1. Maintain your Gear to Get More Use Out Of It Batteries In the winter and in generally colder conditions, your batteries will drain faster, so by keeping them in a warm bag, or pockets, they last longer by keeping them warm. If your camera is sitting on the shelf and not getting much use, take out the battery, as it can drain slowly when stored inside of the body. High ISO's require more processing time and the battery works harder, hence why it drains quicker. If you can, avoid high-frame rates and use the power-save features on your camcorder or DSLR when the camera is in standby. The back LCD screen and the electronic viewfinder on some mirrorless cameras and camcorders also uses power so whenever you can power down when not in use for prolonged times. Lenses Keeping your lenses clean ensures crisp images. Smudges and fingerprints, and even dust can cause unwanted imperfections in your images. Cleaning the front element of a lens is not that difficult. All you need is some micro-fibre lens cloth or lens tissues (never use pieces of clothing or napkins or anything else other than dedicated lens cleaning materials to avoid damaging the coatings) some Rocket Air (not compressed, never use those on a lens) and a couple of minutes of your time. If there's dust on the front, simply gently blow it out with non-compressed air, then breathe onto the surface of the element, fold the lens cleaning tissue or micro-fibre cloth and starting from the centre of the lens with circular motion cover the whole surface of the front element in a few circles. Avoid: - dry cleaning frontal lens elements, as this can damage the glass and coatings - using non-lens cleaning cloths or tissues - NEVER use compressed air to clean lenses 2. Think about what accessories / gear you need for the upcoming Spring Season - audio microphones, cables, portable LED lights, camera bags, etc. Don't let the small, but important bits get in your way of delivering a great video production. The last thing you want is to remember you need an extra battery and a wind shield for a shoot coming up the next day. Planning ahead will save you a lot of hassle. 3. Attend Workshops and Masterclasses Our upcoming XAVC Masterclass, FS7 Masterclasses offer a great opportunity to fully utilise your time in the Winter when work in general is slow. Learning new skills, getting familiar with a new piece of technology or workflow, such as getting a hands-on experience on the latest digital cameras and professional broadcast video solutions from Sony, Canon, Panasonic and all other leading brands will put you in a forward position when discussing future projects with your clients. 4. Network and focus on clients This industry is built on relationships, so any chance you get to go to networking events or just catch up with fellow camera folks, editors, directors, etc. will give you more opportunities to meet new people, not just in your specific area, but also contacts that may get you your next job! Face to face meetings and social events are paramount as they can lead to significant opportunities and help you get more business. 5. Practice, Practice, Practice! Winter downtime is best utilised by just getting out there and shooting great footage for a show reel, or just fun. Getting back to the editing bay and improving your storytelling abilities can only benefit you in the long run. Bracing the cold and being proactive in getting the most out of your camera will pay forward greatly as you get more experience and get comfortable with you kit. Have a browse through our Camera Accessories and see if there's any bits you'd need for the Spring shooting season. If there's anything you're looking for but can't find on our website, feel free to drop us a line at 0208 977 1222.