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Done!… Thank you everyone.

Wow! I haven't had a chance to post but here's some more--Glad to hear folks are thinking of ways of reviving old Pilots and Flyers! First Live Operation Attempt (April 2023) In the spring of 2023, I had an opportunity to use the Steadicam in a live environment. I've been a volunteer with FIRST Robotics for about twenty years--they run student robot design competitions which are a mix of engineering challenge and live sporting event. Students build fridge-sized robots which compete, six at at time, on a tennis court sized field, complete with emcees, announcers, and a broadcast crew, at about ten events over the spring. Over the years they've built up a fairly extensive live broadcast operation which incorporates as many as ten cameras, with a mix of operator/tripod mounted, remote PTZ, and lipstick-type fixed cameras fed into a live webcast. One new piece of equipment they started to play with in the fall of 2022 was a cheap battery powered wireless video transmitter, the Hollyland Mars 400 Pro, which works like a low cost Teradek. I offered to try the Steadicam out there--in a strange, "this guy wants to come by with his weird science project"...kind of way. Like that one person at your local church or alumni reunion who keeps offering to bring their prize-winning casserole recipe or suggesting they feature his avant-garde jazz trio. In a big Rubbermaid tote, I brought out the whole system and we set it up with a the Hollyland transmitter running on a giant NP-F battery, the C100 on its own battery, and the Lilliput A7S monitor on the Ryobi drill battery. We got the Hollyland receiver wired into the NewTek Tricaster switcher and with a Clearcom hanging off the vest, I was now wireless and free to roam the arena. Off I went flying the camera around... ...that is until we realized the entire robot control field was crashing around us. Turns out the robot control system uses regular Wi-Fi--each robot carries a generic Wi-Fi Internet router as its control radio. The field controller arbitrates all the driver inputs and sends them over the air. And it's all on the same channel as...you guessed it, the Hollyland transmitter/receiver. It took about half an hour to figure out this snag--there was suddenly this giant interloper eating the entire 5GHz band 20Mhz channel the robot control system was on. We moved the transmitter off onto its own channel and we were back in business. Another complication was the wiring for the preview monitor--I needed to get the HDMI out of the C100 camera into both the monitor and the Hollyland transmitter. Using the loop through port on the monitor, the Hollyland would identify the signal as 720x480, not as the full 1920x1080x60i we wanted. At these events, I came to a few conclusions: You really need a C stand to set up and configure a Steadicam rig. There really is no other way to do this--I tried using a Manfrotto superclamp on a fence and a big tripod, but you really can't fool around with the dock on anything but a C stand. I found the sled "getting away from me" as I operated, which I learned later was me not tuning the threads on the socket block correctly. The Steadicam can break the "180 degree rule" (the relative left/right positions of subjects in a scene) because it's not fixed in any given location. I really don't have enough time on the rig to be good at it. Either way, we got a few hours with the Steadicam on these events and it was a good learning opportunity. The next projects would be to refine the lower sled and redesign the wiring to use a single power source, including the transmitter.

Ah thank you Keith. I really like the idea of having one case for a base of everything you need. Next step is breaking out the ol label maker and numbering!

Thank you Benoit, this advice is going to help me out a ton going forward. I’ll forever keep skittles and jelly beans in my kit!

Bump!

sold

$500 or Best offer. Looking to get rid of it

Off market

Almost sold. Fell through. Still avail. Thx!

Still available.

Hello All! Does anyone have a picture of the Chapman Steadicam Walk Off Platform that attaches to the front of the Hustler or Hybrid Dollie’s? I’ve used them before (never took a pic), and now I’m trying to show someone a pic and can’t find one anywhere! Chapman Leonard website lists it as an item, but offers no image. Not important, so no rush, but if you come across one, I’d take it gladly. cheers, Bud Kremp

Bumping

Bumpy bump

I know this is a long shot since the post is 7 months old but any chance this is still for sale?

Interested in making an offer if still available

Interested if still available

Hi, I sell my X-Spine vest with front and X-Bone back mount with all the bags, tools, spare parts and extra padding. Included the tool clip on, Baby Pin mount, SPACER PADS, ACCESSORIES CLIP-ON, BACK RELIEF PAD The reason why i am selling is that I used to my Walther Klassen vest and the x-spine is to tight for my big abdomen. Asking 5.500 Euro + shipping cost

Bump! extra topstage has been sold, still a complete package. New price: 28.500 € OBO for more details pls contact: sascha.el.gendi@gmail.com

I'm looking for a solution to control zoom and focus on cinema lenses that don't have servo control. Like external motors and a MDR. I know about GZoom and I'm considering going that direction. I just wanted to know if there was something else available I could consider.

PRICE REDUCTION -- $ 750.00. - Free Shipping to the US

Price Reduction -- $1500.00 (plus shipping to US)

SOLD, Thank you for everyone's interest

SOLD

This kit includes: - TIFFEN Ultra 2 – 3 stage sled - TIFFEN Volt Kit - Small cable package (2x BNC’s, 1x ARRI Mini/LF power, 1x XLR power cable) - Docking bracket - Volt cables - Original Theromodyne hard case **Some impact damage to the base, it has been glued and reset but has visual cracks shown in photos** £14,000 + VAT (Offers Accepted) Please email sales@opticalsupport.com for offers and enquiries. IMG_9523.jpeg

Hey are you still looking?