Mark Schlicher

I sent some Dionics to John Ritter for recelling (shout-out for his always-excellent service!). He gave me some valuable information that I thought I'd pass along. This is my paraphrase... Pre-2010 Dionics were constructed in such a way that some solder joints inside the case could break fairly easily with the batteries being jostled around. When this happens the display goes dead as the battery's protection circuit kicks in. The battery won't recharge or respond at all. The thing is, the cells are still probably just fine....but if you put the battery on a shelf thinking it's already dead, then the cells will slowly self-discharge and eventually they will be irretrievably lost. But if you catch it right away, John can do a fairly inexpensive repair to "save" the battery. As I understand it, more recent Dionics have been revised to make this problem much less common.

I ordered the "field-upgradable" Anton Bauer firmware for my Quad 2702 charger. Looked like opening the case would be real easy (a screw on each side of the case) and I'm comfortable pulling and replacing chips. But the case doesn't want to come apart, and I can't see where the hidden screws/clips/brackets might be that are preventing it from opening. I've reached my comfort zone limit when it comes to forcing the case, without some guidance. Can someone walk me through the case opening? Thanks!

Great news. Will it be transflective?

The DP6, thought pricey, does have an excellent picture, DSLR-friendly auto-resizing, and a well-thought-out battery mount. It is very useful for non-Steadicam applications. I've seen it used a lot lately as a substitute for a studio viewfinder for everything from DSLRs to broadcast camcorders. The resolution and contrast are very nice, as is the weight and overall design. As for using outdoors, I would only add a little to what Afton and Charles said. Daylight viewability ad-speak and even specs tend to be meaningless. Nits, contrast, and coatings all make a big practical difference, and specs can be fudged or omitted, and routinely are by manufacturers. Everybody says their LCD's are "daylight viewable". On a cloudy day, or in the shade, just about any of them are. with direct sun beating down, for most of them, fuggedaboudit. So yeah, try it out. See how much problem you have in actual practice, given the kinds of shoots you plan to be doing. That said, the Flyer's humble 500nit coated LCD actually performs pretty well in many outdoor scenarios. I've not had any experience with the Pilot monitors so don't know how they compare. How many nits? Despite the other positives to the DP6, at 300 nits I don't think it will hold up very well in the most challenging outdoor conditions. On the brightness issue, possibly a step backwards from the stock Pilot monitor. The Marshall transflective is the only sub-$2000 monitor that performs well in direct sunlight. The Cinetronics is a beautiful piece of engineering that works brilliantly in sunlight. It is heavy (for a reason, the case is a big heat-sink.) If the smaller Cinetronics can be made lightweight enough to be practical on a Pilot, that will be great.

Well, lots of questions here. I've done some international traveling but not tons, and the only time I traveled with my rig was in the US. International travel and domestic travel carry different issues, and traveling to small, impoverished, 3rd world nations carries its own challenges. Seems like the "big 4" issues for international travel are 1. Security (as in TSA) 2. Customs (declarations, delays and in some cases corruption) 3. Theft (by baggage handlers or at the baggage claim) 4. Physical protection (including poor repacking after security screenings) So, I don't have a comprehensive answer but here are some thoughts to get the conversation going: 1. Whatever cases you choose, use a TSA lock. Since a Steadicam is a mysterious-looking object I'd pack a brochure or manual in the case, to help them figure out that it's not something dangerous. 2. Search the forum for "Carnet". Lots of useful info. I've only done a Carnet once, it's not hard but a bit inconvenient. Carnets are useful only in some countries. Best to keep a low profile when traveling to countries known for hassling professional video/film crews. The US State Department has excellent travel information on their website. Hard to pass off a Steadicam as amateur equipment but I would think that the more non-descript your cases the better. 3. How do you combat outright theft of your entire bag? You can't, and I've noticed that security at baggage claims seems to be worse than in the past. Locking the bag helps obviously. Non-descript bags that don't advertise expensive contents, of course. When I flew earlier this year through Johannesburgh, SA, there was a service available to essentially shrink-wrap your bag, to discourage tampering. Seems like a good idea so I did it. 4. Well, it's a balancing act. When I traveled to Africa I wrapped up some batteries, chargers, a small tripod, and bracketry in among my clothing, and took my DSLR and computer as carry-on in a backpack. If I was traveling with a Steadicam I think I would have a proper foamed-out case, not trying to stash the sled in a suitcase with improvised padding. At best, you risk damage, especially from security mis-repacking after an inspection, at worst you look like you are trying to hide something. Hope this helps, and I would love to hear others' experiences traveling with a rig.

Checking in one more time on this. Decimator 2 (HD-SDI-->HDMI & SD)? AJA Hi5 (HDMI-->HD-SDI)? Thanks.

SOLD, thanks!

Robert's lobster bib is awesome. Would be even better with a cartoon pic of a lobster on it...but that's just me!

Anton Bauer Hytron batteries and charger for sale, ground shipping included in CONUS: 1 x Anton Bauer Titan Twin battery charger, serviced and firmware updated by Anton Bauer November 2010. Will charge all chemistries. $400 2 x Anton Bauer Hytron 120’s (new style case), used. They take a full charge and power equipment for a good long time. $75 each or $125 for both. 1 x Anton Bauer Hytron 120 (old style case), just recelled in March 2011 by John Ritter to Hytron 140 equivalent. Since I got it, I have cycled it once and otherwise it has been on the charger. Basically new. $150.

Travis, what do you need Triax for? I thought you were all fiber'ed. Check with Charles Papert, he may still have his triax jumper for sale.

Good point, Tomas. Pilots come up for sale from time to time for a reasonable price. Also, buy the EFP Training DVD. Not a substitute for a workshop but far better than trying to figure it out from a book alone.

Pilot vs Zephyr: First and most important difference is "payload" aka "net camera capacity." Each has a range, a minimum and a maximum. I believe that the Pilot's max is 10lbs but not sure. No way you can fly a RED One. The Zephyr can reasonably fly up to 23lbs, good for most broadcast cameras and a range of RED configurations. But it has a minimum payload of 9lbs (there is a lot of old sales literature out there that says 5lbs, but that is incorrect.) So you will need to add Tiffen or third-party weights to the top of the sled to bring it to that minimum weight. I've flown a 5D on a Zephyr with a 6.5 pound weight plate plus Viewfactor cage and 2lb Anton Bauer battery. It felt great. Most will say that a heavier sled is better (more intertia means easier to keep moves steady and fluid). However, a lighter sled will sure feel good after a long day of documentary or music video shooting. It's a different feel, like the difference between playing a violin vs. cello. The other differences between the two rigs are many, but their importance depends on what your needs are. The Zephyr vest is far superior. The Zephyr has more power and video connectors and is wired for HD-SDI. Upgrading to HD is as easy as changing monitors. Longer arm reach. Stouter post and bigger gimbal diameter. Designed for expandability (extra batteries and 24V, tally, etc.) You didn't mention the Scout, which is right in between (replaces the Flyer.) Holds up to 18 lbs, down to 5 I believe. Better arm and vest than Pilot. Not HD. Can probably hold a stripped-down RED and can hold lighter broadcast cameras. More expandability than Pilot but not as much as Zephyr. Worth considering if price is an absolute roadblock. $2k cheaper than Zephyr. Advice falls generally into two camps: 1) buy the rig you can afford (Pilot) now, as you can resell when you are ready for a bigger rig. 2) buy the rig that can handle the biggest cameras you plan/hope to fly in the next couple of years, so you are not limited or forced to constantly upgrade. Both approaches are valid and neither is absolutely right or wrong. You'll just have to decide. Good luck!

Um, I'm still unclear about what is being expected of you, and how you and the director are trying to accomplish it. But I think I get it. Based on what I'm understanding, I'd suggest the following: 1. The EX3 has a very good on-camera LCD on-board monitor that can be used for checking exposure and framing, as well as focus for that matter. Turn on the Zebras, rotate the monitor so its visible, balance the sled with it in position, and use that for checking/confirming iris between shots. But if both cameras are the same and the talent is lit reasonably well, the iris should be the same on both cameras and you whatever you set for one will work for the other. 2. Just keep the standard Flyer monitor on the sled. It's plenty fine for framing and that's all you should be worrying about during the shot. Forget about the director's Marshall. 3. If the director needs to watch the shot while you are shooting, he can look over your shoulder (not ideal) or position the onboard LCD so he can stand to the side. 4. If he must watch the shot from video village, then you need a flexible video jumper cable like this. Go to Radio Shack for the RCA to BNC adapter and the BNC barrel you'll need. Connect one end to the camera (via a y-cable), loop through your hand and then tape or velcro the other end to your vest. Then connect the long cable back to video village to this vest connector. They will then get a standard def signal. I don't recall if the EX3 can simultaneously send HD-SDI and composite, but if it can, then you can skip the y-cable and connect your jumper to the HD-SDI output (yes this cable will handle it). Then they can have full HD signal. For details on this technique, search the forum archives. The concept is to isolate the influence of the cable from the sled. 5. Adapter cables for the Flyer monitor, or to mount another monitor on the Flyer, are going to be somewhat pricey. Glidecam does sell a compatible adapter for their "L7" monitor that should work with a Flyer monitor (they appear to be basically the same, but confirm with Glidecam and don't take my word for it) If it does work, it will connect the Flyer monitor to standard composite video and 12/14.4V power sources. However, to connect a monitor like a Marshall to your Flyer sled, then you'll probably be looking at a custom-built adapter cable, probably $75-100. Go to trusted Steadicam cable specialists like Terry West or Fred Davis (search the archives). Tiffen might make a cable but it is likely to be even more expensive.

Looking for a gimbal-mounted zoom/focus control for live work. In order of preference: G-zoom custom model, CP J7 (with focus), Stanton. PM me or email me at mark (at) sunporchmedia (d0t) com if you can hook me up. Thanks

...or make me any reasonable offer. Would like to get this to someone who can use it.

I had a very quick look at Robert's system at Cinegear (a sales rep, can't find her biz card now, was walking around with one and I had literally just a minute or two of conversation). I could see that it is based on the Asus Wicast, and it looks like he may be using a Lilliput monitor for the reciever. So, it's going to be constrained by the range limitations of the Wicast (30-60 feet). The receiver battery (which his website says he has custom-made in China for extended capacity) is epoxied to the back of the monitor. I believe the receiver is too. This makes the setup basically disposable if any one of the three components fails. I didn't get a good look at the transmitter so I don't know if that is also battery powered, or if sled power (voltage downconversion to 5V for the Asus) needs to be worked out. And then there is signal conversion if your camera is HD-SDI rather than HDMI. I agree with Will that the DSLR market may find a good use for it. At just over $600 it seems like a reasonable deal for what it is, the parts alone are probably north of $400.

Mike, More details of your situation would be helpful. What camera? Are they REALLY using YOUR camera to check lighting? Why aren't they checking lighting on one of the stationary cameras? Or are they just doublechecking your iris settings? Are you tethered to a control room? I assume that you are controlling your own iris. Are they lighting flat so you don't have to worry about iris from shot to shot, or is their lighting all over the place? Does the LD or DP know how to use a light meter or zebras??? In the low-budget world there are a host of compromises and workarounds, that vary from situation to situation. I totally get that. I operated a lot last year with a Flyer and Panasonic HVX200. I got pretty good at eyeballing exposure with the Flyer monitor, since the 200 doesn't send zebras to the sled monitor. To confirm exposure, I simply kept the onboard LCD flipped outward, so I could peek at the zebras when necessary between shots. The best fit for your rig might be one of the Marshall 7" monitors. Depending on the model and connections you can get one for under $900. I just picked up an 800nit highbright with HD-SDI (for my Zephyr) for $1100. A much brighter, sharper image than the stock Flyer monitor (even in SD mode). Fairly lightweight (important on a Flyer) and excellent contrast, viewing angles, and color rendition. False color mode is a great alternative to zebras, and nearly as useful as a waveform for exposure/lighting checking. Having said all this, production is insane if they are checking lighting from your rig. If production is slowed down by "having to" plug your camera into an external monitor, it's their own friggin fault, not yours. Unless I'm missing something.

Need a Decimator 2. Possibly an AJA HA5 also (HDMI to HD-SDI). Thought I'd check here first before buying new. Thanks! mark (at) sunporchmedia (d0t) com.

Reposting with revised price. I have a brand new Tiffen vest pad for Flyer (original and LE) vest. Never worn. I checked with Tiffen and they sell them for $160 plus shipping. So, it can be yours for $145, ground shipping included anywhere in the continental US. Email me at mark (at) sunporchmedia (d0t) com.

Yup, if you're handy with simple soldering it's cheap and easy to make an XLR 4pin or d-tap cable yourself. I'm not up to soldering hirose or lemo personally...but it's only because I have enough hobbies!

More: Looks like Ravensclaw first showed this at NAB 09. Here's a thread where the Ravensclaw guy describes the system in some detail. Sounds like they'd been perfecting the bits with their remote heads. Reduser.net thread Judging from their website it looks like they may be only selling the FIZ through Varizoom and not directly.

FOUND IT! http://ravensclaw.com/products.html A company out of Oregon that makes remote control camera heads, distributed by Varizoom. The clue was the reference on the Varizoom page to the "CinemaPro design team". Look at the FIZ controller on this page. Looks like they basically repackaged a wireless system that Ravensclaw had built for their remote heads.

FOUND IT! http://ravensclaw.com/products.html A company out of Oregon doing remote control camera heads, distributed by Varizoom. The clue was the reference on the Varizoom page to the "CinemaPro design team". Look at the FIZ controller on this page.

I just pm'd you but here are a couple of thoughts: If you are using a DSLR like the Canon 5D/7D/60D, just use the composite video output of the camera. No advantage to using HDMI out of the camera to an SD (standard def composite) monitor. Even if you did want to use the HDMI out, the Decimator2 is the wrong box for the job. It won't do what you're asking. Input is HD-SDI and outputs are HDMI and composite downconverted SD. No HDMI input. I'm not sure what is available to convert HDMI to composite, but if AJA or Blackmagic make boxes, they are finicky on their voltage inputs, so a simple cable will not work. AJA wants 5V regulated and BM generally wants 12V regulated. Switronix makes a cable suitable for AJA, I believe. DOn't know what is available for BM.

Wow, I just bought a 12/9/5V Lithium ion rechargable battery box on ebay for another use ($40 with shipping from China), and I already own a USB "book light" on a gooseneck. I was wearing the ruby slippers all along! I'm definitely going to try this out. Thanks for sharing this.