chris fawcett

There's a good picture of the cross-back straps here: http://www.jerryholway.com/docs/t_ultramanual_1-15.pdf page 7 All the best, Chris

Wow, Cross-eyed mode is great! Chris

Hi Thomas, I originally wanted a C324, but changed my mind when I flew the A2. I also originally wanted a Pro vest, but didn't like as much as the LX. It's all about what suits you, and your operating style. Back straps you add using double-sided velcro and a few buckles. It takes half an hour. Deal with Robin Thwaites at Tiffen Europe. He'll be happy to hear from you! All the best, Chris

Me too. This is the same unit, just with more features. I'll let you know when I get it. Chris

Hi Thomas, It wasn't the cash. This is the rig I want. It flies a huge range of camera weights, and packs up small. The LX is the vest I want too. It fits me better than any other vest, bar none. I recommend the motorized stage too. It's great for trimming during shot, but you can upgrade the stage any time you want. Call me if you want to chat about it: +316 2391 8492 Chris

Interesting, Thanks for taking the time to explain that. All the best, Chris

Hi Thomas, I'm really impressed by the Archer 2s. I recommend it thoroughly. Chris

I'm getting the full version of the Titan HD for testing. We can arrange a demo in the Netherlands if you like. Chris

Hi Sydney, Thanks for the comprehensive reply. Excuse my ignorance, but the clips I renamed play on Firefox and IE, both Mac and PC, and on Safari. Isn't that enough? Chris

I use both, but like V-Lock better. The Transvideo is V-Lock.

Maybe you all knew this already, but since Flash adopted H.264, if you want to change .mov or .mp4 H.264 files to .flv, you don't have to re-encode—just change the extension to .flv It has worked on everything I've tried it on so far. This also means you can still use a tool like ffmpegx to compress your files to H.264, rather than (to my mind the inferior) Flash Video Encoder. Chris

Nope!

Thomas, The full version is definitely Steadicam ready. I used it for 5 days at the 2009 IBC. The RX is large, though—not a portable unit like the 'light' RX. Video taps are going HD, but too slowly to make any difference to us. I'll get the Transvideo 'light' version, and buy a crappy SD system too (video taps are often crappy anyway). If you feed them regulated 12V, they don't burn out too often. Maybe it's a crazy idea, but does anyone know of a portable (matchbox-sized) video scaler to up-convert SD to HD? Like you, I charge a set fee that includes all my gear. If I ask the production company to pay extra for transmission, they cable me. They don't have the right experience to make decisions like that, and why should they? I take the decision out of their hands by bringing everything (even the Handsfree). It makes my job easier, and keeps them happy. Chris

Hi Thomas, There is no delay. I'm pretty much decided too. On my last job I was cabled on stairs :( Never again! Chris

Thanks Thomas! I think it is true for all rigs, except ones with 24V batteries that step down to 12V. It's easily checked with a meter. It's also true for power drawn from B-battery plate D-Taps. That's why there are no D-Taps on the Tiffen Steadicam B-battery plates. Good luck, Chris

No problem at all, though it might make your rig a little back heavy. You can add weight out the monitor bracket to compensate. You're very welcome, Chris

Thanks to Robin Thwaites for pointing this out, to Jerry Holway for helping to prepare this, and to Rob Orf for correcting it. Transmitter manufacturers, among others, are increasingly adopting the Sony V-Mount battery standard to solve two problems at once. That of securely mounting an accessory to a video camera, and of powering it. This usually means mounting a TX directly onto a camera battery plate, then sandwiching the TX between the camera and the battery. With Steadicam, a TX is usually best placed on the camera, but occasionally—for weight issues, or if the rig is in low-mode—we may want to mount the TX on a Steadicam battery plate. This can be hazardous. Most rigs with more than one battery plate have a switch that changes two batteries from parallel to series. It’s an easy and efficient way to generate 24 volts, but means that placing a TX on the wrong Steadicam battery plate may fry the camera, the rig, or the TX. Let’s call the battery plates used to power the rig plate A and plate B. In 12V mode A and B are in parallel. In 24V mode, they are in series: A will connect to ground and +12V, B will connect to +12V and +24V. If you don’t have a meter, you can tell which plate is A because, when in 24V mode, A is the plate that will power the rig with one single battery. Mounting a single battery elsewhere on the rig in this mode will not power it. In Tiffen rigs (current 12/24 Flyer, Archer, Clipper, and Ultra models), this is the plate that faces to the rear when the rig is collapsed for packing. Deployed, it is the rear/lower plate. The danger arises if you place a TX on the B plate in 24V mode. In this case, the ground the TX will receive is floating at 12V. This ground is connected to the video ground, and that will send that 12V up places where the sun don’t shine. The simple rule is to never mount a TX on the B battery plate. Even in the ‘safety’ of 12V mode, all it will take is a careless flick of a switch to cause pretty coils of blue smoke to rise, followed by interminable phone calls to your insurance agent. Since many of us take a James Bondian approach to saying never, I include a table listing the 12 possible combinations of one or two batteries and transmitter on the two plates in both series and parallel. I 12V—both batteries in parallel. II 12V—‘A’ battery only active. 24V—both batteries in series. Fry safe, Chris

Here are the Titan HD prices: 904TS0129 TITAN HD pack (Tx + Rx) €8,700 904TS0133 TITAN HD Rx only with 5 antennas €5,200 904TS0131 TITAN HD option Down Converter Rx (only 60Hz & 50Hz) €600 And la piece de resistance (that's French for 'the dog's bollocks') 904TS0132 TITAN HD Light pack (Tx + Rx) €4,500 The 'Light' version is the same uncompressed quality as its big brother.

See you in hell ;) (EDIT: sorry, forgot what this thread was supposed to be about)

You worry about shit like this on your birthday? Is hell not open where you are? Un abrazo fuerte desde Amsterdam!

I concur.

Just present the camera to a machinist to measure up the spacings, and show that picture. That's a line of 3/8-16 holes along there. It's an easy job (when you know what you are doing). If you are expecting to work a lot with that camera/rig combination, I really recommend it. All the best, Chris

Mike, Keeping the camera close to the Flyer stage is good. A custom plate like this will help with balance and also reduce weight. All the best, Chris

Agreed, I recoil from the Bourne look, though it undoubtedly saves on acting, sets, props, narrative—everything but dramamine. I was recently asked for it by a director who also kept asking me to pan up so we could get some capacious headroom too. Chris

Hi Brian, That's an interesting point you raise. When shooting Children of Men, the cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki apparently wanted to use Steadicam, but was overruled by the director, Alfonso Cuarón, who wanted the handheld feel. Under the same circumstances, I'd feel the same way as Lubezki, and want to compress my rig as much as possible into a 'running' configuration. I like the sudden spatial translations of 'handheld' without the angular ones, and think Children of Men would have been benefitted from following the cinematographer's advice. Having said that, the quality of the handheld in that film is masterful. Have a great shoot, Ian, and make getting yourself to a professional workshop a priority. All the best, Chris