Up in Portland, there are only a few places to rent cameras and really, only one camera house. That’s it. One. And boy are we lucky to call Koerner Camera part of our filmmaking industry. Most of us know what a gem this place is and are grateful for the gear, endless knowledge and community that Koerner Camera has helped to build over the years. IMHO, here are some darn good reasons to love them.
5+ Reasons to Get Excited About Koerner Camera in Portland
- Shop dogs. Need I say more? Dogs are a part of every visit to Koerner Camera and you can often find them starring in the company’s social media accounts. Nothing makes a day better than having a furry sidekick.
- Little guy support. I have been the little guy many times. What I love about Koerner is that they treat all projects with the same respect, no matter the size. Their service is always fantastic, and I never need to worry about something falling through the cracks.
- Night runs. One huge advantage to renting a camera, lenses and accessories from Koerner Camera or a place like it is the full-service aspect. If you are using Joe Schmoe DP’s owner/operator camera, when it breaks, you are in a wild predicament. Hopefully, you are in town and not on a mountain, in a desert or on the coast, because it often means mailing the camera body in and waiting weeks for a repair. Usually, weeks you don’t have. A broken or malfunctioning camera can make you dead in the water. But, not if you are working with a reputable camera house like Koerner Camera. I have first-hand knowledge of team members from Koerner making sure filmmakers get the replacement pieces they need no matter the day or the hour.
- Prep is a breeze. The prep bays at Koerner Camera are spacious and set up with everything you need to make it through a camera prep quickly and without wanting to rip your hair out before the job even begins. When you rent a camera system from Koerner they offer free prep space, a godsend to many a Producer, including me.
- Knowledge is power. When you are in a pickle, it never hurts to get your geek on and call Koerner Camera to see if: what you are doing has been done before, if the gear actually will work together, and if there is another solution you or your team might not know about. These people know their stuff and it shows. They’ve helped me and my DPs out many, many times.
- A cornerstone. Koerner Camera sponsors loads of events each year from art shows on display in their business to their much anticipated annual Lens Summit. They also sponsor other non-profit projects and events, and, my team and I were so stoked to have had their support on this year’s script to screen FiLMLaBtv project, THE TALK. It is just one of countless examples of Koerner taking a lead in supporting industry education and growth.
If you are up in Portland, stop in and visit with dogs, get your camera geek on, or plan to attend their next Lens Summit where you will get your fill of camera gear for sure. You’ll find friendly faces, a wealth of knowledge and access to all the camera gear you could ever dream of using.
PS: Koerner Camera are also established in Seattle – wahoo!