steve wagner

I thinks it will be okay.. maybe. The Movi definitively wants to point the camera directly in space, that is its mission. The Steadicam Op wants to guide the direction and purpose of the shot, guide the view. So its a matter of how to connect the two smoothly in sync. So much to learn..

I'm pretty sure the best of you don't want anything fancy-no extra-stabilized anything. You've crafted your craft. Just make it lighter, smaller, and cheaper. Make sure all the video I/O gear works. Be able to translate the camera feeds to all known video formats, be able to feed any monitor, be able to feed any transmitter. Give me batteries at half the weight and twice the previous capacity. I get it. Everything else is a luxury! Humbled to be able to nibble around the edges with our little stabilizer improvements! Steve W

Hi James, I helped get the first two prototypes to NAB.No initial price/delivery available at this point Please feel free to contact Tiffen for demo opportunities and price/availability, I know they would greatly appreciate a request to try it and to hear your feedback! Best Regards, Steve W

Hi James, Helped to ensure first couple unit prototypes made NAB show. By all means feel free to request demo opportunities and delivery details from Tiffen. I'm very sure as desire builds this info will be forthcoming! Best Regards, Steve W.

Hello Ian, The WXB has the WHM sensor function built in. All you do is plug in an LED display box (same one as with WHM) which should be included with the WXB Steve Wagner

That is correct Marc, the effect is subtle if you're keeping a good horizon, you won't even be aware its doing anything, you can pan and tilt as always without interference. The effect feels like the rig is way more bottom heavy than actual, but only in the roll direction. So if you start to wander horizon wise you begin to feel it pushing back before you drift much-- it can generate almost 32 ounce inch torque max which is actually quite powerful for large hits from wind for example. The feedback is very smooth and linear, no sudden corrections. In fact you can set the rig for very slow drop times, we had it at almost 6 seconds at the show, So pendulum effects are very reduced but rig very easy to keep level within a degree or so. It also damps whatever pendulum effects remain, you can pull it a few degrees off level, release the grip and it smoothly and quickly returns to level without overshoot. The long drop time makes it very easy to hold large tilts with just a finger or thumb while it stays level to the horizon.The assistance strength and damping are smoothly adjustable by the operator and store-able in memory . This was prototype 1 so no pricing yet. Its built around the same electronics as the WHM level. And as a final thought, as it was being operated at the show they had a wireless video feed to the big screen--which I studied intently. It absolutely still looks like a well done Steadicam shot. of course very level, all axes under control but none over-controlled, The operator's intentions come through with that subtle organic look of a well done shot, not robotic or stiff in the least. Regards, Steve Wagner What is the minimum/maximum payload for the Lynn axis? The LYNN axis is a very cool product idea too, Chris Fawcett did this one--based on the original Lynn Nicholson AR Patent now in Tiffen's hands. I'm sure he can fill you in Mariano, the motor seemed pretty darn powerful as I played with it at the show, mount and bearings quite stout, horizon looked rock solid, but the better you balance the camera CG around the roll axis the better the results. Chris, comments ? Steve W

Marc that is an excellent question! As you begin to approach 90 tilt the horizon roll assistance effect is gradually reduced to zero if desired so things won't go unstable at 90. There are a second set of operator adjustable level assistance strength and pendulum damping settings that apply for high tilt ( greater than 45 degrees) so you can customize the feel over the full 360 tilt range. You can even go straight to low mode and it continues to assist level horizon keeping. Steve Wagner

That is correct Marc, the effect is subtle if you're keeping a good horizon, you won't even be aware its doing anything, you can pan and tilt as always without interference. The effect feels like the rig is way more bottom heavy than actual, but only in the roll direction. So if you start to wander horizon wise you begin to feel it pushing back before you drift much-- it can generate almost 32 ounce inch torque max which is actually quite powerful for large hits from wind for example. The feedback is very smooth and linear, no sudden corrections. In fact you can set the rig for very slow drop times, we had it at almost 6 seconds at the show, So pendulum effects are very reduced but rig very easy to keep level within a degree or so. It also damps whatever pendulum effects remain, you can pull it a few degrees off level, release the grip and it smoothly and quickly returns to level without overshoot. The long drop time makes it very easy to hold large tilts with just a finger or thumb while it stays level to the horizon.The assistance strength and damping are smoothly adjustable by the operator and store-able in memory . This was prototype 1 so no pricing yet. Its built around the same electronics as the WHM level. And as a final thought, as it was being operated at the show they had a wireless video feed to the big screen--which I studied intently. It absolutely still looks like a well done Steadicam shot. of course very level, all axes under control but none over-controlled, The operator's intentions come through with that subtle organic look of a well done shot, not robotic or stiff in the least. Regards, Steve Wagner

Yes the WXB level assistant was there and its real. I was there to support it. Several ops well known to this forum flew it, I hope they chime in when they have a chance. It was also on the SteadiSeg mounted rig much of the time. Steve Wagner

even Garrett got punked! the big sign says LIVE from the NAB '14. he is smooth but should have known

Some might ask why we don't have a 'damping' or 'smoothing' adjustment on the wagner horizon. We instead chose to rely very heavily on the gyros -95% or more weighting-because gyros are inherently immune from acceleration. Gyros are much harder to tame but benefit to you is that you see your true roll errors as they occur and you can correct them in real time before they become large enough to show up in frame. Steve Wagner

That Garrett quote was from NAB this year, I was nervously awaiting any news on the level -- I was not at the show. When I heard Garrett say that I thought, what did I forget to do in the algorithm? Then I thought for a second: earth is 15 degrees/hr or 1/4 degree /min at the pole. I was punked! earth rate is negligible compared to the gyro drift which we compensate for using the accel's Steve Wagner

Hi Chris, not in current units but that's a good idea! Will definitely consider it for future releases. At this point I would say contact Tiffen about your unit and they will be able to tell you what version you have based on when you received it. Steve Wagner

If you've ever marveled over a hummingbird hovering in the air, or even a bluejay balancing on a wavering wire or branch and you see how the bird's head remains amazingly 'locked' to inertial space-- neck muscles plus bird brain processing and gyros magically absorbing all the errors -- you see how far we still have to go to match natures "6 axis stabilized" Rigs! The guy's video was certainly faked and meant in good jest but all great humor contains an element of truth. Reminds me of the WWII pigeon guided munitions-- which were a serious attempt at the time. Steve Wagner

The latest Wagner Horizon (WHM-BG) software update--now shipping--, has a few nice improvements: enhanced compensation for static horizon angle error over temperature, down to fractions of a degree -- Once you zero it to your rig it should be good all day long. Also improved: after a very dynamic and/or large tilt roll pan move the unit recovers true level even more rapidly-- typically less than a second. Finally: upgraded rejection of acceleration errors while rotating about any axis -- even if sensor box mounted away from post center.

Imagine you have two rigs: One is 1/2 LB bottom heavy with bottom end of post 4 feet below the gimbal. Second rig is 1 LB bottom heavy with bottom end of post 2 feet below gimbal. Both have equal 'feel' : i.e. how much push-back torque you experience for a given angle off level, i.e. equal perceived 'bottom heaviness' But clearly the shorter one will have a faster drop time due to shorter pendulum length since period of a pendulum doesn't depend on mass, only length. Just another way to look at the physics. Steve Wagner

Eric, Jerry is violently moving the sensor side to side, easily producing multiple G accelerations in each direction then a multiple G stop. Very unlikely conditions on a real rig. And it handles it quite nicely IMO recovering zero in a second or so. As you know we have to combine the best mix of the gyros and accelerometers in an artful compromise that best handles the conditions you're likely to encounter as an operator. This is clearly a corner case. I'd like to see how others handle it, please supply a video of your favorite unit in a similar test. By the way at this setting the bubble itself is less than 1/3 degree wide. The fact you were able to see the small zero recovery after a violent move shows how sensitive and smooth the display is. Steve Wagner

Folks seem to misunderstand the LED bubble and the pixel smoothing concept. Imagine you videotaped a real spirit bubble moving left /right and then filtered & reduced that down to one video scan line. You would see a very smoothly moving 'blob' moving left / right. Even though LED pixels are coarse and quantized you see a very smooth indication of your current horizon. It's not that big of a deal, just a way to get a little more linear operator feedback from a simple LED display. I'm sure you monitor folks already do this for your on-screen horizon displays

New info for Tiffen's level including pricing now on the Tiffen Steadicam site Steve Wagner

I think the go pro is one of many small hd sports cameras coming along -- very easy to attach to almost anything but it has a very wide angle lens I believe, quite a different matter to orient it smoothly and with controlled level with tighter lens ala steadicam. Just another tool with an appropriate use.

In any case, I hope you will give it a fair chance and give it a try. A lot of art, sweat, tears and practical science went into making it.

I think it's great that levels are now gyro stabilized in honor of Sarah who got this thread moving along way back when

FYI, for those with Comcast OnDemand they have this up now. Looks great on a big screen. You can see the Op's reflection in the large metallic ball. Well done

Here's a thought I had. You could build an elastic cuff attached to the lift arm right near the gimbal handle, or attached to the handle. You place your forearm/wrist through the cuff and now you can boom and move the lift arm fore-aft, left-right with only your forearm. Your gimbal hand is now more or less free to apply a light touch to the gimbal for pointing. Don't know how practical it is but might be worth a try. Steve Wagner