Our history

Sales Cooperation with ARRI

ARRI agrees an exclusive sales cooperation with Panther for stabilised remote heads.

The phenomenal X-Type

To mark its 40th anniversary, Panther presented the new X-Type dolly, which was exhibited for the first time at the IBC in Amsterdam. The new dolly already wowed the audience there.

Acquisition of electronics company PCB-Systems

Andy Fitz and his partner Markus Schiffmann acquire the supplier PCB-Systems GmbH in order to expand their expertise and production capacities in the electronics sector.

The innovative Easy Rider

In 2021, Panther launched the hyped Easy Rider onto the market. A dolly that functions as both a trike and a rickshaw. The motor allows speeds of up to 30 km/h to be reached.

Fertile ground for innovations

Panther moved into larger facilities in Aying on 1 May 2017.

After years of hard development, Panther presents the worldwide first electro-mechanical Scissor Style Dolly (S-Type) in 2018 which has been awarded with Cinec Award #5 - a milestone in Panthers history.

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Sales Cooporation Spacecam

....Panther and Spacecam agree on a worldwide sales cooperation in 2015 (excl. USA).

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Cinec Award #4

Many new products are successfully placed in the market: U-Bangi-Slider, Multi Glider, Flex Grip Kit, P1 Dolly & Precision Leveling Tracks which has been awarded with Cinec Award #4

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30th Anniversary and takeover of Thoma TR3

Panther celebrates its' 30th Anniversary in 2013. But the main focus in this year has been the development of a huge range of upcoming new products. The U-Bangi-Slider prototype was tested and finally approved for the market.

....After years of cooperation with Thoma, Panther decided to acquire the company in 2014 (TR 3).

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Re-focusing on development and passing the torch

The founder family Fitz makes an extensive strategic decision and stops the Rental business. They don´t want to compete in rental business with their customers anymore. Panther sells its Rental departments to ARRI and refocuses on the development of new filmequipment. Erich Fitz, founder of Panther entrusts his 'baby' Panther to his son Andy Fitz. He takes over all company shares. Many Panther products has been already designed by Andy Fitz due to his instincts for creating innovative products.

25th Anniversary

Panther celebrates during Cinec its 25th Anniversary and the 1000. Dolly. Finally Design of Trixy Remote Head and Twister Dolly is presented. A few months later many used Panther Dollies get modified by „the best invention for years“, the High-Low-Turnstile.

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Cinec Award #3

Panther receives its third Cinec Award for the Foxy Advanced Crane System. It becomes a hot selling item due to good price-performance ratio.

Taking Over Cinecam & Cinelight

Panther Broadcast launches a line of fluid heads and tripods excelled by the unique X 15 fluid head providing continuous balance and drag. Panther buys all rental equipment from Cinecam and Cinelight and is integrated in the Panther Rental Department.

More gear for every requirement

Panther Broadcast is founded to better support the video industry. The division starts out with a whole range of new gear. All new products originate under the supervision of Andy Fitz, son of founder Erich Fitz. The Galaxy Crane becomes awarded with the "Cinec Award".

Moving into a new building

The premises soon become too small, new floor space has to be rented. A decision is made to construct a new building, which offers enough space to unite all departments under one roof. All companies move into the new building. Everything is designed exactly for Panther.

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Taking over Cinerent in Zurich

Erich Fitz takes over the competing companies Cinerent in Zurich with the products Cine-Jib and Swiss-jib and Filmtechnik Rose, another rental company, in Hamburg. International prices are awarded to Panther for special performances and developments in cinematography.

Further Branches in Europe

Panther’s Rental department is restructured and after another few years subsidiaries in Prague and Hamburg can be opened up. Thanks to highly motivated and engaged employees the rental departments are among the most successful in Germany and the Czech Republic.

Further Developments

New, innovative products such as the Pegasus crane are successfully introduced to the market. In the meantime Erich Fitz separated from his former business partners and can pursue his own visions of progress and expansion.

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Awarded with an Oscar

A milestone for the company: The “Super Panther” dolly is awarded with the technical Oscar (A.M.P.A.S.) in Hollywood.

Becoming a Market Leader

....Both companies, Panther and HTG move to Oberhaching, Grünwalder Weg 28c – at that time plenty of room was available for both companies. At the same time Panther takes over the leadership in the European market with regard to turnover, quantities and technology.

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Founding an own system supplier for Panther

Erich Fitz wants to be more independent and increasingly relies on resources of his own. He cancels the contracts with third party vendors and founds the HTG High Tech Gerätebau GmbH. From now on HTG serves as exclusive system supplier for Panther.

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Welcome to Hollywood

A separate sales company is registered, which is also named “Panther”. The “Panther Corporation of America” is founded – a sales and rental subsidiary in Hollywood, run by Florian Granderath.

Panther becomes a Hype worldwide

The 2nd prototype is already used at the set and the complete movie “Never-ending story” is shot with this dolly in the Bavaria Studios in Munich. Quickly the advantages of the Panther in comparison to competing dollies become a topic in the movie branch worldwide.

The Birth of a Legend

Based upon market requirements globally the first computer-controlled, electro-mechanical camera dolly has been designed and built. An employee compares the smooth, silent, but at the same time powerful movements of the dolly with a Panther – the Panther dolly is born.

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Motivation

The success achieved is the motivation for further developments. Initial experience can be gathered by modifying and changing Elemack camera dollies according to practice requirements.

The first Dolly

There are already 4 employees. The team tries to differ from competing companies by responding to customer requirements. For a shooting on a ship the first dolly is built. It is further developed resulting in the light-weight dolly, which has been successful on the market until today.

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Partnership

A partner joined the company. Many years of hard work without free weekends and vacation finally pay off. Erich Fitz quits his job as cameraman, which he has carried out in parallel, as the professional rental company begins to prosper despite the overwhelming competition.

The first own company

Learning about the requirements of the various production companies gives birth to the idea of founding the company Filmgeräteverleih Waltraud Fitz GbR.

The beginning of a journey

Erich Fitz realizes his childhood dream: already at the age of 8 he wanted to make moving pictures able to trigger strong emotions. After a period at ARRI’s camera assembly gathering knowledge about cameras he started to work as camera assistant and later as cameraman.