Scott Monk

85mm Lens is Sold.

PL Mount. All lenses in Pristine Condition. No Scratches. No Dust. No Fungus. No Cleaning Marks. CPs - $1,500 each. Schneider - $2,000. PayPal - buyer pays shipping + fees. PM me for more pics.

Dan, Selling my Zephyr. It has beefier power & video lines/connectors upgraded by Terry West, extra battery hanger, more extras. Sent you a PM Regards, Scott

There are no $4500 Aero 30 units for sale, unless you're talking used - then they're a LOT cheaper. New with a battery option, they are mostly $5,250 - then add shipping and maybe sales tax. Here is a used Gold mount zephyr on eBay today w/low mode bracket with a Buy it Now price of $5,200. https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p3984.m570.l1313.TR12.TRC2.A0.H0.Xsteadicam+zephyr.TRS0&_nkw=steadicam+zephyr&_sacat=0 I assure you that any attaching you can do on an Aero 30, you can do on a Zephyr and you'll also have a more flexible rig. There's a reason why new Aero 30s sell for about half of the price of a new Zephyr.

Francisco is right. Also, the Aero 30 may spec-out at 20 lb payload, but when you actually try to fly that weight, you will find your post needs to be fully-extended and it will vibrate. The Zephyr will vibrate also when the post is fully extended flying heavy loads. But with the Zephyrs extra battery plate option, you can add more weight to the bottom of the sled so you can shorten the post. I've posted recently how I had mounted a two-into-one hot-swap battery plate to my Zephyr's add-on battery plate and flown the rig with two big V-Mounts (240 WH) on it. That allowed me to fully shorten the post when flying a Red One camera build with several add-ons and a 5-lb Cine Xenar lens. In one case, I actually mounted a Red hard drive to one side of the hot-swap plate to get more weight off the top stage and onto the bottom, and used a 6-ft drive cable bongo-tied to the post. It worked great; no vibration and my post was only extended about one inch. For the same money (or less) as an Aero 30, you can get a used Zephyr that is much more flexible to configure. Not to mention, it's max payload is about 3 lbs higher. That 3 lbs doesn't sound like much, but it can make a big difference.

I use the Marshall V-LCD70XP-3GSDI, as I stated in a thread above. It's not too expensive, you can find them on eBay fairly frequently and they can be used with the Sturm CG Yoke (see above). If you go that route, be sure you buy a Marshall with the mounting blocks on the side of the case. Good Luck, Scott

Sander, Before you spend a lot of money on this, purchase a few small, cheap weight plates from the local sporting goods store. Try tying them (one at a time, and firmly- so they don't move) to the sled with bongos or gaff tape. Try small plates in the 1 - 2 kilo range to see if it helps. For maximum effect, mount them as low on the bottom of the sled as you can. Regards, Scott

Sander, At 9 kilos, you're flying close to the specified max of the Aero 30. Is your sled fully extended? My experience with the Zephyr is that if you fully extend the small-post-diameter sleds (standard procedure if you're flying big weight), your going to frequently get vibration like that. You can easily check if it's your camera plate. Try jiggling it with your fingers. If it doesn't move, it's not the plate. Do the same with other components on the top stage. If they don't move, they are not the problem. if you suspect your post is vibrating due to being fully extended, shorten it for this load by adding more weight to the bottom. Bongo-tie or gaff tape some weight to the bottom where the sled is still in static/dynamic balance, but the sled is not extended at all, or only slightly extended. I got around the problem on my V-mount Zephyr by adding a 2-into-1 battery plate (aka, hot-swap plate), so I could add 2 batteries, adding more weight to the bottom of the sled. I then used two large (240 wh) V-mounts with the plate. That enabled me to fly a fully-built Red ONE camera without the sled extended at all. My vibration problem went away.

I keep spares of all stage hardware, and check the stage frequently - especially when flying heavier builds on the Zephyr. Never had a problem (yet). Although, I don't really fly the Zephyr much anymore unless it's small camera jobs.

Dominik, I've literally flown a 29-lb camera package on my Zephyr, with enough counter-weight on the bottom of the sled to only extend the post 1 inch, and the Zephyr arm did not bottom out (but it was close). I know the Tiffen people all say not to do that, but it works. On my Zephyr arm, anyway. Would I do it as a common practice? No. When I stepped up to flying bigger camera builds more often, I went to the Ultra 2.

Here is a photo of the CG monitor yolk on the rig. Mine was made by Frederick Sturm. here's his post talking about it. You can contact him. http://www.steadicamforum.com/index.php?showtopic=20074

Dominik, If the Zephyr has the Marshall V-LCD70XP-3GSDI, that's a good monitor, in my opinion. I have a Zephyr with that monitor and, although I don't really use it anymore, I've flown Alexa Studios, Minis, even a 29-lb Red One build with no problems. That Optimo should not be a problem, but it depends on what else you're hanging on your camera build. Zooming will affect your trim, but you'll have the same problem in any rig you fly, regardless of cost. Lisa's right - it's your technique that will keep the shot level if balance changes a little, not the rig you are flying. Also, like she said, you really should get the CG monitor yolk for the Zephyr. I have one, and it makes tilting the monitor a breeze - no re-balancing. One thing you want to do with the Zephyr, though - get the add-on battery hanger plate. It allows you to add more weight to the bottom of the sled and avoid extending the post - as well as providing more power for bigger cameras. The Zephyr will vibrate if you fly a heavy build and try to balance it by extending the post a lot. I added a 2-into-1 battery adapter plate (aka, hot swap plate) to my add-on battery hanger, and flew the Zephyr with 2 batteries on the expansion, as well as the one battery on the stock battery plate. That weight makes a big difference when flying heavy builds. Avoid extending the post much, if at all possible. BTW...I'm willing to sell my Zephyr if you're interested. The power wiring has been upgraded by Terry West to handle the bigger cameras without killing your sled batteries. It also has multiple HD video lines added. Good Luck, Scott

Actually, my plate didn't have the diode mod; I had to add it myself. But Chris is right - you'll have to add a rectifier diode to prevent back-charging. I noticed I didn't have it when the charging LEDs would light up on one of my Red Bricks when I had one mounted with other batteries. The info on DIY-ing the mod is somewhere here on the forum.

I use one. As you probably know, the Lemo pigtail on the 2nd plate plugs into the connector at the bottom of the sled so it can pair up with the standard battery holder. The switch on the plate puts the two batteries in parallel or serial. If you get the pin-outs straight on the Lemo, and recreate the switch pole wiring, you could make your own with the parts you have.

Joseph, I've been using BCB V-mount batteries exclusively for 5 years. I've got 8 of them in all power capacities. They're great and I've never had a problem with them, and they even have versions for the RED cameras that report battery condition on the monitor. I recommend the higher watt-hour models for their higher discharge capacity and extra weight on the rig to help balance bigger camera builds. Regards, Scott

Been there. File a Lien IMMEDIATELY. Get a lawyer experienced in this. He will ruin their day. Don't get screwed. Be the screwer, instead.

Tenzin, I've got a fully-decked-out Zephyr that was my starter rig. I had it modified by Terry West to add beefier power wiring and extra HD signal lines. Use an Ultra 2 now, so I'm ready to sell it. Should fly a 416 or 235 easily. I've flown 30 lbs with it - no problem. Sent you a PM. Regards, Scott Monk

Paul, I used a Zephyr for quite awhile with the dovetail extra battery hanger and flew Alexas with it with no problem. If you have the extra battery dovetail hanger, the rocker switch is for changing between 12 & 24 volts when both batteries are mounted. 12v position = both batteries are in parallel. 24v = batteries switched to series. Use a voltmeter at the sled power pins to figure out which setting is which voltage and mark it clearly on the battery hanger where you can see it when you're flying - saves time and hassle. To get around expensive hot-swap units, I just use a 2-into-1 dual battery plate on the dovetail and regular battery mount on the Zephyr. It adds more run-time with the extra batteries and extra weight so you don't have to fly with the sled extended so far, and it's easy to hot-swap batteries on either part of the sled that way. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Switronix-GP-TS-Adapter-Gpts-V-mount-Hot-Swap-/232371026828?epid=1200152092&hash=item361a647b8c:g:qyAAAOSwYmZXN3lT There are cheaper ones, but they don't fit as well, I've found. Warning: I finally had to have Terry West upgrade the wiring in my Zephyr, cause the post wiring gauge is just too small for powering Alexas. You may have to upgrade your wiring if you plan on flying high-amp cameras like Alexa, or you'll be switching batteries often - a lot of current is lost in wire resistance. Good Luck, Scott

Thanks, Robin!

I can't find any info at Tiffen about the 3rd arm segment. Anyone know when it'll be available and pricing?

Sales Tax is charged only when the destination of the shipped goods is in the same state from which the seller has shipped. Florida DOES have a "Use Tax", however, which is very unusual. Here is what their Tax Sales and Use Guide says: "Use tax is due on purchases made out of state when the item is brought into Florida for use or storage in Florida within six months of the purchase date. Use tax is applied in the same manner as sales tax. The use tax rate and sales tax rate are the same in each county." Collected Sales Tax receipts are paid to the state taxing entity on a periodic basis. Regards, Scott

I'm with Jens on the Transvideo 8". Had this one for over a year it's perfect. Also, support from Transvideo has been top-notch; that's VERY important.

Pelican cases. Two 1650's; one with foam for batteries & chargers, one with dividers for all the cables & lose stuff. They're tough, they roll around and are easy to throw in the truck. I use them for table-tops when building-out, and for seating when I'm resting. When I need more space, I'll buy another one. The dividers are Velcro-edged - makes it easy to re-configure without having to buy again when you want to change the layout. Plus, you can usually get used ones pretty cheap on eBay.

I forgot one of the most important parts of Income Taxes - Deductions! Where you're self-employed, almost everything you spend for your work is tax-deductible. Rigs, parts, cables, knobs, bongo straps, gear repairs...everything. Travel expense mileage (57.5 cents/mile as of 2015) if you drive to/from the gig and the set, hotels, travel to a repair center, freight to ship your gear, etc. About the only thing you can't deduct is meals. And actually you can, but they have a formula that cuts the expense so much, that it's not even worth your time to do the calculation. Oh, if you're getting a per Diem, still take the expense deductions for lodging, but treat the per Diem as taxable income. Keep ALL receipts! That's very important. As the IRS's budget has been drastically cut over the last several years, only a very big fish is likely to get audited. But, even so, that's hassle you just don't want to face - believe me. Tax returns can be audited for up to 10 years, so keep everything for at least that long. I put all my deduction receipts in large manila envelopes marked by year. Better safe than sorry. Regards, Scott

Ladies and Gentlemen, Thread is old, but I have a fair bit of knowledge about payroll/taxes/accounting, so I'm going to share. Any money that comes into your possession that you didn't have before is considered taxable income by the IRS - regardless of the source, EXCEPT for inheritance. If you are getting a W2 for the work, no sweat - you don't have to put aside any of the income for taxes - it's already withheld by your W2 employer. But, if you're NOT getting a W2, the payer has an obligation under the law to send you a 1099 at year-end for any money paid you that is $600, or more. So, you'd better withhold taxes out of any money you get that is 1099 income - even if it's LESS that $600. Why? Even if the income from one payer is LESS than $600, they might send you a 1099 at year-end anyway - it's happened to me several times for gear-rental day jobs. Usually, this comes from companies that have been burned by the IRS for not following the rules - they overcompensate. Remember that a copy of every 1099 you get goes to the IRS, so they know about your income. To be safe, I pay about 25% (income tax withholding), plus 15.3% (Medicare + SSA) of every dime I get that's not W2 income.. If I don't get 1099's for all of it at year-end, then Yay! - I get that tax money back from the IRS when I file. If you withhold (pay the IRS as you go - very important), you might not have to pay any additional at filing time. But, if you do - it should be minimal. Another thing: if you have a kick-ass year, you better pay in even more - 30%, at least for income tax. The 15.3% (SSA/Medicare) is constant up to $118,500/year, then it's 0%) - every time you get paid. If not, you might under-withhold and have to pay more at the end of the year. It you under-withhold a lot, you can also get hit with a penalty when you file. With the IRS, it's better safe than sorry; one great year, I under withheld - like, a lot. I had to pay eight grand, with the penalties. That hurt. I learned my lesson. I also recommend using Turbo Tax. I've been using it for 16 years, and it's great. Low fees, direct deposit of your refund, all of prior year tax returns are available on-line, and it's interactive user interface makes it easy to use, even if you're self-employed. You can run from your mother, your ex-wife, and Don Corleone...but the IRS will get you every time. :) Hope this helps. Scott.