RobinThwaites

Hi Matt

It's cold in England at the moment, make sure that you double check the back focus in the same temperature as you shoot otherwise, however good the focus system you use, the marks will be off. Can happen on SD cameras as well noteable DSR-500.

Robin

Hi Stoddy

Sorry I did not get back to you, I have been at Video Forum, let me know your personal e-mail address and I will get some prices for you.

Robin

Hi Stoddy

Why not get in touch?

Robin Thwaites

Tiffen Europe Ltd.

robin.thwaites@tiffen.com

Hey Matt

Rule number two: approach the task in a sober and chemical free fashion!

Seriously though, things are going well. In Novotel Brum for a workshop this weekend.

Robin

Hi Matt

Find out where the camera is comming from, go there with the rig you are going to use and put it together - especially in low mode. You really can't beat making yourself familiar in a relaxed environment so that you can cope under pressure. Most rental companies will be happy to accomodate you, just don't upset them.

Good luck

Robin

At least one with the BBC in England. Probably quite a few more.

Robin Thwaites

Guys, I know this is going to sound stupid but why does one need a Hi Def monitor when shooting Hi Def. I may not be up to speed but are'nt all the Hi Def monitors all stroby or slightly delayed.... only slightly, but enough to effect your timing and perception. Is giving up true daylight viewability a fair price to pay for the cool sharp picture.

 

I'm asking this question not to piss anyone off, but out of real interest.

Hi Chris

Down converters always have some delay whether they are stand alone, in the monitor or in the camera (HDW-750a). The guys who really need HD monitors and rigs are the live TV and OB guys where some cameras (Thomson/Grass Valley) do not have anything other than HDSDI out.

Robin Thwaites

Hi Joe/All

Many thanks for all your kind words and thought, as you can imagine after 22 years (and 20 years of Steadicam!) it has been quite an upheaval. Anyhow I am one of the lucky ones from OpTex and have now started at Tiffen Europe responsible for International Steadicam sales.

We will continue running workshops including the one at the end of February and are looking forward to expanding this area and aslo working with all the new Steadicam products.

My contact details are:

tel +44 18 69 34 38 35

e-mail(now up and running) robin.thwaites@tiffen.com

Thanks again

Robin Thwaites

Hi All

Yes all the OpTex stories are true, it ceased trading as of Friday the 23rd. I was actually on leave at the time so spent a lot of time on the phone putting together the pieces of information that I could.

I am luckier that many as I have a position available for me with Tiffen Europe I will let you have all the contact details when I know them! This means that the workshop in February will go ahead and I will send out new details to anyone interested.

All stock currently belongs to the receivers, I will certainly be trying to get all the spares and parts that I can - those bits and pieces that can help out in tight situations. I have no idea what they propose to do with the rest at this stage.

That is about all I can tell you at the moment in this unofficial announcement - more news will follow.

Robin Thwaites

Go for black on anything like this so as not to affect any lighting (unless you want to of course). The big Lastolite scrims can double up as well.

Robin Thwaites

OpTex

Hi Paul

A common cause for this is when the little catch that the lever engages with works loose. It is fixed by 2 screws from the inside of the clamp ring so means that you have to take the clamp off the post to fix it. Symptoms are that the clamp won't lock and that it sort of squidges into place instead of clicking to lock.

No prob to adjust it here if you need it, if you do it yourself don't forget to loosen the two adjuster screws before reassembly to avoid cracking the ring itself.

All, be VERY careful with the adjuster screws - they have course threads and should only be tightened a tiny bit at a time. Again the result of over enthusiasm is to crack the ring where the lever pivots.

As an aside a little lube on the lever pivot pin does not go amiss, we have seen several rings cracked where the pivot pin has seized and strong hands have forced the lever open so causing the damage.

Robin Thwaites

OpTex

Hi All

That much power can create real problems for a moving transmitter application. Thomas really hit it on the head when he mentioned multipathing - more power equals more multipathing. I have been in situations with typically a 250mW TX where we have attenuated the output and got a MUCH better signal.

Digital systems seem to be the future usually using relatively low output coded signals - there are a few around and more coming on the market. You will have a small delay as the receiver decodes the signal but this is for monitoring so not important. Naturally if you want to record the signal for transmission then you will have to pay a lot more to get the tool for the job.

Robin Thwaites

OpTex

Hi All

The operator was Mike Caine, the Master may have been one of ours but not sure - if it was they took the stickers off. Really not very sure about the homebuild, the result that they showed (level aaargh!!) was a good indication of it's performance.

Re the 20,000.00 pounds, thats is virtually enough for a Clipper 2 with G-50 or an Archer complete with batteries and focus so it is not unrealistic. Both could fly the broadcast camera they were using.

Robin Thwaites

OpTex

Hi Brad

If its a 700 it may be a 1125 60 camera and probably only has HD component out. It will work with the HD UltraBrite and also ERG Ventures monitor (I have tried one) not sure about Pana or Astro. Almost certainly not with the Miranda. Joe Mac's alternative is a good one - gaffer tape and a search for the right lens.

Robin Thwaites

OpTex

Hi Afton

I have seen more than one post like this and most have lasted some time with no catastrophy but that is no promise. The gimbal body probably covers and braces the area a lot of the time with any normal weight camera. Dings like this are usually caused by docking stand accidents e.g. knocking over the whole thing or removing the sled battery with a heavy camera in place or in a totally unbalanced condition.

I would not recommend trying to epoxy the area as many resins are not compatible with each other, there are other things you can use (e-mail me if you feel up to having a go) but ultimately replacement is the real answer.

Robin Thwaites

OpTex

Hi Imran

If you can use PAG C-50 batteries or NiMH rather than lithiums it is more likely to balance. Main factor is likely to be the lens, if it is a Canon J11 be careful as they are quite heavy and can take you over the top.

As Joe says loose the viewfinder and set the on screen displays to come our of trhe monitoring out, if they are looking for an on board mic. consider re-mounting it lower on the sled (obviously better to loose it altogether).

If you make your own cables an XLR4Male to 2 x XLR4Female "Y" cable is a really handy "emergency" accessory for anyone. It would get power to the focus in this case and be handy for your EFP as well.

Robin Thwaites

OpTex

Hi Matt

You prabably can't bypass the camera and go directly into the transmitter on the spy camera but there are little transmitters around which you could use. As for feeding the receiver signal into the XL2, it is a standard composite input so there should not be a problem unless it feeds out an odd signal.

Robin

Hi All

Taxes bringing gear into the UK are approximately 6% duty (depending on the item and the tarriff it attracts, consumer items could be much more) and the 17.5% VAT. All of Europe applies these rates although percentages can vary from country to country. Duty is usually more in southern Europe and VAT can vary between 15 and 25 percent.

VAT stands for Value Added Tax which means that anything supplied commercially has it applied as that percentage of the value of the goods. Because FedEx, UPS etc. always assume that it is a commercial transaction they apply VAT to everything - a better plan may be to use a freight agent and ship as personal effects. The key thing is that the buyer pays the VAT and then reclaims it if he is able.

Person to person second hand sales within Europe do not attract VAT unless the seller is already VAT registered (if they are making any money they should be anyway). If the buyer and seller are VAT registered the buyer can reclaim the VAT provided that he has the sellers registration number.

All sounds very complex, just our governments way of getting the general publice to collect taxes on their behalf.

The trick is to talk to the shipper first, if you get into problems these things are virtually impossible to undo.

Robin Thwaites

I'm curious if the SOA workshop has ever been to the UK, and if not would their be any chance of doing one here ?

I know paris was close, but no bannana.

-Matt

Watch this space but not this year.

Robin Thwaites

Sorry Richard/Mitz

Too much travelling recently - should be better at geography though.

Robin

Hi Marcin

To do this for the first time with a driver who is doing it for the first time is not a good plan. An experienced driver can help you a lot. I assume you are shooting off the back so make sure that there are a LOT of weights over the front wheels to keep them on the ground. Not someone sitting there, it needs to be lead or some other ballast.

Robin Thwaites

Hi Rick

I would normally reply to this sort of question off board but the question has occurred before so other readers may be interested.

Firstly I see your address is Kent and Manchester, next time you travel between the two why not come and try - there is nothing like actually wearing the rig.

The Flyer arm will give you more vertical travel and (in my opinion) has a better feel. Miko says he has flown an SDX900, I have flown some outragious cameras but bear in mind you may void the warranty over the 15lb specification.

For flying heavier cameras consider NiCad batteries as they are heavier than litium but don't go over the top. You will probably find the fixed post length in relation to the gimbal position more limiting than the arm.

Finally consider all the accessories that you may want to add, video TX, focus, wide angle lens (J11s are very heavy!) etc. If you want to cover adding these things in the future maybe you should put an Archer on the wish list.

Robin Thwaites

OpTex

Hi Thomas

Normally 2.4 would be line of sight but the Preston uses RF technology that overcomes that.

Robin Thwaites

OpTex

Hi Matt

Told you!

Robin

Hi Bryan

Another alternative is to get hold of a PAG charger with the revitalise programme on it. PAG chargers are two wire and will ignore the battery trying to talk back, the problem may be massive cell imbalance in which case the PAG charger will use it's internal software to slow charge and rebalance the cells After that the AB charger will probably work.

12 rears is a long time so to be honest I thing new batts or a recell is on the cards, also note that AB probably would not condone the above procedure but I have seen it work.

Robin Thwaites