A hot new HD/SD Firewire Recorder is part of the $150,000 in equipment just added to Zacuto Rentals to keep pace with an increased demand. “We upped the number of all products — we didn’t have enough to rent out,” said Zacuto owner Steve Weiss.
The new Firewire allows the user to capture, edit and master via Final Cut HD to any G4 or G5 computer using the new Firewire codec. Rental is $750 a day.
Weiss placed his order a year ago for the Firewire, developed by Panasonic Varicam and Apple, and received one of the first five units made so far, and the only one available in Illinois, to his knowledge. “I’m literally shipping it from client site to client site, it’s that much in demand.”
Increasing the availability of camera package rentals are a fifth Panasonic AJ-HDC27F Varicam HD 24p; a third Panasonic AG-DVX100A 24p cine package and a second Panasonic AJ-SDX900 SD 24p.
Other new items are: A Varispeed, programmable “Ramping” control unit for slow/fast motion real-time speed changes; two 8.4-inch HD/SDI monitors, bringing Zacuto’s total to five units, and another Panasonic Frame Rate Converter.
New accessories: Five Sachtler tripods on heavy- duty graphite sticks with built-in center spreads; two lightweight, portable, easy-set up Spider Dollys; a Porta-Jib Traveler; two Chrosziel (no wiggle) camera tripod plates; various-sized blue and green screens, and a G5 flypack HD Firewire edit system with new AJ- HD1200A with HD/SD Firewire Recorder.
Custom Pelican 1650 cases for Zacuto’s Cine and Docu camera packages, designed by GK at Adams Foam, are also new. “Unlike previous cases, these are designed especially to fit each item, which cuts shipping and crew costs,” Weiss noted.
“A Docu package now ships in two cases, including the camera. A Cine package ships in three to four cases, including the camera and depending on lensing. Our DVX Cine package amazingly ships in one case, pre-built with lightweight support, matte box, follow focus installed and ready to shoot.”
Contact Zacuto’s Steve Weiss or Jens Bogehegn at 312/863-3452; see www.zacuto-rentals.com.
