Peter_Lett
Member
I haven't worked for 9 and a half months in the past 12.
I've had doctors' appointments, MRIs, x-rays, surgery on my shoulder, exercise therapy, physiotherapy, water therapy, forms to fill in, light duties [joke]... a lot of stress and aggravation. At one stage there were 5 medical professionals hovering around in the background of my life!
Reason- our gear is TOO HEAVY!
In Australia there's a national code of manual handling which most industries and companies seem to adhere to. The code stipulates that a person shouldn't lift more than 16Kgs without help.
I work with a Panasonic DVC Pro and Sachtler sticks which all up is around 18 Kgs. That's the every day situation. But sometimes a sungun gets put on the camera or a Lectro radio mic receiver or an extra battery. Now we're talking closer to 20Kgs.
When I covered the tsunami in Thailand 5 years ago, I was regularly loaded up with about 25Kgs.
It takes its toll!
What I want to know is, can anyone suggest alternative gear that isn't so heavy and will do the job?
I wonder why I'm using a 9kgs DVC Pro shooting at 25Mbps and not 50Mbps which it's capable of. Will another camera give me the same results as my Panasonic if it's working flat out rather than at half speed?
I've already found the Sony PMW-350L
which is 6.3 kg (13 lb 14 oz) (with LCD VF, AF lens, Mic, battery)
and legs by Cartoni with a fluid head with a 100mm ball base supporting up to 10kgs coming in at 5.4kgs.
So, that gets me from 18kgs to 11.7 [and probably way out of injury range]
If you're older you'll know what I'm talking about [I'm 55], if you're younger, you should be taking an interest in this as well because it's gonna turn around and bite you one day!
If you think cameras have to be heavy to give you a nice steady shot off the shoulder, I say that's bull****.
One of my first cameras back in the 70's was an Eclair ACL. With a 200ft magazine this thing was tiny and the favorite camera of all time for me. Nothing better for shooting news and current affairs which is what I do! That camera weighed a tick over 4.5Kgs....
didn't record sound but I'm not a sound man! The networks have been enjoying the benefits of loading up one guy to do everything but I've found out that it comes with a price.
You're knackered with nowhere to go before your time!
footnote:
A friend of mine who's 47 has just been paid out by his network because his elbow is stuffed.
13 months off work, surgery etc. and shown the door. And , no, the payout is not great!
I've had doctors' appointments, MRIs, x-rays, surgery on my shoulder, exercise therapy, physiotherapy, water therapy, forms to fill in, light duties [joke]... a lot of stress and aggravation. At one stage there were 5 medical professionals hovering around in the background of my life!
Reason- our gear is TOO HEAVY!
In Australia there's a national code of manual handling which most industries and companies seem to adhere to. The code stipulates that a person shouldn't lift more than 16Kgs without help.
I work with a Panasonic DVC Pro and Sachtler sticks which all up is around 18 Kgs. That's the every day situation. But sometimes a sungun gets put on the camera or a Lectro radio mic receiver or an extra battery. Now we're talking closer to 20Kgs.
When I covered the tsunami in Thailand 5 years ago, I was regularly loaded up with about 25Kgs.
It takes its toll!
What I want to know is, can anyone suggest alternative gear that isn't so heavy and will do the job?
I wonder why I'm using a 9kgs DVC Pro shooting at 25Mbps and not 50Mbps which it's capable of. Will another camera give me the same results as my Panasonic if it's working flat out rather than at half speed?
I've already found the Sony PMW-350L
which is 6.3 kg (13 lb 14 oz) (with LCD VF, AF lens, Mic, battery)
and legs by Cartoni with a fluid head with a 100mm ball base supporting up to 10kgs coming in at 5.4kgs.
So, that gets me from 18kgs to 11.7 [and probably way out of injury range]
If you're older you'll know what I'm talking about [I'm 55], if you're younger, you should be taking an interest in this as well because it's gonna turn around and bite you one day!
If you think cameras have to be heavy to give you a nice steady shot off the shoulder, I say that's bull****.
One of my first cameras back in the 70's was an Eclair ACL. With a 200ft magazine this thing was tiny and the favorite camera of all time for me. Nothing better for shooting news and current affairs which is what I do! That camera weighed a tick over 4.5Kgs....
didn't record sound but I'm not a sound man! The networks have been enjoying the benefits of loading up one guy to do everything but I've found out that it comes with a price.
You're knackered with nowhere to go before your time!
footnote:
A friend of mine who's 47 has just been paid out by his network because his elbow is stuffed.
13 months off work, surgery etc. and shown the door. And , no, the payout is not great!
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