How to Protect Your Video Equipment from Weather and Damage

Most damage to video equipment does not happen while shooting. It happens in the gaps: in the back of a ute, on a wet kerb between setups, in a bag that was too soft for the job, or in the dark at wrap when gear gets packed in a hurry.

Cameras, lenses, monitors and audio mixers are built to work hard, but they are not built to be dropped, rained on or rattled loose. The good news is that most damage is preventable with the right bag, the right cover and a few simple habits. This guide covers the main threats and how Sachtler camera bags, Sachtler audio bags and OpenMoon carrying solutions protect against them.

The main threats, and how to beat each one

The common thread is that protection has two jobs: shielding gear from the environment, and making it easy for the crew to pack properly every time, even at the end of a long day.

Sachtler camera bags and protection

Sachtler's bag range is designed by people who carry broadcast and cinema gear for a living, so the focus is on protecting a camera that is already built and ready to shoot, and getting it back out fast.

Camera bags. The Dr. Bag shoulder bags and the Rolling U-Bag trolley bag carry a camera with mattebox, microphone, viewfinder and accessories still attached, so you are not stripping the rig down at every move. More on the Dr. Bag below.

Rain covers. Sachtler rain covers are one piece designs made from transparent polyurethane and waterproof nylon, so you can see and reach the camera's controls while it stays dry. The Transparent Rain Cover Small Video, for example, anchors to the hotshoe through a rigid front hood, works with a flip out LCD open, and has an exterior track for mounting a small light while the cover is on.

Monitor bags. The 4.5 to 7.5 inch and 9 inch monitor bags combine a four sided hood for shading with a transparent TPU front shield, so the monitor stays protected and readable in sun, dust and light rain.

Lighting bags. The Lite Case L carries up to four lighting heads and four stands, with twin side handles for the walk from the truck.

Tripod bags and cases. Padded bags, wheeled ENG and EFP bags, hard shipping covers such as the Cover DV 2, and dedicated fluid head cases protect the support system that everything else sits on. A knocked fluid head or a bent leg costs a shoot as surely as a damaged camera.

Sachtler Dr. Bag: protection you can see inside

The Dr. Bag is Sachtler's camera shoulder bag range, built around an extra wide opening. That opening is the point: you can lift a camera out with the mattebox and microphone attached, and drop it back in just as fast.

The internal LED light. Dr. Bag 3, 4 and 5 have built in LED lighting inside the bag, so you can see the contents instantly. That sounds like a small feature until you are packing at night on location, in a dim studio, or in the back of a van, which is exactly when cables get crushed, lens caps go missing and gear gets packed carelessly. Being able to see everything at a glance makes it far easier to pack properly and to spot when something is missing before you leave. The Rolling U-Bag trolley bag has internal LED lighting as well.

Structured protection. Dr. Bag 3, 4 and 5 use Sachtler's Safe-Shell construction with cold moulded laminate panels, giving the bag rigid walls that protect delicate equipment from knocks and pressure rather than collapsing onto it.

Built to your kit. Removable rigid dividers let you configure the interior around your camera and accessories, so nothing shifts in transit. Side pockets take extra batteries, cables and small parts.

Easy to carry. Every Dr. Bag has an ergonomic carry handle and a padded shoulder strap. Dr. Bag 3, 4 and 5 also connect to the Snaplock wheel and trolley system when the walk gets long. An exchangeable logo frame lets owner operators and rental houses brand their bags.

Check your camera's dimensions with mattebox, microphone and viewfinder attached against the bag's internal size before choosing a model.

Sachtler audio bags

A sound recordist's mixer is worn all day, often in the weather, and has to stay fully accessible while it is protected. The Sachtler Lightweight Audio Bags are built around that.

• See without opening. A transparent top window lets you read and adjust controls without exposing the mixer. On the Large bag, Sachtler rates the window as serviceable down to minus 5°C.
• Fully padded main compartment with removable dividers to fit your mixer.
• Access to every panel. Side, back and top access means cables stay connected and the workflow is never interrupted.
• Organised storage. Multiple pockets for batteries, media and connectors, plus snap on pouches for wireless transmitters and receivers.
• Comfort for long days. A padded, adjustable shoulder strap spreads the weight.

A protected mixer is a protected recording. Water, dust or a knocked fader on location can cost a take that cannot be repeated.

OpenMoon bags, cases and covers

OpenMoon makes the carrying and protection gear that crews actually use on set: the boxes on the cart, the pouches on the belt and the covers thrown over gear between setups. Where Sachtler protects the camera and the mixer, OpenMoon protects everything around them.

• Crew Gear Box. A rigid, padded box for a camera department's working kit, built to sit on a cart and travel in a truck. It comes in M and L carry sizes plus an L Roller for long walks, and four colours so departments can tell their boxes apart at a glance.
• Rain Cover. A reusable, thickened weather cover to throw over a camera build, a cart, a fixture or a stack of cases. OpenMoon says it keeps off dust, rain, snow, wind and sun. The small size is 100 x 120 cm and the large is 130 x 160 cm.
• Translucent Storage Pouch. Clear zip pouches so small parts, cables and batteries stay sorted and visible instead of rattling loose in the bottom of a case.
• Folding Storage Bag. A three panel pouch that folds flat to show the whole kit, then folds back down to fit a case.
• Filter Pouch. A padded sleeve for a single matte box filter, so a spare ND or diffusion filter rides in a pocket without picking up scratches.
• Clapperboard Protection Bag. Stops the slate face and sticks getting chewed up in transit.
• Pocket Camera Bag and Daily Carry Pouch for small cameras and the everyday items that live in your pocket on set.
• Monitor Hood and Fibre Cleaning Cloth to keep sun off monitors and keep glass clean.

Which bag for which job

A simple care checklist

• Cover the camera before the rain starts, not after.
• Cover idle gear and carts between setups, including from direct sun.
• Cap lenses and close bags whenever gear is not in use.
• Set dividers so nothing can move inside the bag.
• Pack with the lights on: use the Dr. Bag's internal LED or a torch, and check every compartment before you leave.
• Dry gear and bags fully before storing them, and leave bags open overnight if they got wet.
• Keep small parts, cables and batteries in their own pouches.
• Label boxes and bags so the right kit goes to the right department.

Frequently asked questions

Are camera bags waterproof?
Most camera bags, including soft shoulder bags, are built to protect against knocks and light weather, not to be submerged or left in heavy rain. For shooting in the wet, use a dedicated rain cover on the camera and a weather cover over idle gear.

Which Dr. Bags have the internal LED light?
Dr. Bag 3, 4 and 5 have internal LED lighting, as does the Sachtler Rolling U-Bag. Dr. Bag 1 is the compact model and does not.

Why does a light inside a camera bag matter?
Most packing happens in poor light: night wraps, dim studios and the back of vehicles. Seeing inside the bag makes it easier to pack properly, avoid crushing cables and spot missing items before you leave.

Can I carry my camera fully built?
Yes. The Dr. Bag range is designed with an extra wide opening to take a camera with mattebox and microphone attached, and the Rolling U-Bag also takes a viewfinder and accessories.

How do I protect an audio mixer on location?
Use a padded audio bag with a clear top window, such as the Sachtler Lightweight Audio Bags, so you can see and adjust controls without exposing the mixer. Add a weather cover in heavy rain.

What should I do if my gear gets wet?
Power it down, remove batteries and media, wipe it dry and let it dry fully at room temperature with bags left open. Do not pack wet gear into a closed bag. If water got inside the electronics, have it checked by a service centre before use.

Where to buy

Black Flag Distribution is the Australian distributor for Sachtler and OpenMoon.

We support our valued specialist retail partners and prefer that you purchase through them wherever possible: use the store finder to locate your nearest authorised dealer. If you would rather buy direct, we can also facilitate your order.

Not sure which bag suits your kit? Talk to us at sales@blkflag.com.au.