ANCHORAGE, ALASKA, October 4, 2010 — Anton/Bauer®, a brand of The Vitec Group, and the world’s premier provider of batteries, chargers, lighting and other mobile power systems for the professional broadcast, video and film industries, is the exclusive battery of choice for globetrotting outdoor cinematographer Jim Oltersdorf, owner of Jim Oltersdorf Film Productions. From hiking through the jungles of Central America, to camping in the Australian Outback and trekking through the Alaskan wilderness, Oltersdorf relies on Anton/Bauer’s DIONIC® 90 battery for its light weight, portability, ruggedness and reliability.
Anton/Bauer designs its products to deliver a stellar performance even in the most challenging of shooting environments. This makes the company’s batteries an excellent choice for many of the harsh environments in which Oltersdorf finds himself. “The conditions we work in are so extreme that there are times when I’m in 45-degrees-below-zero temperatures without a wind chill, and Anton/Bauer batteries perform every time. I’ve found that even in extremely cold temperatures, they just keep on going,” he says.
Oltersdorf has been shooting around the globe for over 30 years in some of the world’s most challenging climates and terrains. Most recently, he and his team shot the documentary, “Alaska’s Bush Pilots…The Real Deal,” recently released worldwide on DVD. This one-hour presentation, which took over two years to shoot, details the challenges of modern-day pilots of the Far North. The program showcases footage of the wild and dramatic Alaskan landscape. Oltersdorf captured everything from spewing volcanoes to the giant Alaskan brown bears fighting. Faced with ruthless weather conditions such as frigid temperatures, ice and rain, Oltersdorf says the DIONIC 90 was the right choice.
Aside from its robust and portable qualities, the DIONIC 90 also features a RealTime® display which continually updates the operator on how much run-time remains and on the state of the current charge. During the making of “Alaska’s Bush Pilots…The Real Deal,” battery life played an important role in the project.
“When we’re out there in the middle of a shoot, we’re facing Mother Nature as she unfolds before our very eyes. Sometimes it takes weeks for that rare moment to come—like the eagle catching the salmon or the bears fighting—and the last thing I need is to look down at the camera and find out it’s not running because the battery is dead,” Oltersdorf says.
Oltersdorf usually carries no more than four batteries on his shoots to keep his pack light. While making “Alaska’s Bush Pilots…The Real Deal,” a light load was paramount. “Ounces make a difference, and there’s only so much you can fit into a small aircraft, so the DIONIC 90 was the clear choice for this project,” he says.
Weighing in at only 1.7 lbs. the DIONIC 90 can be transported without restriction under the IATA and DOT safety regulations. Additionally, the DIONIC 90 can endure a maximum load of 90 watts, offering runtimes ranging from six hours at 15 watts to 1.75 hours at 50 watts. “With four batteries we manage quite easily. One will last us days because we’re not continually shooting,” Oltersdorf says. “If you peek inside my bag, you won’t find another battery. I can’t do a production without them”.
Oltersdorf adds that while he remains committed to the Anton/Bauer batteries as his number one choice, he’s equally impressed with the company’s customer service and support. “I find their technical people very helpful,” he says. “There’s not a question they can’t answer.”
ABOUT ANTON/BAUER®
Anton/Bauer is recognized as the world’s innovator and premier provider of batteries, chargers, lighting and other key mobile power systems for the professional broadcast, video and film industries. Based in the United States in Shelton, CT with offices in Europe and Asia, Anton/Bauer was established in 1970 and has expanded its product offerings to include many signature lines such as its leading Gold Mount® system, InterActive® chargers and Logic Series® batteries such as the HyTRON® 50, 100 and 140, and DIONIC® 90, 160, HC and HCX. Their products are compatible with virtually every camera brand on the market today. Other Anton/Bauer high performance products include the Ultralight®, ElipZ®, ElightZ®, CINE VCLX and CINE VCLX/2. Their superior-quality products have become an industry standard. For more information on Anton/Bauer, visit www.antonbauer.com.
A Snapshot of The Vitec Group
Vitec is an international Group principally serving customers in the broadcast, photographic and military, aerospace and government (MAG) markets. Listed on the London Stock Exchange with 2009 revenue of £315 million, Vitec is based on strong, well-known, premium brands on which its customers worldwide rely. Vitec is organised in three divisions: Imaging & Staging, Videocom and Services.
Imaging & Staging designs, manufactures and distributes equipment and accessories for photography, video and events.
Videocom designs and distributes systems and products used in broadcasting and live entertainment, film and video production and MAG.
Services provides equipment rental, workflow design and technical support for camera, video, audio, fibre optic and wireless technology used by TV production teams and film crews.
More information can be found at www.vitecgroup.com.
