Sony HDV 1080i camera: Robert Nugent, Official Cinematrographer, Iraq

Place	Middle East: Iraq
Accession Number	AWM2019.1037.1
Collection type	Technology
Object type	Optical equipment
Physical description	Glass, Nylon webbing, Plastic
Maker	Sony
Place made	Japan
Date made	c 2005
Conflict	Iraq, 2003-2013

Description

Sony HDV video camera kit (HDV) 1080i MINI DV with a sound attachment on top - this is wired into the camera. An Electret Condenser Microphone (ECM- NV1) is plugged into one of the two unit's microphone 3 socket jacks and clamped at the top of the unit. The sound unit has five sliding controls for setting channel and line input level for each microphone. The camera employs a Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* Lens with manual or auto focus and zoom capability, has an adjustable view finder, and a flip-out display screen. The camera has the options of recording tape, playback memory and camera.

The camera is equipped with a steady strap attached to a long nylon webbing shoulder strap. It carries the AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL asset number 024070.

History / Summary

Sony HDV camera (and kit) supplied to the Australian War Memorial-commissioned Australian Official Cinematographer Robert Nugent.

Nugent is a documentary film maker with a background in post-conflict development. He has worked for United Nations as an environmental consultant in the Near East and South East Asia, and as environmental officer for the Central Land Council. In 2002-2003 Nugent gained a Master of Arts in Documentary Production from the Australian Film Television and Radio School. As cameraman and interviewer, he contributed to the 'Australians At War' Film Archive. In 2004, he established Visible Impact Assessment (VIAfilm), a production company specialising in social documentary.

Robert Nugent was the first official cinematographer to be commissioned by the Australian War Memorial. He was sent to record Operation Catalyst in Iraq in 2006. He left Australia on 4 April for Kuwait and Iraq. While in Iraq he spent time in the capital, Baghdad as well as Camp Smitty in the southeast. Nugent returned to Australia in late April 2006.