Camera prep checklist

00Project

Contacts

01General

• Rental list checked against the DP’s list; differences confirmed with production and the rental house
• Missing items noted and reported to the rental house straight away
• Condition of the kit photographed; scratches and cosmetic damage noted and reported to the rental house

02Camera body

• Serial numbers noted; firmware up to date and identical on every body
• Settings reset to factory defaults, then the project preset saved on every body
• Sensor clean; black balance done with the camera at working temperature
• Recording format, resolution, codec and frame rate set; test clip recorded and played back
• Timecode: mode set and jam sync with the sound recordist checked
• Lens mount clean and without play; mount back focus checked
• Fan noise acceptable in a quiet room, including while recording
• Video outputs (SDI, HDMI) working; overlays, frame lines and LUTs loaded
• Buttons, dials and REC working, including from the remote and the handles

03Lenses

• Front and rear elements clean: no scratches, bubbles, stains or fungus
• Infinity focus and collimation checked on the lens projector
• Focus scale accurate: tested at several distances with a focus chart and a tape measure
• Iris ring smooth and T‑stops correct
• Rings without play, gears intact, no mechanical noise
• Sensor coverage in the chosen format: no vignetting in the corners
• Zooms: focus holds through the whole range (tracking) and the optical axis does not shift
• Front and rear caps present; cases in good order

04Lens accessories

• Matte box: flags, filter trays and adapter rings for every lens
• Filters as per the list, clean and unscratched; sizes compatible with the matte box
• Heavy ND test: no infrared contamination in the blacks
• Mechanical follow focus: no play, marking discs available
• Wireless follow focus: motors, lenses mapped, signal range tested
• Lens supports for zooms and heavy lenses

05Monitoring

• Operator and focus monitors: brightness, LUTs and tools (false colour, peaking)
• Wireless video: range, latency and free channels tested
• Director’s monitors (video village) with the same LUT as the camera
• Spare video cables

06Power

• Batteries: enough for the day, all charged, cycles and condition noted
• Chargers and mains power supplies working
• Power cables (D‑Tap, 2-pin, Lemo) and power distribution checked
• Run‑time test of the full build

07Camera support

• Fluid head or geared head: drag and counterbalance
• Tall legs, baby legs and high hat; plates and balance sliders
• Handles, shoulder rig, mini tripods and quick‑release mounts
• Stabilisers if planned (Easyrig, Steadicam, gimbal): balanced with the real build

08Media and data

• Cards or SSDs: quantity, formatted in camera, record and read‑back test
• Card readers and cables for the DIT
• Data workflow agreed with the DIT: double backup, checksum verification, file naming
• Labels and card numbering system agreed

09Expendables

• Cleaning kit: blower, lens tissue, lens fluid
• Coloured tape for marks, markers, labels
• Slate (or smart slate) and test charts: 18% grey, colour, focus
• Tape measure, screwdrivers, hex keys and spanners; bags and flight cases in order

10Camera tests

• Exposure test: underexposure and overexposure latitude
• Colour test with chart and skin tones, under the project’s lighting
• Tests of the lenses and diffusion filters chosen by the DP
• Test of the whole chain to post: from camera to DIT to colourist

11Lens sheet

12Prep wrap‑up