Environmental Protective Equipment

Creative cinematography often demands that a camera must continue to work perfectly under conditions of intense cold, desert heat and dust, driving rain, sea and storm, severe vibration, stress and ‘g’ forces and in dangerous places.

Intense Cold

PANAFLEX cameras and magazines are fitted with internal heaters which ensure that they run freely and quietly under even the coldest conditions.

Additional heater barneys are available to cover and give additional warmth to the camera, the magazines and the lenses (especially zoom lenses) and are advisable for use when the camera is set up in an exposed position where the wind chill factor is likely to be significant. Where camera heaters and heater barneys are likely to be used intensively, additional camera batteries should be ordered.

Lenses kept in a cold truck and taken into a warm building for use should be stored in plastic bags to prevent internal misting up.

Heat and Dust

Thanks to their light color, smooth finish and good sealing PANAFLEX cameras operate exceptionally well in conditions of extreme heat and dust.

Dust should be brushed away from the camera, not cleared with an aerosol air spray which only blows it into inaccessible places.

Rain, Storm and Water

Waterproof covers are available to protect the camera from rain, etc.

Spinning disk spray deflectors/waterproof covers are available for use in storm conditions. These devices incorporate high speed rotating glass disk fronts which throw off water as quickly as it falls on them, thus keeping the camera lenses clear of water.

Water boxes are available for shallow water filming (up to 1’ deep) and are useful for surface filming in water tanks, swimming pools, etc.

If a camera is contaminated with salt water all traces of salt should be washed away with fresh water at the earliest possible opportunity and the camera returned to PANAVISION, or its representative, for emergency servicing. Nothing can damage a camera more than salt water.

Vibration, Stress, High “g” Forces and Dangerous Places

Automobile mounts and clamp rigs are available to give additional camera and magazine security in rugged conditions, as when filming car chases.

Cameras in protective boxes and “disposable” cameras are available for placing in highly hazardous positions.

1. Internal heater elements arranged around a camera bearing, 2. Magazine heater/cover showing power supply arrangements, 3. Zoom lens heater/cover, 4. Normal waterproof camera cover, 5. Rain deflector waterproof cover, 6. Handholdable rain deflector, 7. Camera clamp rig, 8. Water–box shallow water housing.