Mark Schlicher

A couple of thoughts... 1. Just call or email your Tiffen rep with the information. I don't see how it could hurt. The Steadicam "corner" of Tiffen is not some vast corporate entity, it's a small group of pretty accessible folks, and there's no "formal" process for that stuff as far as I know. 2. As for bookkeeping, taxes, etc.: Your sale is a taxable event, so you should keep an accurate written record. You'll owe tax on the "gain" from your sale. The buyer will be entitled to a depreciation deduction if they are treating it as business property for tax purposes, so they will need a copy of the sale paperwork. But a simple typed receipt listing the pertinent sale information, names, serial number, etc. should be sufficient.

Reasonable questions. I completely understand your desire to make sure you have the rig set up properly, so you don't waste time trying to achieve good results from a rig that's way out of whack. Makes sense to me. I also get that you realize the rig won't fly itself, and you'll have to work at it. To use the old guitar analogy: I hear you saying: "I want to make sure the guitar is in tune before I start practicing. That way if it sounds bad I know it's my inexperienced playing. How can I get the guitar in perfect tune?" The answer you're getting from the veterans is: "Don't worry about perfect tune yet. Just get it close, (and here's how to do that). Practice your chords and scales and simple songs diligently. As you progress, you will be ready to be concerned about perfect tuning." It's solid advice (though maybe not what you expected), along with the advice to get to a workshop or to get lessons. Like a guitar, it's not impossible to teach yourself, but it's much easier with a good teacher. It is worth the effort and cost to get good instruction, if you are serious about operating well.

Maybe better to have an adapter wired up rather than hacking into the existing wire. That way you preserve an (SD) backup monitor option. In the meantime, it's just not a big deal to run a coax cable down the front of the camera stage to the monitor. Live TV ops do it all the time for tally remote, etc.

I just had a thought... There was an HD version of the Flyer LE...it had an extra connection for HD-SDI. It's possible that maybe, just maybe, Tiffen wired all Flyer LE's with the same wiring loom for manufacturing efficiency, and just left the HD-SDI wire "capped off" inside the post on the SD version. (Something similar was done with tally remote line on the Zephyr). You should be able to get the answer from Tiffen or Terry West. If it is the case, Terry should be able to add the connectors pretty cost-effectively.

Yes, get the Handbook and the EFP training DVD. And take a two-day workshop or hire an operator to give you private lesssons. To clarify and emphasize, there are three important separate concepts: Static balance (vertical level), drop time (bottom-heaviness), and dynamic balance ("spin balance"). Theoretically your rig should be vertically level in both fore-aft and side-to-side axes, SLIGHTLY bottom-heavy, and be in dynamic balance (will "pan flat", without wobbling, when you lightly pan the gimbal without introducing wobble with your fingers). For a beginner, dynamic balance is both the least important, and the hardest to achieve. Pendular motion or wobble can be introduced (to some degree) by any of the three being out of whack, but also by your grip, technique and footwork. You could have everything perfect and still get major sway if you are not operating with good form. The principles to achieve these are the same for all rigs, but the execution can be slightly different, because of the Pilot's specific design (merlin weights, bottom sliding spar, etc.) Try this: 1. Rough-in your rig for static balance: place the CG of the camera-and-dovetail combo about one-half-inch behind the centerline of the post. If desired, add merlin weights to the camera stage (same number fore as aft). Tweak in your side to side with the trim knob, but DON'T tweak the fore-aft with the camera stage trim knob (yet). 2. Spread your monitor and battery paddles so that they are far apart on the bottom spar (tube). Rough in your fore-aft static balance by sliding the tube back and forth. Then lock the spar in position. 3. Check your drop time, and set it for 2 to 2 1/2 seconds. 4. Repeat steps one and two. The longer your drop time, the less pendular but the more touchy the level (static balance) 5. Finalize your fore-aft balance trim using the trim knob. 6. Check and confirm your drop time once more. It is conceivable to be in static balance, with a good drop time, and still be WAY off in dynamic balance, BUT because of the Pilot's simple geometry, if you follow the steps above I believe you will automatically be reasonably close to dynamic balance...certainly close enough to start practicing! Good luck!

Thanks, this makes sense, and parallels my experience generally. How far does this logic extend? When items are mounted to the sled? Or to a monitor? A couple of things got me thinking about this recently. 1. Rented a Marshall monitor to a production (I know the AC personally), it came back with hardside velcro on the monitor for a shade they presumably rigged. Related, I've seen Hoodman shades with softside velcro sown onto the edge. Maybe just convenient for manufacture, or is it general practice to affix hardside to monitors? 2. The tally remote sensors I've seen are constructed with the sensor sandwiched between two layers of softside velcro, which of course would require hardside on the camera. Exception to the general rule, I guess?

I'm curious, when using standard velcro to mount stuff, do you or your AC's have a standard practice for which side gets the male and which side gets the female velcro? Is there any kind of industry "standard'? For instance, would the smaller item/accessory/modifier get the female (such as BFD receiver, wireless mic receiver, monitor hood) typically get the female and the larger item or "receiver" item (sled, camera, monitor, cheeseplate) get the male (or vice versa)? Or is there a different logic (such as convenience in things not getting stuck to your case's interior fabric), or do you see no standard practice?

One other point of clarification....PRO sleds also have two-pin lemo power connections, but it's a different style of 2-pin lemo from the Flyer gen-1.

Edmond, Alan's cables are what I was describing. The P-tap multi is available from Anton-Bauer via B&H and other retailers. The P-tap to Lemo is something that needs to be custom-fabricated by someone like Terry West (search the forum archives for his number). Alan's version is three-pin Lemo to mate with his sled. You'll need to make sure you specify the first-generation Flyer's 2-pin Lemo when you order. Confusion is possible because the second generation Flyer LE went to a three-pin Lemo.

Mmmmm...Wisconsin in February! Bwahahaha!

Do you know what cables will come with the Bartech you'll be using? You'll obviously need a XLR-to BFD lemo connector, to mate with your sled-to-XLR. Not a common Bartech cable... I couldn't find any info on the "video-link" transmitter. What kind of connector? What voltage? You may be able to rig a separate 9V battery to power the transmitter, but who knows how long it might last... If you have the Anton Bauer version of the Flyer, you could pull power from the P-tap on the battery paddle, and mount your video transmitter down low. Not ideal but may work. Obviously you'll need a p-tap to video transmitter cable. Sounds like you didn't have a prep day. Unfortunate. Good luck tomorrow, I hope it all works out okay for you. In the long run, look into having a few custom cables made: for a Flyer I'd start with a Flyer 2-pin lemo to P-tap. Then get a P-tap to BFD, a P-tap multi (from Anton Bauer), and a 4ft p-tap extension cable. Then as you get new/different accessories, (LED on-camera light, etc.) make up P-tap power cables. This is probably the most cost-effective for a Flyer. Watch out for voltages, though. Some "12 volt" acessories will not work with the up-to-16 volts that pro batteries put out.

Which Tiffen guys did you try? Email Michael Craigs at mcraigs@tiffen.com. 818-567-7945. At this point you may want to cc. Frank Rush, GM of Steadicam, frush@tiffen.com. If you've emailed twice with no response, this is definitely not an acceptable situation. Sorry to hear. I'm sure it's frustrating. As for the screw, you just need to measure the length & diameter. Any fine-thread stainless steel screw should do the trick, for convenience you may choose a thumbscrew deaign but not necessary. Ron, the Zephyr's post diameter is smaller than big rigs, and the rig doesn't use a dock ring, so I doubt that Jerry's ring will work. Sounds like a great idea for big rigs, though.

bump- Still on the lookout for either of these items...thanks!

I love how he's sad about all the haters. As we say in Nashville, "bless his heart."

Going to pull the trigger on a fiber jumper (hopefully today) and would like some advice from live TV guys... I know 6 feet is the typical length, but wondering if there are advantages to longer or shorter? It doesn't affect my cost. This is wrapped up (no pun intended) into the question of how you route your cable and where, and how you affix it to your vest. I've read a lot of posts and tried a couple of options on coax jobs...but not settled on one approach, given my relative inexperience. Exit point from the camera stage: front or back? Connection point to the vest: right hip, right shoulder, left shoulder? Connection and strain relief: gaff tap? Caribener? Velcro? Front of vest (convenient to make my own connections) back of vest (convenient for the utility to make connections)? Looping technique: direct from camera to vest, or loop through hand and around arm (per Jerry Holway) or ?? Special considerations for fiber (crimping?) Help and advice appreciated!

Here's a search trick (because the forum search sometimes doesn't seem to pick up all relevant posts): Use Google search, but add this to the beginning of your string of search words, to limit the search to the Steadicam forum: site:steadicamforum.com

The small chargers can be upgraded (unless they are really old) but must be sent in. Costs about $40 if I recall correctly...but I agree the diagnostic chargers are worth it if you can afford one. I've had some subtle problems with a used one I bought, so the first thing I would do if I were buying another 2702 would be to send it in to AB for a thorough checkup.

Jim, Did I correctly state the situation with the Stanton motors? I have the M28VPT motor, and BFD which I believe you verified had been previously modified. How does this mod affect compatibility to other motors (M-One, M26PT, etc)?

One thing about the Stanton motor BFD mod, although reversable, it "breaks" compatibility with other motors. So if your motor goes down, you may not be able to borrow a compatible backup. That said, the Stanton motors are cheap enough maybe you could buy a backup. But as Eric pointed out, they are noisy and so are very limited for wireless FF applications.

This might well be the case, I have no engineering background. I'm curious, what do you see as the weak points, how would you improve? Personally I'd love to have a plate that does exactly what this one does. (minimizes weight, iris rods mount, compatible with narrow Tiffen dovetail.) Quick release not relevant for my purposes. The company's problems are well-known, and I would be happy to consider an alternative. Baer-bel plate isn't compatible, Crosziel plate is as heavy as the Sony plate.

In fairness, the designs are distinctly different. Baer-bel plate is quick-release, and designed to replace the dovetail on a big rig. The MK-V plate is not quick-release, and it bolts to your existing dovetail. As such, it is a useful bit of kit for Archer/Zephyr owners with our narrower dovetail, to shave off ounces of weight, add rigidity, and provide an iris rod mount point. Regardless of peoples' experiences with the company, this bracket does appear to be an original design.

My experience is this: I like the plate, I tried to order one. I emailed Howard on August 13, he immediately replied and said he'd be happy to sell me a plate, just send my money and as soon as they were back in stock he would ship it. He stated that they were in-process of being made. I replied that I would prefer to wait until he had them in stock to order, and please let me know as soon as that happened. No acknowledgement of my email. I did not hear back from him. I sent a followup email on September 7. No reply to that email either. MK-V makes some useful bits, but there is much useful information on the forum regarding people's often-difficult experiences with MK-V. I recommend doing a forum search.

The jib got the AF100 with proper geared cinema lens. The other 5D's had various glass, either Canon L series or Zeiss primes, with gears and FF. Different director but same approach...he lightly directed us over headsets but there was no live line cut; everything is shaped in post.

Darren, Any of the custom cable builders who are mentioned in other threads can build this cable, for significantly less. Do a search of the forum for names and contact info, let them know what you want and they will be able to quote you a price. The Hirose connector is not cheap and the cable is somewhat labor intensive, so don't expect a $20 cable...

I don't know who decided what cameras to use...Walmart, or the production company. Regardless, I'm sure the decision was a balance of production value vs. budget considerations, just like any production. The 5D is obviously a very inexpensive camera to rent, and most of them were equipped with still camera lenses. They had an AF-100 on the shoot, too. The use of the 5D on the Steadicam was probably budget-related. Production rented a Flyer at a low rate (actually my old rig that I sold to the rental house). I was told a bigger rig was not in their budget. Focus: yes, I stayed near the wide end of the zoom lens I was using, and I believe the DP upped my ISO compared to the other cameras, to allow me to shoot with some extra depth of field. If necessary I adjusted focus manually before a major move.