The Chicago HD equipment scene was greatly enhanced the purchase of a $125,000 Panasonic D5 cinema mastering recorder by Zacuto Rentals “of everything HD,” said Steve Zacuto.
Panasonic’s D5 is one of the few mastering recorders to enter the U.S. rental market. “We like to buy equipment we think the market is looking for,” Zacuto said. “We like items that are in very short supply.”
Many large post houses have the D5 master recorder, he noted. “But only one other rental facility in the U.S. will rent them to smaller HD post facilities like Chicago HD Post or HD Haus.”
The smaller edit facilities can’t afford to house a D5, Zacuto said. “That precludes them from even bidding on work that’s on D5 unless they have access to renting one. Now they do.”
Zacuto took delivery August 6 and immediately rented it to Matchbox 20 for a concert in Atlanta.
Rental fee is $1,850 a day or $185/per hour for short term use. Zacuto expects film transfer facilities, movie mastering and high-end commercial on-set recording to be deck rental customers.
Among the Zacuto Rentals HD equipment are Sony and Panasonic HD recorders, three complete HD camera packages, HD recorder and frame-rate converters, Final Cut HD and SD edit systems and more.
Zacuto Rentals is at 401 W. Ontario, phone, 312/863-3452; see http://www.zacuto-rentals.com.
