Jerry Holway

look forward to getting into trouble with you in Italy Rob- Hope to see you there - Italy will be awesome! Looks like lots of steps! Jerry

My two cents: I think it's great that we have to sort though all the posts and re-think what makes us Steadicam operators and what makes for good rigs, accessories, operating techniques, aesthetics... and we can praise or discuss or trash any and all of it if so inclined, so long as we take the heat for our posts. If we don't want to read about someone's idea of a new rig or the eternal wonderment of newbies too awestruck to dig through the archives, ? or anything else ? we don't have to... but we might miss something along the way, or forget the wonderful crazy road we took to get here. Here's to participatory democracy and even anarchy (in the civilized sense, of course). The alternative is frightfully boring. Jerry

Nick- I currently have two unused Tiffen docking brackets with collars; will sell for 1/2 list. Jerry

Yes, it is now available from Tiffen for $20, shipping at end of this month. Finally. Quality better than original VHS... mostly digitized from my submaster. Jerry

Mikko- Yes. It's sort of like this - a proper dovetail clamp wedges things in two directions - against a flat and sideways into the angled surface of the opposite side of the dovetail, and this is key - compressing against the flat as you say, but also on the side opposite the clamp. When in low mode, if the force applied to the clamp has to lift the camera as well as shift it, there's a chance the plate won't shift sideways and fully engage the beveled surface - it will be out of square slightly and not pressing hard against the flat on the far side. Then when you tilt or move the rig, things can shift, get loose, and slide. Every dovetail in a machine shop works this way (and some of the mechanics are absurdly clever); look carefully at them next time you visit your local machinist. Jerry

Eric, No, in high mode and the post vertical, the sled supports the camera weight. If the dovetail slips when you tilt down in high mode, then most likely the clamping wedge is bottoming out because either it or the dovetail (or the combo) is just enough out of spec, OR possibly the camera weight is just too much for the little wedge to hold. Can you get ahold of another dovetail plate to test? Otherwise, see remedies above. Also check if somehow your stage is bent open. Lay a straight edge across the top. That used to happen to 3A stages if stressed, I think. I have this recurring nightmare of hitting an old floppy stage with a large rubber hammer or chicken... You only need to support the camera weight when clamping with the camera hanging below (low mode) Good advice for all makes and models, not just yours. Jerry

Eric, In low mode, lift the camera before you clamp down; i.e., support the camera's weight so the clamp isn't trying to do that job as well as clamp. Jerry

Regardless, the EFP video is the classic. Just under two hours. Nothing else like it. Jerry

FYI- the soon to be released (shipping by the end of the month, I'm told) EFP video training manual on DVD is the 2 hour, comprehensive video that Ted and I did back in 1990 - and aside from the EFP specific bits, all the info, exercises, demos, insights, etc. still apply to operating today. I think one of the best things about it is Ted's energy and dedication to the craft (and to the arcane bits and pieces of our gear!) which shines through the material. The other, later videos, like the SK one, did not need to repeat, nor go into the detail, that this one does, so they are much more rig specific and cursory in the operating sections. And, for those of you who still have the original tape- the DVD image is clearer than the VHS, as it was largely made from an "sub-master." It also mostly lacks that burned in clock... Jerry

Add my name to the AF crowd who would like a discussion free of nuts and bolts - it's the "operator," right?. Garrett gives a wonderful lecture on the moving camera, i.e. what makes a shot more or less satisfying, regardless of rig, "authorship" or other concerns (like they chose the wrong take, even). The key is not to get into the "I like it, I don't like it" mode as the end point of the discussion - as meaningless as chocolate vs. strawberry - but to give some critical eye to what's going on image-wise, how it relates to the task or story at hand, etc. Tough enough to do in graduate level film school, but I think it's worth a try here, as ultimately it's what counts. Jerry

Sometimes we all feel like a broken record (remember those?)... anyway, all these sorts of questions and concerns are worked on in workshops, this is basic stuff. So for basic stuff, take a workshop and get a comprehensive overview so that the bits of cherry picked advice given here on the forum fit into a larger picture ? rather than it is your picture. So many of the tips and ideas (even in short workshops) are useful only if you have some perspective... Sometimes even during a workshop it's very hard to figure out why someone's basic technique isn't working, there's some nuance of posture, handgrip, some combination of obscure things that come together to screw up the operating, and it takes a while to sort it out. Techniques that work for most or for one operator don't always translate well to others. One avenue other than the broken record, "take a workshop," route will soon be available for $20 - the re-mastered EFP Video training manual on DVD, with Ted and yours truly demoing the basics, about as comprehensively as possible in the time alloted. It's not a workshop; nobody's watching you operate closely over and over, but you can see what decent, basic technique looks like and what it gets you. And I look younger! And it's now so easy to ignore the EFP specific stuff (use the remote, Luke)... Jerry

Just so everyone knows, Alan is the creator of the wonderful video for the Pilot. see it here: http://www.steadicam.com/images/content/pilotVideoCode.htm He also took the SOA workshop and did great and is a nice guy to boot. Jerry

Matt- Full Steadicam workshop just organized for Stockholm, March 30 - April 6th through Hofmann Technik,AB. It will be conducted in English... Jerry

For Sale: Ultra Cine system (original Ultra) Sled, vest, arm, w/ std. cases, cables, & accessories, 3 years old, light use. Latest upgrade: Ultra2 style gimbal clamp, 12/2007. The sled is standard, but was upgraded in mid-October to use the new IDX PowerCube batteries (a non-destructive and reversible upgrade). I will sell it with or without the upgrade, your choice. With the upgrade you get four PowerCube batteries, one VL-4S four position charger, and the dual battery mount, plus a custom battery meter. Or, if you want to stick to the original 28v NiCad battery system, you will get 5 batteries (4 is std.). 3 batteries are essentially brand new ? re-celled in the last year. Two batteries need re-celling. Included are two PAG 304 chargers and 5 battery cables (1 single channel charger and one cable is std). The monitor is an HD UltraBrite - 8.4" color, 1400 nits. HD component and composite (NTSC/PAL). Monitor bracket upgraded to Ultra2 type. The arm has a prototype arm post holder (part of which is used in the Ultra2) - and the original spring-type holder is included. Otherwise std. with two arm posts, regular and 12". The vest is standard, with a mod to one of the vest clips ? which is the method we use on the Ultra2 vest, and a re-orientation of the spar back inside the waist band ? also the scheme used on the Ultra2 vest. Upgraded bridge plate (non-slipping) as well. Hard cases for the vest and arm, and for the sled. Soft bags for the vest and the arm. Hard case for the Nicad batts and chargers (if purchased), Pelican case for the IDX system. Price: With the 4 PowerCube batts, adaptor unit, and 1 charger: $47,500 USD. With the 5 NiCads and two chargers, $45,000. Contact Jerry Holway via this forum for details, pix.

As I understand it, one of the issues for HDSDI is in the shielding. Even a slight gap encourages problems, and there are shielding gaps in all the Lemo connectors we use. Multiple connectors will create multiple gaps, therefore more issues and opportunities for problems. The Lemo connectors are okay for composite and for component (RGB) HD***, but not good enough for HDSDI. *** I should be clear that it works at least for component the way Tiffen does it: one Lemo connector at each end and the "post break" done with a special coax/"no-shield-loss" connector. Not sure what effect a couple of Lemos in the post would have. Sleds without post connectors (like the EFP) can get by with a single, well shielded coax cable, and do better with a special BNC designed especially for HDSDI at each end of the sled. My suggestion before anyone rips apart their rig is to make a test cable using ALL the same connectors, cable lengths, power, etc. and see how it goes first. Jerry

Absolutely the voltage bumper is unnecessary. Voltage from 2x Lithium batteries in series hot off the charger is 33.6 volts, which under load almost instantly drops to 32 volts, then rather smoothly and slowly drops to 29.6 volts (the "knee" of the voltage curve), and then drops off very rapidly. Voltage per se should never be the issue with these batteries and the cameras we use. Other battery chemistries have different voltage curves and "knees." Wasting power with improperly sized wiring and connectors is not a great design choice (yet rarely a fatal one), nor is adding unnecessary converters or voltage regulators. There's a big regulator already in all the cameras we use, BTW, and several other small ones for the electronic boards. We've also neglected the 18-24 inch power cords (adding 3-4 feet to each "run", the cables to the battery, all the connectors in the line, etc., so without specific side by side testing, the amount of wasted power/dropped voltage is fairly speculative. Thank modern chemistry that Lithium Ion batteries have much more power density than the good old NiCads, (but there are trade-offs). With heavy draw cameras whatever situation you have is made worse... and don't forget all those other gadgets like monitors, transmitters, recorders, and obie or ring lights which also use up a lot of power and draw on the battery, tax the wiring and connectors, etc. So do some tests on your own rig and see if it works with a heavy draw... if not, add a battery (about two pounds with connectors) and a separate wiring run (use 12 gauge monster cable for speakers) outside the post (horrors!) directly to the camera. I think all the rigs we are talking about work, clearly some more efficiently than others... Jerry

Jaron- You are correct about the U2 with a Lemo 2B 303 connector which is rated at 17 amps; the 2B 308 connectors mentioned in other rigs are rated at 10 amps. When I wrote the other post, I was thinking of the original Clipper (I think I was thinking) with the same stage as the Ultra 1, therefore the same connectors. The later Clippers with the new stage use smaller connectors but have the same size power wiring harness. The 0B 303 connector is rated 8 amps, so it will be less efficient than the larger connector. I would not recommend running a Genesis all up (13 amps or so, I think), but it should be fine with everything else. You have lots of "headroom" with the voltage off the lithium batteries (fewer amps required). I don't think it's worth changing the connector (not sure it can fit, either). Hope this helps.... For others with questions, download the LEMO Unipole/multipole catalog from Lemo.com and look at page 45-49 for amp ratings. The whole power issue is more complex... how may connectors are in the line, the draw, how close the connectors are to each other. Test it in the field. Jerry

James- Also read the Bartech instruction manual (available online) - there's more information on interference, using multiple units, etc. Jerry

Eric- Again, excellent analysis/explanation. FYI, to be accurate, all the Ultras use 14 gauge wires for power, always have. Also 5 separate coax's for regular video and HD component (4 down, one return). One of the five in the Ultra 2 is a special coax (larger, special connectors/no breaks) for HDSDI, and a data communications line! Jerry

Iain- I hope you are aware that both the options you noted have very small wire sizes. Even if you are wiring three in parallel for only 14 volts and ground, the effective size is still very small for any high amp loads. If you are wiring for 14 volts, 28 volts, and ground, the effective wire size is even smaller. Not sure what your requirements are, but get some more advice before you modify... Jerry

Thermis- A friend of ours recently took a workshop. He was constantly complaining about his Glidecam vs. how nice a friend's high-end Steadicam® was. After the workshop he found that he operated his Glidecam much much better. You do get what you pay for. A workshop will save you years of frustration (best Euros you'll ever spend). BTW, Tiffen will soon re-release the complete 2 hour EFP Video Training Manual on DVD - (they found the original master tape!) and that may help in the meantime. Check the Tiffen site in a few weeks for info. Jerry

All- I received a few questions privately from Keith and forgot one critical note, so here's a little more. From Keith: "Do you let the cable loop below you hand and then back up between the fingers or thru the fingers first?" Loop below the hand slightly, then through the fingers. Loop long enough to not effect much, but as short as possible. This loop is also absolutely critical in low mode, where one often forgets to reroute the cable or cables before making a loop. I use the monitor bracket as the exit point of the cable, again looping below my hand and then through the fingers, wrapped around forearm, etc. It's more difficult with a heavy camera (less room between gimbal and stage), but better than running directly from the stage. Also from Keith: "Have you had any cable issues (Communications or Camera break-up) with this technique? What is the lenght of your thin jumper cable? Also I have been using R.Orange Fiber Techs for my thin fiber jumpers, do you have a couple of other manufacturers that you are happy with." No cable issues, but you mention possible issues with too tight a loop in some fiber optic cables... have not had a problem. Typically the jumper cable is ten to twelve feet long, but with Genesis, no jumpers... direct to/from camera to video village. I understand there's some new flexible fiber optical cables and better (somehow) connector types for fiber optics shown at InterBEE (Japan) last month, but I don't have the details. Jerry

Charles is probably referring to a technique I use, developed in light of a Genesis job in the cold with many stiff cables (including power), but which I use now with any cable, no matter how flexible. The intent is to get a small loop from the camera to the gimbal which remains relatively constant as I operate, do pans and booms, etc. and to virtually eliminate any influence from the cable from the outside world - and what influence it might exert is diminished by the time it gets to the c.g. of the rig. So it's like this: a small loop passes down from the camera just in front of the gimbal - next to the MDR/focus motor receiver and through the index and middle finger of the operating hand. This loop should be adjusted so that it is long enough not to radically change shape (or effect) as you operate. The cable that leaves you hand is wound around your forearm, and with a loose, non-critical loop attached to your shoulder (velcro, clip, stuffed under the shoulder pad, whatever you like) and then on to video village. From the outside world, only my shoulder gets a tug, and I control the gimbal to camera minor variations with my operating hand as part of operating. Any other loop has way too much influence, and that influence changes radically as you operate in different positions, Don Juan, booming. Big loops can also catch on things.... The more and/or the stiffer the cables, the more this technique makes sense, but for the most precise operating I suggest you experiment with this technique. I disagree with the "works about as well" comment - or the worry about the three to five extra seconds it takes to cable or decable (wind cable around forearm, lace cable through finger at point marked with tape, and go). I used to use other methods, did pretty good work, but now it's better... could pan the Genesis all up with all possible cables including audio and composite video return... letting the gimbal do the work instead of micro-adjusting/correcting... i.e., flying the rig as if unencumbered by cables. Jerry

Instead would it be possible to stick the flyer vest's socket block on the new vest? ~Jess Yes, both have same mounting hole pattern. Jerry

Try emilio quintero in bogota. his address is his name no spaces @ hotmail.com Jerry