In August, while in Portland, Oregon, for Resolvecon 2023, I took time to visit Koerner Camera Systems, the largest camera rental house north of Los Angeles with offices in both Portland and Seattle. I talked to owner Michael Koerner about the history of his business. Michael started out as a camera assistant and got his first ARRI-S. Then he bought an SR-2 and SR-3 and started renting out his cameras, marking the beginning of his business, which has now grown to 13 employees. Rentals and repairs Koerner Camera Systems not only rents out some serious gear like the ARRA ALEXA 35, but also offers consultation to clients regarding their lens and camera choices, and they handle repairs as well. There’s a lot of communication that happens between the producers, directors, cinematographers, and camera assistants to make sure that everything is perfectly dialed in. Even on a commercial, it might only be 10 or 15 cases of equipment, but if one filter isn’t there that they asked for, that might only cost $8 or $10 to rent, the shoot is blown in my mind, and it wasn’t done correctly. Michael Koerner, Koerner Camera Systems The company also hosts the Pacific Northwest Lens Summit focusing on the latest in cinema optic technology and accessories. More than 30 exhibitors show their latest gear and give classes on their latest optics. Check out more info about this conference here. A selection of lenses at Koerner Camera Systems – Image credit: CineD Cases are very...
Published By: CineD - Wednesday, 8 November, 2023