when the outfit for the professional equipment was meant as standard complete set “wardrobe trunk-dust cover-winter coat-raincoat” for TVJ camera. Today dictates absolutely other demands. The new operational culture, the new attitude to the equipment comes to Russia and that who should work with this equipment.

Earlier as principal cause of purchase of outfit was the necessity of protection of the expensive equipment (in Russia in most cases — camcorders). Now, when the most important thing is operatively shot and finished stock when the camera and full editing kit can be placed in the baggage rack of the car, the demands to equipment radically vary.

The myth about that the wardrobe trunk is only a bag of the necessary size for the equipment, leaves in nonexistence. Even more often the engineers and users pay attention to the following factors:

• Maximum convenience during outfit exploitation;
• Reliability and duration of service life of wardrobe trunks (hardly someone will arrange if locks of a bag will cease to act in couple of months);
• External aspect/design (many TV reporters and correspondents in Russia would not like to draw excessive attention to themselves, therefore it is better that the wardrobe trunk looked as fashionable bag, but thus matched to all professional demands);
• Opportunity of purchase of outfit for all spectrum of the professional equipment of production of the concrete company in one place.

Kata equipment line up

Company Kata, some time made the production engineering revolution in the market of outfit for the professional equipment, and now is one of the leaders in this area. The following slogan of the company is valid: “Maximal comfort for the person, maximal protection of the equipment”. The line of wardrobe trunks Kata includes outfit for all aspects of the equipment used in TV and film production: wardrobe trunks for camcorders of HDCAM up to miniDV formats, rucksacks, dust covers and raincoats, wardrobe trunks for monitors, portable video- and audio recorders, tripods, lighting equipment and many other things.

Production engineering

Technology of thermoforming (TST)

In conformity with own strategy the Company pays large attention to the technologies applied in production of outfit which are aimed at maintenance of the maximum preservation of the equipment without damage to convenience in use, and also to the modern design of wardrobe trunks.

At NAB 2004 exhibition the Kata Company has presented the new products created on the basis of technology TST. This development has evoked huge interest of professionals all over the world. The technology of thermoforming (TST) is the modern solution providing at small weight of wardrobe trunk an excellent protection of the fragile digital equipment. The external surface of wardrobe trunk (1) formed under affecting of heating, has a ribbed construction (patent pending technology). The upper layer is made of Super Nylon (2) — high-strength, water and dust protective hard-wearing cloth on the basis of the nylon, normally used at manufacturing of military outfit. Under it is mesh small-celled shield (3) of polyethelene and sevelene which protects the equipment from impacts and pushes, simultaneously providing excellent protection against moisture, overheating or overcooling. The bottom layer (4) cancels vibration and serves for depreciation of impacts. The internal surface of wardrobe trunk is covered by antistatic material Yelloop (5) (development of Kata), allowing to assemble the internal partitions.

Six protective layers

In the models made without technology TST, the preservation of the equipment is provided with following six protective layers:

• Polyester 600D;
• Solid polyethylene foam;
• Aluminum plate;
• Polypropylene layer;
• Soft polyurethane foam;
• Cloth Cordura 1000.

In addition to tall functional qualities — protection of the equipment, wardrobe trunks Kata are externally modern and stylishly, they are easy and convenient in operation. It became possible owing to use of the advanced materials.

Materials

In the majority of Kata products the Cordura cloth is used. It is the heavy-duty material developed by DuPont Company, by its features far surpassing the well known nylon. Despite of lightness the cloth is durable, hard-wearing; rupture strong and mechanical forces resistant. Double polyurethane covering provides its water impermeability. Cordura possesses by good water-repellent properties. To provide even greater strength and water-resistance of wardrobe trunk walls, the outside surface of cloth is covered with fluorocarbon water-repellent layer, and inside is supplied with three layers of polyurethane.

Strops of all wardrobe trunks are made of several layers of polypropylene and nylon. Inside of shoulder straps and handles is damping foam polyethylene.

In the Kata products the noiseless fasteners of the world manufacturer of zippers YKK and strong “sticker” fasteners are applied. The buckles are made from synthetic materials of ITW and Duraflex production.

Internal seams of all outfit types are sheathed by cloth, and outside of edge of seams are curtailed twice. Handles are sewn to bags on all case, began from the bottom. For the greatest reliability the noiseless zippers YKK from inside are sawn by double seam.

A model line

A model line of Kata Company is very wide, therefore it is necessary to be restricted to the brief description of several passed most known products. It is necessary to note, that the general feature of all wardrobe trunks is universality: owing to the numerous internal branches allowing modeling space the same bag is possible to use for storage and transportation of the equipment, differing by size and shape.

CCC-10 wardrobe trunk for Sony DSR-370, JVC GY-DV500, Sony DSR-250 camcorders

Wardrobe trunks CCC-1, MCC-2 and CCC-10 are intended for the majority of medium and large professional camcorders. For transportation of the equipment the design of bags allows to distribute loading over regular intervals; the ergonomic wardrobe trunk densely fits to the body that facilitates balancing. The models made by technology TST, are very light and protect contents perfectly. They have no prominent parts that promote decrease of affecting of direct stroke. Full preservation of the view finder and microphone is provided with an additional reinforcing rib in the form of an aluminum insert inside wardrobe trunk cover. Double zippers instantly open up a bag allowing pulling out the camera, not having missed any important frame. In case of emergency the camera may transfer without clasping of wardrobe trunk, only handles-traps having fastened (development of Kata) that expels an opportunity of fall of the expensive equipment.

Daily covers (dust proofing covers) CG is the next own development of Kata. Here the technology widely applied in production of equipment for a scuba diving is used. Owing to a special material the dust proofing cover densely “embraces” camera as convenient glove, protecting it from environment, dust, mud and scores. The multilayer structure includes the following layers:

• Elastic nylon providing ventilation and is touch-pleasant (external layer);
• Neoprene perforated foam softening impacts and preventing the camera overheating (medium layer);
• Soft cloth protecting the camera case (internal layer).

The cloth has the perforated basis owing to what the camera “breathes” and is not overheated. The structure of material allows to cut additional holes in dust proofing cover that it completely matched to individual demands of the operator.

Dust proofing special cloth

Distinctive features are as follows:

• Fast and convenient access to the magnetic tape cartridge and all controls;
• Compartment of changeable space for the batteries, suitable practically to all standard sizes and allowing to use wireless system;
• Noiseless zippers;
• Modern design.

Complete with each dust proofing cover the rain cover in a handbag is delivered which can be hung up sideways or behind dust proofing cover, or absolutely to take away.

Convenient access to the tape cassette and all adjustments of the camera

Wardrobe trunk Sundo is the special development of Kata for transportation and storage of audio equipment. These wardrobe trunks will reliably protect the fragile equipment and will provide fast access to all accessories. Sundo is characterized by ergonomic design and an opportunity of internal space modeling.

When the operation is at rainy weather the lateral pockets with zippers are provided. The wardrobe trunk design allows deducing all wiring from the front compartment in central compartment. By means of a controlled elastic strop it is possible to place cables for maximal convenience for operation. In front compartment it is possible to store up to four radio transmitters, microphones, chargers with wires. From each side of wardrobe trunk to aluminum buckles of double purpose a shoulder strap or OVH straps are easily fastened.

Shoulder-waist fastening OVH is one more original Kata development. Ergonomic soft strops Opposite V Harness (OVH) with controlled height are intended for carrying of wardrobe trunks Koala and Sundo from the front. Under OVH supply all loading is regularly distributed on shoulders and waist that allows to work during long time without any tiredness.

The material is provided by Corporation D&K