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What equipment can be borrowed?

Items that can be borrowed include:

• Mini DV digital video cameras

• Dig 8 video cameras

• Digital video camera with hard drive

• Mini CD recorder

• Digital microphone

• Tripods

• Dig vid adaptors and memory sticks

• Firewall cable

To be sure you get the equipment you need when you need it, fill in a booking slip at the front desk in the Library.
Get in early for weekend and holiday bookings! You’ll be asked when you want to pick your equipment up. Please remember that if you miss your pick up time the equipment may be given to another person.

Students may also borrow digital cameras and digital video cameras (for course work) if a teacher makes a booking for them online.

All digital photographic equipment is for overnight loan only. These must be returned by 8:30 am the following day. If you can’t make it to College on the day something is due, ring us!

Your borrowing privileges will be withdrawn (polite talk for being banned!) if you get into the habit of returning things late.

If you want to renew the equipment you have out, we will need to see it.

Don’t let anyone else use the College’s equipment and don’t borrow equipment for someone else.

Please remember that you are financially responsible for the equipment you borrow.

Video camera etiquette

Please:
Please check that all items are in the case and the batteries are charged before returning.

Please report any problems you’ve had with the equipment. That way we can fix it before the next person borrows it.

Please don’t:
Please don’t subject the camera to rough usage.

Please don’t stick the video camera in someone’s face (even if you know them) without asking first if they mind being videoed.

Please don’t attract unnecessary attention to yourself or the video camera (this increases the risk to you and the camera from people around you). Be discrete!

Please don’t take the video camera places where there is a likely risk of it being damaged, for example, near water, sand, fine dust or out in the rain.

Please don’t store the video camera or use the video camera where it is likely to experience extreme cold, heat or moisture, for example, in a vehicle, next to a window, near a heater, etc.

Leave the video camera where it is highly visible and accessible as this could increase its chances of being stolen, for instance, in a vehicle.

Please don’t use the camera where there are strong magnetic fields, for example near high voltage lines, radio transmitters, etc.

Common problems

Tripods

Using tripods on unstable ground or without opening up and securing the tripod legs correctly can lead to the tripod and video camera tipping over.

Batteries

Storing batteries near metal objects can drain the battery. If metal objects touch the battery terminals, they can short circuit and cause excessive heat.

Leaving batteries attached to the video camera when not in use can drain them.

Store batteries separately in a cool, dry place.

Cassettes

Store cassettes in their covers rather than leaving in the video camera.
Do not allow old or dusty cassettes to be used in the video camera as these can damage the video heads.
Take out your video tape before returning video camera.

Cassette adaptors

If you can’t get the VHS-C tape to wind on to the adaptor, it usually means the battery in the adaptor needs changing (or that the adaptor is broken!).