DP Patrick Loungway Uses Cam Tank

Matthews Studio Equipment mantra is creating equipment that lasts.

Support equipment that not only stands the test of time but adapts to all types of shooting challenges – and supports creative ideas, whenever a shooter discovers the possibilities.

And, that's just what high-profile second unit DP Patrick Loungway (Deadpool 2, Ghost in the Shell, Jurassic World, Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Captain America Civil War) did, recently, on a shoot out of the country. "We had a giant chase sequence through a downtown area that was going to be awesome," Loungway explained. "My camera assistant introduced me to the Cam Tank and it was love at first sight. I remember thinking that I've been waiting for this thing for 30 years," he laughed. “It is such a simple idea and such an obvious need. And Matthews has really hit it out of the park.

"I've shot a lot of action and car chase stuff over the years and we are always looking to get the camera low, lower, lowest!" he explained. "A camera on a fluid head mounted to a low hat is just too damn high most of the time. The 'rocker-plates' of old were all pretty terrible and most of the time we just tossed the camera on a sandbag and shot.

"Now, with the Cam Tank you get the low height of a sandbag with the operational finesse of a fluid head. It also locks off very solidly. I really love using it and I've been singing its praises to everyone I know. Now, I just need to build a time machine so I can travel back in time and deliver the Cam Tank to the younger me and eliminate thirty years of low angle headaches."

Matthews Cam Tank has been designed for low and dutch shots with fluid pan and tilt capacity. It can accept all large format camera plates or direct mount to any large or medium format cameras. It can pan 360 degrees, tilt 30 degrees in each direction, weighs about 10lbs (4.5kg), with weight capacity of 180lbs (82 kgs) and achieves a minimum camera height of 4-inches and a length/width of 10"x7".