MINI TESTS
MANFROTTO PRO LIGHT CINELOADER £245 manfrotto.com Many camera bags on the market are designed primarily for photography rather than dedicated to people who shoot video. That’s OK if you don’t mind disassembling your rig every time you want to pack it away, then rebuild it for every shot. Most photo bags take a DSLR or mirrorless camera with a lens attached. Add to this a mic, cage, follow focus and top handle and it just won’t fit. If you want to drop in a medium- sized cinema camera or camcorder, you’re out of luck. You often have to go for large cases built for large crews rather than the owner-operator. Manfrotto has responded with new bags that aren’t too huge and have the latest features most modern photo bags have, yet in a form that can be adjusted to accept built-up camera rigs – from mirrorless to cinema camera. The new Pro Light Cineloader collection comes in three sizes. The small is built for video-journalists
“The bag is great for video crews who need to carry a fully rigged cinema camera plus accessories”
on the move, or for the one-man- band who loves a light set-up. The medium is great for video crews, or solo videographers who need to carry a fully rigged cinema camera plus any accessories. And the Cineloader large is for professional video and ENG crews to carry loads of kit. We tried out the medium model and were immediately impressed with the style, build quality and overall thought process that went into building a bag to suit the needs of the modern filmmaker. The hard but flexible EVA thermoformed top lid gives protection and allows bags to be stacked, yet the bag itself is a soft-sided zip-up case with lots of soft padding inside that can be customised to suit your kit. It removes when you pull off the hook-and-loop fasteners, and refits instantly to make changes. The side walls have a robust internal structure and internal dividers feature Manfrotto’s M-Guard technology for strength and protection. The dividers are easy to change around to accept a cinema camera with a cine lens and matte box, or a mirrorless with a rig and top handle. It’s not tall enough to leave a monitor attached, although there are internal side pockets to store your monitor, batteries, leads, audio kit and maybe even a small drone or gimbal. For all your small accessories, there are three
SPECIFICATIONS Type: Modular, top-loading bag Size: Medium Exterior: Nylon with water- repellent coating, EVA thermoformed lid Interior: Cushioned foam with removable dividers Exterior dimensions (wxhxd): 54x28.5x21cm/21.3x11.2x8.3in Interior dimensions (wxhxd): 49x21x25cm/19.3x8.3x9.8in Weight: 3.14kg/6.91lb
TOP LOADER The lid has a solid structure (left), padded dividers can be moved to suit lots of camera set-ups (below)
pockets inside the lid and an extra- wide pocket on the outside lets you pack in even more accessories. The bag comes with additional straps to carry with a tripod or light stand fastened on top. There are handles at both ends to help you lift it, and straps to slip it over the carrying handle of a wheelie bag; or fit the included shoulder strap and carry it that way. The bag looks cool, works well, fits a range of kit rather than just camera bodies and is ideal for filmmakers. PRO MOVIEMAKER RATING: 9/10 Well-designed for filmmaking needs Pros: Flexible, good protection Cons: No wheels or backpack straps
73
PROMOVIEMAKER.NET
Powered by FlippingBook