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Andrew Payne

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Everything posted by Andrew Payne

  1. This is a complete Steadicam Scout system. - SDI monitor - AB Gold Mount (batteries are not included) - Very good condition and fully functional Here's Tiffen's brochure: http://www.tiffen.com/userimages2/Steadicam/Steadicam_ScoutHD_Broch.pdf
  2. Brett, I've used the Zacuto for about a year and I'm very happy with it. I have the shorter one and it's rock solid and has a beefy tightener that I find quite easy to use. The weak point is always that 1/4 20 mount on the monitor (as you note), that comes loose if the monitor gets bumped / touched / looked at. Zacuto's connector piece in this case is pretty good with the claws to keep the monitor from turning loose, but not perfect. To your question about quick release, since the rod end of the arm fits into this bit, you can pull the monitor off the arm without unthreading, which was a major selling point for me.
  3. Those are good tips. Solder type doesn't matter really, although I would opt for lead free. It takes a little more heat to melt, but a decent iron (~$20) will do the job. If at least one of the two wires is still connected to the p-tap, you can tell your polarity. Some cables have flecks or stripes which indicate the positive wire. Some are red and black where black is your negative. 1 - remove the old solder. There are little air pump devices that can be used to suck up the old solder, just melt it and vacuum it up. It needn't be perfectly clean. 2 - prime the wire end. Clip the the "dirty" ends off, strip about 1/8" of the sleeve off. Twist the wires clockwise to make them compact, heat them with the iron, and melt a little solder onto them (separately). 3 - prime the terminal. Same deal, heat the contact on the p-tap where the wire connects and melt just a little solder on it. 4 - connect. Heat the contact area to liquify the solder on there, press the wire in and let it all melt together. It's important for the contact to be hot to avoid a "cold" joint (i.e., a bad connection). Notes: Avoid using too much solder. Although you need to get the metal hot for the solder to make a good connection, be careful not to melt the plastic parts of the connector. P-taps are polarized as mentioned above, so just look on the connector for plus and minus. If it's your first time, practice first. It's not complicated, but it takes practice.
  4. Michael, if the camera + accessories are under 18 lbs, the Scout will perform correctly. In my opinion the Scout is a nice starter, it will work great with small cameras like the Canon C-series and REDs. There are limitations of course to how many accessories you can attach, but as you said, price is a limiting factor too. Buy a Scout used if possible; resell and upgrade when your son outgrows it. For batteries, call John Ritter Batteries (see ad on this forum). You can get re-celled batteries at a discount, and he can help you with the basics of selection.
  5. Also know that there are two versions of the Pilot video system (SD and HD). The SD will have a smaller 5.8" monitor and I believe an RCA plug on the stage. The HD is a 7" monitor.
  6. Ritter Battery is just fantastic. Can definitely help with this and fast.
  7. Has anyone used this, and if so do you you like/dislike it? Thanks!
  8. Does the post have an opening at the bottom to allow an HDMI plug to pass?
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