AG-15 damage

The fourth day of class, and we have had our first incidence of damage to the tripod mount of a Panasonic AG-15 camera. These cameras are no longer in production, and replacement parts are limited to supplies on hand at the manufacturer; they will not make more parts. We must all do our best to insure that we make these cameras last until a suitable replacement can be found. With that in mind, what follows is an e-mail that many of you have seen before, but perhaps a quick review will be helpful.

There are three ways of using the camera with tripod that will lead to this type of damage:

The first bad practice: Student puts camera on tripod, tightens the pan lock and tilt lock. Later, forgetting that the pans and tilts are locked, they drape their body over the camera "to steady their camera movements" as they pan and tilt and force the camera to move against the locks. This causes significant strain on the plastic cover and the metal plate inside the camera that are attached to the tripod's quick release plate which is in turn is attached to the tripod.

Don't do this.

Do this. Use the pan handle only to move the camera. Not only is it safer for the camera, the mechanical advantage of a long lever will give smoother pans and tilts.

Second bad practice: Carrying a camera from place to place with the tripod slung over the shoulder with the camera still mounted to the tripod:

Whether or not you bang into something, not a good practice with any camera. (Note: the camera is being supported by assistant in order to stage this shot.) Notice: the camera is behind your head, so how can you be watching the camera as you go through a doorway, turn a corner in a hallway, etc. at the same time as you are looking where your feet are taking you? Take advantage of the quick release plate... only takes 5 seconds max to mount or remove the camera.

The third practice that leads to this type of damage is how people reposition the camera and tripod. Do not use the handle on the top of the camera to pick up both the camera and the tripod as a single unit.

Don't do this.

To reposition the tripod and camera, do this:

Lifting the tripod and camera together by placing your hands around the tripod head is actually quite stable, and puts no strain at all on the camera/tripod connection.

Of course, tipping over the tripod with the camera mounted on it will accomplish much the same thing.

Also, a new year has begun and we have new faculty for whom this information might be helpful. Please check the header and let me know if I missed any production faculty who will be using this camera.

Many thanks,

Phil

Phillip Wacker-Hoeflin

Cinema Production Support Engineer

Park School of Communications

wacker@ithaca.edu