Argosy To Represent Polecam Camera Cranes

Argosy, an international supplier of HD broadcast cables and studio infrastructure products, is to represent broadcast camera crane manufacturer Polecam Ltd in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
Initially Argosy will stock Polecam’s Starter Pack (PSP), a no-fuss camera crane specifically designed for use with latest-generation compact camcorders and D-SLR heads. This pack will be on display for the first time on the Argosy stand at CabSat 2012 (Stand S3-8, Sheikh Saeed 3 Hall) alongside a collection of Argosy’s existing infrastructure products.
"Teaming up with Argosy represents a great opportunity for us to move into a growing market in the Middle East," said Polecam’s Managing Director Steffan Hewitt.
"We’ve had a steady stream of enquiries from the region and our brand is growing consistently in the Middle East. We’re delighted to team up with Argosy as they have a wealth of knowledge and understanding of the broadcast community in this region," added Hewitt.
Polecam’s established single-operator cranes are used by broadcasters and film makers for everything from nature documentaries to extreme sports coverage. Most recently the BBC took the Polecam crane and underwater Fishface submersible housing to the Arctic as part of the kit they used for filming the recent BBC1 Frozen Planet series.
Hewitt continued: "The full Polecam rig delivers the production values of a typical jib but it’s far less bulky – in fact it can squeeze into some pretty tight spots. It’s also an easy to use and lightweight system. The smaller, entry-level Starter Pack is perfect for film makers who want great quality footage using compact cameras for programme production."
The Polecam Starter Pack was developed in response to growing demand for a simple yet effective crane for D-SLR cameras. The company redesigned its award-winning ‘pan and tilt’ head to give a bespoke fit for bulkier D-SLR cameras. The PSP comes with a standard back-end including the tripod/harness mount and counter-weight system. The system is made up of three carbon fibre sections, the Polecam Joystick and the Starter Pack wiring loom and an AC power unit with 3 x 4-pin XLR’s. A remote control pan and tilt head specifically designed for D-SLR cameras and an upgraded damping mechanism are also included.
"Polecam is one of the global leaders in truly portable crane systems for digital film and television content creation and we are very excited to be taking its Starter Pack into the Middle East," said Mike Purnell, Director, Argosy.
"This simple to use crane system is a natural extension to our infrastructure product range. The system’s heritage is clearly drawn from the original, hugely successful Polecam full rig camera crane — and has seen significant interest from broadcasters and film makers globally who are looking for new, versatile ways to capture content from live sports events and film production using compact cameras."
The new electronic head on the Starter Pack doubles as a fixed remote head by simply unscrewing the Polecam drop arm, removing a small plate and attaching it to the top of the wide head. An inverted head can be mounted on a clamp, stand or similar bracket and connected to the joystick.
Visitors to CabSat 2012 (stand no. S3-8) will also see a range of the latest fibre management tools from Argosy as well as HD infrastructure products including a collection of video, audio and power cables, connectors, test & measurement devices, rack systems as well as an array of video accessories.
(LB)