Wet Weather
Heat & Humidity
Magnetic Fields
Lens
Cable Faults
Equipment Storage
Always return the equipment to its case after use. Ensure that the case is stored upright or placed on a flat horizontal surface. Dont stack heavy pieces of equipment on top of each other. Put sachets of silica gel in the case to absorb moisture.
Equipment Transport
Never bang or drop the video equipment. Ensure that the case is well padded and that the case cant be flung about or banged. When transporting by car, put equipment on the floor of the back seat as this prevents it from falling during sudden stops. On airplanes, carry your camera as carry-on luggage.
Wet Weather
Rain and spray can cause short circuits or total equipment failure. Raindrops falling on microphones will mar the sound track. Use an umbrella or wrap the camera and VTR in a plastic bag if you have to shoot in the rain. Dont run cables through puddles.
Prevention / Solution
Allow the equipment time to warm up and acclimatize before switching it on. Plan extra set-up time into your production schedule. To dry out quickly, get the equipment into a dry-air environment.
Dust
Keep the camera and the VTR in a dust-free environment. Dust will coat lenses, cause abrasions on the video heads and lead to drop-outs on the tape.
Tape Clogging
VTRs left in pause mode for longer than 30 seconds will start to lift tape particles off the tape and clog the head leading to dropouts and head damage.
Magnetic Fields
Avoid power transformers, electric motors, television sets and loudspeakers. The magnetic fields generated can scramble the information on tape or interfere with recording.
Lens
Use an air bottle or a lens brush or special lens cleaning fluid to remove surface dust. Never rub the lens to remove spots. Use a neutral density filter to protect the lens from scratches. Fit a lens cap when the camera is not in use.
Cable Faults
Most camera problems result from cable faults. Look for problems in the cable that link your camera to the recorder. Avoid pulling directly on the cables or resting heavy objects on exposed cables.