Erwin Landau

Still for sale.

At this years Arri sponsored SOC Breakfast meeting Arri introduced the new WRC-4 smart Follow Focus which has great improvements to that point that you are actually holding a small personal Computer with display, etc. in your hand...

Immediately when the Stephan Ukas the Number One tech guy at Arri introduced it, a chuckle went through some of the attendees which was met with blank stares from the Arri people. We made them aware of the history (Cinema Products WRC-4) that that name entailed...

Anyhow, I saw the Unit at this years NAB and it was renamed the WRC-2 (again).

Image saved,

Erwin

I went to the Arri NAB-pre-show and again went by there booth at NAB. From the outside the D-20 and the D-21 are identical, exempt for the sticker. All the changes and upgrades are internal. A couple of Hardware components and a total new Software package. The biggest difference is that the chip's sensitivity got increased to 800 ASA.

Beside some other improvements it features Defect Pixel Correction, etc.

Basically it's the same Camera for our purposes, and all D-20's will be upgraded to D-21 specs, so no more D-20. The Camera remains only for rent in the American and European markets... but will be available for sale in India and Asia...

It's still a stepping stone and is not in it's definite shape and form. It's a testing platform, I was told last year that the final digital Camera would look more like the Arricam LT... once they where happy how it performed.

So much I found out...

Erwin

Hi Nick,

He sold Whitehouse AV and he has now a new company Whitehouse Steadisales.

But still he has the contacts and could point you in the right direction.

1 (805) 498-1658

Good Luck,

Erwin

I got a call last year for a feature. I have done 20 feature lengths project with that Production Company to date. Everything was fine, dates, locations, call times... all as usual and casually before hanging up, I asked it's the ARRI as always right? No we are using Panavision this time... Otto's is out of cameras.

That was the first time I worked with that UPM. They always use Arri's from Otto Nemenz and have never or very seldom used Panavision before.

So I made sure that they had a steadicam camera and the answer was we have two G2's. I said that I would not fly that camera under no circumstances... (if you have to ask why check: http://www.steadicamforum.com/forums/index...?showtopic=1695 or http://www.steadicamforum.com/forums/index...howtopic=262)... after a short silence, she came back with what do you mean... That the G2 was not a steadicam camera... period.

Anyways after some back and forth they got me a LW2. First day all is fine we finish the day, the next morning the first AC comes up to me and half nervous laughing, half concerned uncertainty tells me that Panavision just picked up the LW2 and dropped off another G2 with conversion. I walk over to one of the producers and tell him about it, totally surprised he calls the UPM and a back and forth starts that lasts most of the day. I offer to leave as there is no camera that i can use, but repeatedly, I am held on set as the Production scrambles to get another camera for me...

I do not fly that beast and operate for the rest of the day the B-Camera... no other camera shows up that day... for my next steadicam day they got me the Aaton 35-3...

A couple of weeks later I receive my pay check after I had to repeatedly pound the accounted and on my pay check the day that they couldn't get a dissent camera they subtracted my Steadicam Rental for that day... Calls to the UPM result in very bad relations for the future...

Anyhow...

Now on Saturday I ran into the DP and after some laughter and catching up we started talking about that last show... and he surprised me with that remark:

He had talked to the UPM, as I had stirred up quite a rakes, and that's what she told him happened when she checked in with Panavision... The remark from the Panavision Sales representative was as follows:

"The G2 is a very nice steadicam camera and that she, the UPM and the Production, where misinformed by me the Steadicam Operator and that I didn't know what I was talking about. And that they should in that case replace me with a more competent Steadicam Operator in the future..."

To this day the Producer thinks that I screwed them out of a day by refusing to fly the G2 and that he was right not to pay me as he was backed up by Panavision.

I was quite baffled that Panavision would treat a person that is quite involved in choosing the tools for there job, meaning the camera, in such a way. BTW: I'm starting project #21 with that company... I was asked what camera I would like to use... guess which Rental House/ Camera I declined to use...

Thoughts, Comments... ?

Erwin "Have quite the kicked in the head sensation" Landau

Don had several prototypes on display at the show, in addition to the well known M-1 it included an M-1 Digital version, 4 different M-1 .5 series and 2 .5 Ultralights that are 3 ounces lighter then the already lighter .5 versions.

The .5 series does not have the articulated Motor Cable adapter but instead, to save on weight, a straight connector that swivels. So in conjunction with a right angle motor cable you get a similar effect...

Erwin

Price list from the show attached below:

And from the other side:

Preston DM-2 on the 535B:

Here a close up of the DM-2 Motor with Gear, note the close proximity of the PAM rosetta to the Gear:

The M-1 Preston Gear adapter

What is it:

It's a Lens Motor Gear adapter Kit that makes the use of the snap on M-1 style gears possible. It comes in a sexy plastic container. Included are the Gear adapter that mounts via the familiar 3 screws onto the Drive gear of the Preston DM-1 or DM-2, Six gears (extra wide 0.8m/32P, regular 0.8m/32P, 0.6m, 48P, 0.5m, 0.4m/64P) and an additional container with screws and a Screwdriver. (Cost: $400.-)

I picked up the new puppy from Don Wetzel at this weeks NAB and used it for the first time today on set. As said the adapter quickly mounts onto the Drive gear via the provided screws. Take the gear of choice and snap it on.

As I'm using the 535B with unfortunately the Otto Nemenz modified Lowmode bracket, the mounting of motors from the preferred top was not an option. The larger diameter gears makes the placement more convenient and clears nicely between the Mirror housing and the LMB-5.

For better results use a Preston Motor with the regular output gear instead using the extra wide with later the extra wide on the M-1 adapter makes for a insane wide Focus motor... with resulting placing issues...

Problems with the Kit:

Due to the over size of the Gears and the construction of the Preston Motor, it limits the use of the Hill PAM bracket. In some configurations the Gear will rub against the Rosetta adapter.

I used the adapter with the extra wide 0.8 Pitch on the DM-2. In one instance the Preston motor failed to turn over a 65mm Zeiss Super Speed. I had to quickly change to the DM-1... not sure if the additional torque of the bigger gear was responsible as I did not have the time to duplicate it with the motor sans Gear adapter. I have been using the same set of Lenses for the last Month and that was the first time it happened... Will have to investigate...

Later,

Erwin

PS: Below picture one, what comes in the kit, also the comparison of the DM-2 with and without the M-1 gears. Picture 3 mounted on a 535B.

Birns & Sawyer, Inc. SU11326

$3495.- MSRP...

My guide to NAB 2008:

16x9, Inc. SU3310

AATON C8512

Abel Cine Tech, Inc. C8508

American Grip C9412

Anton/Bauer, Inc. C5917

ARRI Inc. C7428

B&H Photo-Video-Pro Audio SU2905

Band Pro Film & Digital, Inc. SU1320

Bexel Broadcast Services C5912

Birns & Sawyer, Inc. SU11326

Cablecam LLC C10011

CARL ZEISS OPTICS SU1320

Cartoni USA C9428

Century Optics C6233

CineBags Inc. C3254

Cmotion C10319

Fischer Connectors, Inc. N3837

Flying-Cam C11519D

Frezzi Energy Systems, Div of Frezzolini C5023

Glidecam Industries, Inc. C10315

Hardigg Cases N3225

ICG Magazine/ ICG Local 600 C7605

KATA C5923

Kino Flo Lighting Systems C9419

Litepanels, Inc. C10014

Loon Works C10408

Manfrotto C6225

Markertek C4648

Miller Camera Support, LLC C4928

Mole-Richardson Co. C9415

NEBTEK C3748

OConnor C6418

P+S Technik GmbH C10319A

PAG USA C9428

Petrol C6416

Porta Brace, K & H Products, Ltd. C7808

Praezisions-Entwicklung Denz C10619C

Red Digital Cinema SL3820

Redrock Microsystems C11733

Sachtler C6410

Schneider Optics C6233

Sony Electronics Inc. SU906

Spider Support Systems C6915

STE-MAN, Inc. C9428

Technocrane, Ltd. C8519

The Tiffen Company SU8514

Thermodyne Cases SU4920

Thomson SL2120, N914, N215LMR, SL106, N214LMR, N207LMR

TRANSVIDEO C7314

VariZoom C7837

ZGC Inc. C10319

Hi mark,

Looks nice... I always had a soft spot for Diamond plate... maybe the fact that I had to deal with the local fire department a lot as a kid... (I blew up a transformer in a skyscraper where we lived, when I stuck a knitting needle into a wall socket, we had to be rescued after a huge flood and and we got food for a couple of days by fire department boats as our house in my village was under water on another occasion, and I used to light everything on fire as a teenager...)

Anyhow...

I'm torn about the lip. It is very handy when you go "off road" with your cart and encounter pot holes and the likes, the diamond plate does not give enough grip without an additional strap. Loading can be painful with a lip at times especially with heavy cases, but it gives you the grip on inclines to not loose your stuff. My current cart has a 3 inch lip and that was killing me... but I found a solution for that one as well...

Also Diamond plate is heavy, think about flying and transport. It looks like you turned the lower shelf upside down and attached the plate on top. That looses you an inch of usable space, then you have to raise the top shelf... oh... can of worms... been there.

It will never be perfect, also as you change your equipment and you work more on different projects, stuff that seamed so essential turns unnecessary and other things you never paid any attention will drive you bonkers... for a solution/change/better idea...

Nice work, keep on moding.

Erwin

Try:

 

 

http://www.visualproducts.com/store01.asp

 

 

 

 

Erwin

 

Thanks Erwin, I have tried Visual Products & Isaia & The Power Broker. Also tried every site I can think of from Local 600 to ASC etc. Do you know any places like these in maybe the U.K. , Europe or Australia ?

Nick

P.S. How much XCS stuff do you have left ?

Did you try:

http://www.whitehouseav.com/

Even though Derrick doesn't own Whitehouse Audio Visual anymore, he still has contacts and resources. Give him a call. I'm always amazed of the stuff that he pulls out from his desk /garage /file-o-fax /back room.

Regarding XCS. What are you looking for?

Good Luck,

Erwin

The Canatrans worked very well for me for the last couple of years...

Emery was always very reliable in delivery and service and you can just ring him and he will send you one out. Period.

The Modulus 4000 is as of now still vapor ware... Only a handfull have ever seen the prototype unit in person. The Modulus 3000 has not been build for what? 3 or 4 years now. Costumer service seams as frequent as if "do they feel like working today or not, most of the time not"... Parts have almost totally disappeared...

It's your call, it's your money... read the archives.

Enough said.

Erwin

Try:

http://www.visualproducts.com/store01.asp

Erwin

Hi Philip,

I Velcro-ed the crap out of these bags and it was still moving... I usually avoid any kind of sound on my rig. But that time, there was no option... exempt for wiring in...

Anyhow...

The funny part was about 30 minutes later, when the camera decided to separate it self from the mounting threads... They give a 4/20 mounting point, but that mounting point is attached with four miniature M-1 screws that attach to the aluminum body... and voila... see below...

Erwin

Oh yeah, acceleration and deceleration of mass...

Elevator, Escalators, Crane step on/offs, Motorcycle rigs, traveling Trains or Busses... always fun. Think ahead and compensate, always easier said then done.

I did a movie a couple of years ago in Vegas were we shot in one of these Limo Taxies (the ones with the dance poles), the owner wouldn't allow use to use a professional driver, I guess he wanted to be in the movie... First corner first traffic light... I made it to the windshield and almost through it... It wasn't a surprise but then again it was, we ended up doing it handheld and 2 guys spot me, I did several excursions with the mass on my shoulder, everybody was happy after a week that we left that Limo Bus , with only little cuts and bruises...

In the past I have faked elevator travel on stages, where you get into the elevator, the dialog continues as the prop department changes the floor number and props to make it appear like another floor... and they wanted that little bobble to make it appear like a real elevator and not a set...

Jim, the express elevators are always fun, in the past I had two hands on the rig just to not loose the rig and switch back for the exit...

Oh I saw a behind the scenes with Garrett a couple of years ago, as he was faking the turbulences in the Airplane for "Twilight Zone: The Movie" ... so many uses for the steadi... fun, fun.

Erwin

From the archives:

Guido Lux May 19 2006, 10:29 AM

Guys!

Backup seems the way to go no matter which arm you use!Since there's no titanium springs on the PRO arm...here's what happened to a friend of mine....!

Guido "stick with the backup theory" Lux

--------------------

Guido Lux

www.liquid-moves.tv

And another one:

Hey Sandy,

Wow... I think to remember that Guido Lux had a similar incident....

Check out that thread:

http://www.steadicamforum.com/forums/index...=3112&st=30

I had not as big of a failure:

http://www.steadicamforum.com/forums/index...?showtopic=1695

Later,

Erwin

Is Tom averting his eyes from the horror?

What is that, a cable box on top of that thing? I hope you got the Spice Channel for in between takes....

A thing called Hard Drive I believe, or something... Homemade... I'm new at that...

All my little monitors bit the dust or grew legs...

I want something that works with the HU-3 only and is powered of the Handunit, one battery change at the time.

(Below a picture of my old HU-2 set up with monitor and light...)

True...

But with the 535B I'm ready to work in 20 minutes... each of these concoctions took at least 2 hours to get somewhat useable and everybody is looking at you as if you have never seen a camera before...

I thought we were done with the box of parts and full fledged tool kit. Yes I have it with me, but I don't complain if I don't have to pull it out....

And for that one I had to dig deep in my magic box...

A lot of velcro and zip ties (for the Harddrive) and a tripod adapter (That's what is mounted on top, to connect the ring light).

Oh well...