Technology Resource Centre
Equipment Overview
Students will learn and utilize a wide range of equipment and facilities during the course of their studies. With the exception of a few pieces of equipment that are only used in specific years (Orion Strobes, Bolexes), once you've been cleared to use equipment or a facility, you will continue to have access to it for the duration of your program.
The list below provides examples of equipment that you may have the opportunity to use during your studies, and what you will typically use in each year to complete your coursework.
View a list of equipment and facilities available through the Technology Resource Centre (external link) , as well as a copy of rental policies and procedures. Download the pdf and view with adobe acrobat for best navigational experience.
1st year Photo
4 x 5 cameras and light meters, full-frame Canon DSLRs, EF and Nikon lenses, Orion strobe kits, including triggers, and continuous studio lights, reflectors, laptops, Zoom H4N recorders, cardioid and omni microphones, darkrooms and Photo studio.
2nd year Photo
Aurora strobes (600 and 1200w), and Godox AD300, AD600, and MS300 strobes, including accessories like Pocketwizards, softboxes, stripboxes, optical snoots and octaboxes. Kino lights (Diva 200, 400, 4ft, 4bank, Barfly 200 & 400), Capture One tethering carts, Hasselblad cameras, (with both digital and film backs), Sony a7s II cameras and lenses.
3rd year Photo
Profoto B1 strobes, Gandolfi and Shen Hao 4 x 5 Field cameras, Nikon D800, D800E and D850 cameras, Canon 5DS and Mark IV cameras, Sony a7s III and a7R cameras, Kino Celebs 200 and 250, and Freestyle Kinos.
4th year Photo
Students will have received all obtainable clearances by the time they finish the third year of study. Other specialized clearances like the Deardorff 8 x 10 film cameras and Phase One XF camera system can be obtained through individual workshops or through electives, like Advanced Studio Lighting
1st year Film
16mm Bolex Cameras, rewind keys, tripods, light meters, shoulder braces, a variety of Tungsten lights, BiColour LED lights, reflectors, Zoom H4n and Tascam DR-40 Recorders, laptops, sliders, cardioid, omni microphones, NTG shotgun mics.
2nd year Film
Black Magic Pocket cameras, a wide range of Canon, Nikon and Sony lenses, Canon XC15, Canon C100, Sony a7s II cameras, Canon DSLRs (6D, MKIII), Rokinon lens Kit, lightweight and heavy-duty tripods, Kino lights (Diva 200, 400, 4ft, 4bank, Barfly 200 & 400), K6 Shotgun microphones, 722 and 744 sound recorders, Zoom H5 recorders, wired and wireless lavs,flag lits, C-stands
3rd year Film
Black Magic Ursa Pro (4.6K) cameras, Odyssey 7Q+ Monitors, 633 Sound Devices, Mix Pre 3 and Mix Pre 6 digital recorders, 416 shotgun microphones, supercardioid and hypercardioids, soundstage (pending individual approval of productions), Sony A7s III, Canon 5D MK IV, Zeiss Lens Kits, Cartoni tripods, Butterfly and Scrim Kits, Kessler Jib and Slider, Dana Dolly, Kino Celebs 200 and 250, and Freestyle Kinos, 1K LED Spots.
4th year Film
Canon Cinema Prime EF Lens Kit, Arri Amira Kits (available through the Creative School Equipment Distribution Centre)
The clearances received through the first two years of study (either in Film or Photo) will remain in place for the 3rd and 4th year of the Integrated Digital program. Additional equipment may include: Alienware Laptops, Oculus Quest headsets, Kandao Obsidian camera, Leap Motion Controller and Touch Designer, Raspberry Pie 4 Kit, Arduino Kits, RealSense Depth camera.
Documentary Media students receive a general clearance that includes most of the above equipment, but some more specialized items may require a separate workshop or faculty permission.
Clearances are usually student-specific, and depend on the nature of the individual student’s area of research.
How to Book Equipment
At the start of each year of your studies, to access equipment and facilities, all students must register with the Technology Resource Centre by completing a Technical Operations Agreement Form (external link) . By submitting this form, you are agreeing that you are responsible for knowing and complying with Image Arts policies and procedures.
Please note that you will not be able to access the online booking system until you’ve submitted your agreement form and it has been processed by staff. Expect at least a 24 hour turnaround between submission of this form and activation of your access.
Once activated, equipment can be reserved using the online booking system (external link) . Login with your TMU credentials.
Rental Policies
All students must complete the (google form) Technical Operations Agreement form (external link) at the beginning of each year, to gain or re-gain access to the Technology Resource Centre. By signing this form, you are agreeing that you have read and will adhere to the policies and procedures of the School of Image Arts. These policies are covered in the Agreement Form, in this document, and on the Image Arts website.
• All 1st year students must submit a TMU WHMIS certificate, as proof of passing the online WHMIS test before access is granted. To take the training and quiz, you must have a TMU Username and Password. Go to www.torontomu.ca/facilities-management-development/environmental-health-safety/mandatory-safety-training/whmis/ and follow instructions.
• Equipment can be reserved using the online booking system. Login with your TMU credentials. Please note that you will not be able to access the online booking system until you’ve submitted your agreement form and it has been processed by staff. Expect at least a 24-hour turnaround between submission of this form and activation of your access.
• Access to equipment and facilities is for current IMA students only, for course-based work.
• Once entered in the system, all students are given a general clearance. Additional clearances on equipment and facilities are curriculum based. A student is only cleared to use equipment and facilities after having a workshop/demo with the appropriate faculty.
If you miss a workshop, it is your responsibility to arrange with your instructor to catch up on what was covered. You will not be cleared on equipment/facilities until your instructor notifies the Technology Resource Centre that you have fulfilled the appropriate requirements. The Technology Resource Centre does not provide training on equipment or facilities.
• A valid ONE card must always be presented when booking or signing out equipment. Students must present their own student ID and cannot sign out equipment under someone else’s name or pick up someone else’s order.
• Online reservations are requests only. Once the booking has been confirmed, you will receive a confirmation email. Check-outs and reservations for 10 items or less can be made in person during regularoperating hours, but it is recommended that you book in advance. Reservations cannot be made over the phone.
• Reservations cannot be made more than fifteen days in advance and no less than 24 hours in advance.
• The standard loan period is 72 hours (three days). Exceptions or extensions will be accommodated.
pending demand and availability of the equipment. Check-outs can be extended in person or by phone, but you must be prepared to return the equipment at the originally scheduled time if an extension is not possible. Check-outs cannot be extended if they are already past due.
• To effectively manage the distribution of equipment, the Technology Resource Centre may limit quantities of certain items that are in demand, particularly during peak production periods.
Please note the following:
- one camera per student/per production.
- Mics and Lenses limited to 2 per order.
- Other items that may be limited include lavs, tripods, lights, grip gear.
- Some equipment may be limited to in-building or studio use only
The School of Image Arts makes every effort to maintain its equipment to professional standards; however, the school cannot guarantee that all equipment is in perfect working order. It is the responsibility of the borrower using Image Arts equipment to test the equipment upon issuance and report any issues to the Technology Resource Centre before leaving.
Due to the often-short turnaround between equipment loans, the Technology Resource Center cannot guarantee that any equipment includes charged batteries.
The Technology Resource Center does not provide expendable batteries (AA, AAA batteries etc) or SD cards other than for testing purposes.
When returning any equipment, including keys, to the Technology Resource Center you will be expected to remain at the counter until the staff have checked the equipment and notified you that are okay to leave. Failure to do so may result in a fine.
As a student of Image Arts, you will be borrowing and using valuable equipment on a regular basis.
While there are great benefits to accessing this equipment, you assume full responsibility in the event of loss, theft or damage to equipment and facilities on loan in your name and will have to cover the cost for the repair or replacement as determined by operational requirements. The School of Image Arts cannot take responsibility for lost, stolen, and/or damaged materials and Image Arts equipment. Image Arts is also not responsible for data stored on the school server.
Property Insurance
Every enrolled student is covered by the same insurance policy at TMU, which covers both property and liability. Equipment loss or damage falls under property, which currently has a deductible of $50,000. This means that each time you sign out equipment from the Technology Resource Centre, you are responsible for paying the first $50,000 for repairs or replacement if that equipment is lost, stolen or damaged. Any damage or loss to Image Arts equipment must be reported to the Technology Resource Centre immediately. On-campus equipment losses must be reported to both Campus Security and Philani Moyo, ext. 553772. Thefts should also be reported to Police.
You may want to talk to an insurance agent about what coverage options may be available. We suggest you speak to the company that has dealt with our students: Arthur J. Gallagher Insurance, Judi Heron at 905.305.5938.
Liability Insurance
The liability clause of TMU’s policy offers significantly better protection to students in the event of an accident or damage to public or private property while filming or photographing away from campus. For example, you can still be sued if someone trips on a cable that you have placed on a city street while filming but if it can be proven that you are a registered student of TMU and that the activity that caused the accident was directly related to course work, you may not be held financially accountable as TMU’s insurance policy should cover you.
Occasionally, you will be asked to produce a Certificate of Insurance from the university as proof that you are a full-time student with coverage in case of an accident. Typically, only government or large public-sector organizations such as the TTC will request this from you but a request can come from anyone. Whether or not you obtain this Certificate, your coverage is active.
To obtain a Certificate of Insurance, contact TMU’s Risk & Finance Officer, Philani Moyo. It takes 5 working days to prepare so make sure you notify him as soon as you know you need one. The policy covers equipment used outside of Ontario; however, the Insurance Office must be advised before leaving.
Negligence is inexcusable and costly in any situation, no matter which party ends up ultimately responsible for damages. Liability insurance is there for you in case of accident - it is not a license to be careless or to take avoidable risks. If a lawsuit arises from a situation you are involved in, though you may not be held financially accountable, take all precautions and act responsibly in every situation!
Note: If you are bringing in non-students to work on a photo or film production in Image Arts facilities, those individuals are required to complete a Liability Waiver (available on the IMA website) for assumption of risks and responsibilities.
Late Fines
*The Technology Resource Centre is a cashless facility. All fines must be paid with a OneCard.*
Returning your equipment late is not an option – your fellow students may be waiting to use the equipment or facility you have signed out and are relying on you to return it on time and in working order. If unavoidable circumstances make it impossible to return equipment on time, you are expected to notify the Technology Resource Centre before your return time. Depending upon circumstances you may be granted extra time to return your order. Note that a call does not relieve you of your responsibility for being late but allows the staff to plan around these circumstances. Failing to inform the Technology Resource Centre beforehand of your late return will result in a fine. Only the Technology Resource Centre supervisor can authorize extensions to equipment or facility loans.
Please note that your access to equipment, facilities and services will be suspended until a fine is paid, and final grades will be withheld.
| Same Day | $5 per 30 minutes late |
| Subsequent Weekdays | $25 Daily Flat Rate |
| Maximum Fines After 7 days | $200 Flat Rate |
Other Infractions
| NO SHOW | Failure to cancel a reservation | $25 |
| HIT & RUN | Leaving facility keys or equipment unattended, at the return counter, or otherwise | $10 |
| LOST FACILITY KEY | Losing a key means we have to get it replaced. If applicable, you may also be charged for re-keying costs. | $50 |
| LEAVING THE FACILITY KEY IN DOOR | $10 | |
| FOOD OR DRINK IN FACILITIES | $20 for the first offence, $20- and one-week suspension from the facility for the second offence | $20 |
| LEAVING RUNNING WATER UNATTENDED | You are responsible for covering any incurred water damage expenses in school facilities, as well as the appropriate fine. | $10 |
| LOST OR DAMAGED EQUIPMENT | The cost for repairs or replacement of equipment and/or parts will be calculated on a case-by-case basis according to industry prices. | Varies |
| FAILURE TO CLEAN STUDIO/LAB/SOUNDSTAGE | Major infractions will be penalized on a case-by-case basis and may result in access suspension of up to two weeks. | Varies |
| DAMAGE TO FACILITY | The cost for repairs will be calculated on a case-by-case basis. | Varies |
| FAILURE TO REPORT A PROCESSING MACHINE JAM | One week suspension from processor and restricted access to the Technology Resource Centre | Varies |
| INAPPROPRIATE STORAGE/LABELLING OF CHEMICALS | A strict $50 fine and one week suspension. Grades will be held at the end of term if chemistry is not removed from the school or disposed of correctly and/or not correctly labeled. | $50 |
Contact and Hours
Technology Resource Centre Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Monday to Friday.
To contact the Technology Resource Centre, please call 416-979-5000 Ext 556845 or email us at imatechcentre@torontomu.ca
Equipment Distribution Technician
ext.557107
jduder@torontomu.ca
Booking Assistant
ext. 556845
dina.sinan@torontomu.ca
Departmental Technology Support Specialist
ext. 556846
bcorcora@torontomu.ca
16mm Film Supplies for Sale
First year film students might need to purchase some supplies
Purchases are made at the Technology Resource Centre in IMA B018. Purchases must be made with your one card. Please ensure you have money on your one card. Money stored in your meal plans cannot be used. To add money to the OneCard, please go to the OneCard Office or use any of the machines around campus (they accept cash only). Money can also be loaded online (opens in new window) .