LOS ANGELES, FEBRUARY 14, 2012—Anton/Bauer®, part of Vitec Videocom, a Vitec Group company and a premier global provider of batteries, chargers, lighting and other mobile power systems for the professional broadcast, video and film industries, is the battery supplier of choice for West Coast-based Steadicam owner/operator Robert Starling, SOC. He relies heavily on Anton/Bauer’s global customer support and products such as DIONIC® HC batteries, DUAL 2722 PowerChargers and QRC-DUAL-PT Gold Mount®.
Working with major media companies such as Disney, Fox, Discovery, Lifetime Television, HBO, NBC, CBS, BBC Television and Sony, Starling is a seasoned Steadicam and camera operator with nearly 30 years of experience. Although Starling had used Anton/Bauer products in the past, he recently switched back to using the company’s batteries, chargers and accessories. “I went back to Anton/Bauer batteries because of their durability, longevity and enhanced accessory solutions,” he says. “I’m also back because of their reputation for extraordinary customer service throughout the Steadicam community. Their commitment to listening and responding to the needs of their customers is unsurpassed.”
Whether it’s for film, television, live TV, aerial or underwater camera work, Anton/Bauer products are central to Starling’s success working for high-profile clients. “Their batteries, chargers and accessories are solid as a rock and feature rich,” he notes. “Having a secure three-point mount such as the Anton/Bauer Gold Mount is critical—especially when using the Steadicam. Anytime something on your sled or camera system is loose, it telegraphs vibrations through the components to the camera, resulting in a less than perfect final image, so it’s important to know everything is tight and secure. The Gold Mount locks into place to provide reliable, uninterrupted power to the camera, no matter what position I have the Steadicam in.”
The DIONIC HC provides 91W and is designed to sustain 10 amp draws for high current draw applications. It can operate a 40-watt HD camera for more than two hours. Transported as carry-on luggage without restrictions, the DIONIC HC is the perfect lightweight battery for use with a Steadicam. The DUAL 2722 PowerCharger puts all the performance and advanced charging techniques of the QUAD 2702 PowerCharger into a compact two position simultaneous fast charger. The DUAL 2722 can be switched to a 70-W power supply allowing you to charge one battery and power a camera simultaneously. The DUAL 2722 PowerCharger is ideal for the traveling professional, such as Starling.
For Starling, the combination of Anton/Bauer batteries and chargers helps him meet several challenges. “I bring 10 DIONIC HC batteries and three DUAL 2722 PowerChargers with me on a shoot,” he says. “Their robust design and quality cells give me the power and the current I need to run even the most power-hungry digital cinema cameras and 3D systems, plus the ability to push high-speed, 35-mm film cameras to their maximum frame rate.”
While the DIONIC HC batteries and DUAL 2722 PowerChargers are the main Anton/Bauer products Starling uses, he has also come to depend on the company’s accessories. He uses the PowerTap® Multi, MATRIX Cheese Plate and QRC-DUAL-PT Gold Mount. The PowerTap Multi Receptacles expand any Gold Mount PowerTap to accommodate up to four separate devices. They are perfect for powering multiple wireless receivers, on-board monitors, as well as an Ultralight® from a single camera battery (10-amp max total). The QRC-DUAL PT is a Gold Mount with four-pin XLR and two PowerTap outputs for the Sony F3. The MATRIX Cheese Plate mounts directly on 15- or 19-mm rod systems, allowing for easy mounting of a variety of Gold Mounts, including the QRC-DUAL PT (which is ideal for mounting the AJA Ki Pro Mini).
One of the Anton/Bauer offerings that particularly appealed to Starling is the company’s smart chargers. “Anton/Bauer batteries have very robust housing and an advanced charging/monitoring system,” he says. “Even something as simple as the ‘power off’ alert— which lets me know instantly on-set when the power to the charger has been disconnected—is a life-saver.”
Transitioning from another battery brand to Anton/Bauer has been a smooth process thanks to the company’s exceptional, industry-leading sales and customer support. “My Anton/Bauer sales representative bent over backwards to help me make the transition as painless and affordable as possible,” says Starling. “I couldn’t have asked for a better experience, but then again, their reputation in the industry is all about the customer and their needs.”
For more information about Robert Starling, SOC, visit http://www.westcoaststeadicam.com.
About Anton/Bauer
Anton/Bauer is recognized as the world’s innovator and a premier provider of batteries, chargers, lighting and other key mobile power systems for the professional broadcast, video and film industries. Based in the United States in Shelton, CT with offices in Europe and Asia, Anton/Bauer was established in 1970 and has expanded its product offerings to include many signature lines such as its leading Gold Mount® system, InterActive® chargers and Logic Series® batteries such as the HyTRON® 50, 100 and 140, and DIONIC® 90, 160, HC and HCX. Their products are compatible with virtually every camera brand on the market today. Other Anton/Bauer high performance products include the Ultralight® 2, ElipZ®, CINE VCLX and the Tandem 150 Modular Charging System. Their superior-quality products have become an industry standard. For more information on Anton/Bauer, visit www.antonbauer.com.
About Vitec Videocom
Vitec Videocom brings together some of the most respected, most innovative and most sought-after brands in the industry: Anton/Bauer, Autoscript, Litepanels, OConnor, Petrol Bags, Sachtler, Vinten and Vinten Radamec. It acts as an endorsing brand for these market-leading broadcast, film and pro video products, encouraging multi-brand system sales and simplifying the way that customers worldwide do business.
Vitec Videocom is an operating division within the Vitec Group, an international business serving customers in the broadcast, photographic and military aerospace and government markets. Vitec is based on strong, well known, premium brands on which its customers rely on worldwide.
Vitec Videocom - innovative products around the camera.