Lars Erik

Hey Robert,

wow. Thanks for the great reply. It seems like you know a lot about this. I on the other hand, when my wireless video doesn't work, I just tend to smash the system around until it works. :P Nah, just kidding.

So you'll think it'll be ok on the water, yeah?

And just one more question. I've always used the 5gHz option on my the-boxx.tv. If I understand you correctly, in dense areas, it's better to use the 2.4gHz? I thought the 2.4gHz was very busy with lots of other signals on it.

Thanks again, Robert.

LE

Hey everyone,

I'm doing a shoot for General Electric. The setting is this: there will be filming in one boat, and the client (GE), will be on a boat that's following it. GE wants a link from the main boat to their boat. Shooting on film.

My question is this: I know sound people complain when they're using wireless audio on boats, because the signal doesn't have any land to travel by. So the signal breaks up very quickly when the Tx and Rx gets from a certain distance from another, and it's a lot shorter distance on water then on land.

Will a video link behave like the audio signal also and break up quicker?

I've got the-boxx.tv wireless microwave set, but can easily rent the CanaTrans.

Thanks for any info.

LE

Great! Thank you for your reply Garret.

LE

Hey everyone,

I've owned my G-50 arm since December '05. An operator here in Norway told me he always loosened the lift button while it wasn't in use. Meaning if he didn't use it for a week or so. He owned a EFP.

Is there any truth to this? Should I loosen the lift button so it's more set to lighter cameraes than heavier cams when it's not in use? He meant that is wasn't good for the arm to be set to a high lift level at all times... I don't know. I've been doing this for one year only.

LE

Ok guys,

Archos contacted med and told me that the anamorphic recording on the 500 was a problem they're working on. They said they should be able to solve the problem with a new firmware that should be available for download in a short time.

LE

Hey Mark,

yeah I've only been operating for a year almost. Bought my Archer in December of 2005. But I've been asked about 35mm jobs now, so I'll be upgrading my rig to 24v in November. I'm taking it to Michael Hofmann of Hofmann AB in Sweden. He'll help me with the upgrade.

The job eventually went all the way up to a 535. Which is too much for my rig. So I called a colleague of mine who has a MK-V rig. He did the job.

I agree with you about giving the DP all the possibilities he/she needs.

LE

Is it just me or has cinemtography.com gotten a whole lot worse and un-professional? Have you read the posts some of these guys leave over there? I'm not talking about Jim Jannard, but the reactions to his post. I'm actually a bit shocked

I want to give out a big thank you to our moderators for keeping this forum clean and professional. Thank you.

I know this post has nothing to do with Steadicam, but needed to say this.

LE

Hi Lars

 

Just to satisfy my curiosity first are you doing much film work (or turning it away!)?

 

Robin

Hey Robin. The problem is that I'm doing mostly film work. So far with S16, but just got asked to do at 35mm job. ArriLite camera. And had to turn this down due to the 24v issue.

LE

Hey everyone,

I'm sick of my 12v rig and upgrading to 24v. But I would like to know if anyone can do this for me, or help me. I just don't feel 100% comfortable with messing around with my rig in that way just yet.

Does anyone know of anyone who offers these services in the UK or Europe? Tiffen maybe? Robin, do you offer this?

LE

Ok guys,

thank you very much for all the info. I'll look into different battery system than AB.

For the record, the DoP has decided to shoot on the Arricam Studio. And in worst case scenario, I'll use the 24v battery that comes with the camera and attach it with strong velcro to my dovetail which is straight under the post.

LE

Hey Alec and Rob,

thanks for the info.

I'm looking into making my rig 24v. I'm planning on using AB Hytron 50's in addition to the 120's. The 50's will be attatched at the rods and cable will go up and inside of the rig.

But I have just one more question regarding the 435. I spoke to the director and the highest he'll be shooting is at 50 fps. Will this be ok with the converter? Sorry for the questions. Only been operating since December, so there's lots of things to figure out.

Thank you.

LE

Hey guys. I've been asked about doing a shoot with the 435.

I have a 12v systems Steadicam. And I also have a 14v-26v power converter from Marrell Electronics in the UK. I use AB Hytron 120's on my rig.

Will this be enough power to power up the 435? What about shooting at 72 or 150 frames?

Thanks for any info.

LE

Ok,

thank you very much for the info, Charles.

LE

Hey guys,

I'm doing a shoot with a ARRI SRIII. Will I need steadimags for this camera?

Also I have a 12V rig, but have ordered a power converter, which DHL has delayed. Will it be ok to use standard onboard batteries for the time being on the SRIII? These aren't too heavy or big, are they?

LE

Hey Chris,

no I'm afraid that my maxing test has floated a bit out. I've just haven't been able to find the right time to do it. Either I've been working or the cameraes I want to test are rented out. But as I said once before, I did a shoot with a camera rig that weighed about 19 kilos. In my opinion, this is the limit. The rig will become more unstable if anything heavier is attached to it. But I think 19 kilos on such a small rig and gimbal is very impressive. But on the 24th of September I'm doing a short with the 435.

Do you know if Tiffen will sell the top stage w/ tilt head to Archer owners? Kinda want the tilt head myself.

Unfortanetely I've got some gigs when the IBC hits off. So I won't be able to come. But I'm still planning to visit you sometime with my wife. She's got a new job now, so she only has weekends off. But don't be too surprised if I suddenly show up at your door. :)

LE

BTW Chris,

congratulations on your new rig. May you and your rig have many happy moments!

Hey guys, yes the XDCam is a good camera. I've used this very much. It as the same housing as the MPEG IMX, it just shoots with discs instead of tape. I love the disc functions. You have a swith called thumbnail, press this and all your shots are displayed on the LCD screen as thumbnails. You can watch your shots without rewinding.

The camera also has a flip switch. If you're shooting low mode, you can just flip the image in the menu of the camera. Nice. I wonder if Sony integrated this in the menu just for folks like us?

Chris, have you bought a Archer now? Just read that you're enjoying your G-50 arm. Have you gotten in all into small Pelican cases?

LE

Hey guys,

been talking to Marrell in the UK about their power converters. They say that a 12v systems, which is drawing power from a 13.8 battery, will be able to power a 435 and different 24v FF systems with a 14v-26v power converter. They also have 12v-24v power converters. Is this solution a good idea for getting the Archer into the 24v availability?

LE

Weights added to the back of the monitor will make it difficult to get the monitor where you want it. Specially in low-mode. As said before, I've added weights to the front bracket and it's been a great solution for me. I think the 24v solution is in placing a 2nd battery between the low end of the rig and the battery rods. To me that's the only place it will work with DB.

Been doing a lot of Steadicam jobs lately, from 16mm to heavy video cams with heavy HD lenses and FF and matteboxes etc. And as Eric pointed out, there is a limit to the Archer, but it's greater than most think. I'm guessing it's in the whereabouts of 17-19 kilos. Then the rig will get harder to control. Did a SDX900 shoot with J11 lens, matte box, FF, theboxx.tv wireless, Archos and Antlers w/ the heaviest weights on. In addition I had my weights, 2kg, and Hytron 120 batteries, 2.5 kg. The whole rig weighed about 22.5 kilos. Subtract the weight of the Archer itself, 4 kilos, which leaves us with about 18-19 kilos. I'm guessing this is the max load of the Archer.

Haven't thought much about the 24v issue yet, as the work is just piling up. And I'm happy about that. :D But keep posting ideas. We need to get the Archer up to 24v. Don't want to be running around with a small back pack with a 24v battery in it on my back.

LE

Hey everyone,

some updates. I'm away on work on a documentary feature which is being shot on 16mm. A lot of it being Steadicam. I'm by the seaside, and it's windy. Lots of low-mode, and I've used Antlers on a lot of shots. And let me tell you, those battery rods are strong. I've done a few 360 degrees and quite a bit of hard running with fast pans. The rig is flawless. I would have posted pictures, but my camera commited suicide by jumping into the ocean.

Anyway, just wanted to let you know that Antlers in low-mode is working!

BTW, anyone know what's happening with the 24v thingy that Richard is working on?

Lars E

Ok. Just paid and can now add images. Sorry guys, I would haver paid sooner, but I thought you only paid if you were selling something.

Sorry about the picture. I kinda look drugged, but I am not. And I really hate being taken a picture of. So I usually try and hide when the cameraes are around me. I just feel like a stupid hobbit or something when someone is taking my picture. BTW, the handgrip isn't representative. I just had my wife take the picture without much thought. Just needed to show you guys the set-up.

Hey Mikko,

I'm sorry, but I can't see the box you're talking a about. Weird. I'll just e-mail you some photos.

LE

Hey guys,

I just did some testing with antlers in low mode. Works very well, I just bought some extra screws and bolts and some "squeezers" (lack of English knowledge). I used this with a dovetail and placed them on the rods. Pretty ok to get it into DB. So I think a custom made mount will work great here.

Would add some pictures, but I have no clue how to add them. When I want to add an image, the forum tells me to write the URL which the pictures are based. Dude, I'm an operator not a freakin' computer geek. Ok, ok, I'm not very good with computers. Can anyone tell me how to add an image?

Hey Kurt and Mikko.

I think Kurt has an interesting idea that needs to be looked at. Personally I was thinking of something that could slide onto the battery rods. On the bottom you'd have the short dovetail for antlers, and on top, as Mikko pointed out earlier, you'd have a extra battery mount for 24v. This seems a quicker way of getting antlers and a second battery on. You just slide the gadget onto the rods and use a hand turnable screw to fasten it. I'm not sure if the rods are meant to be put under so much stress though. :blink: And those who don't have Hytron 120's, might have to replace the rods with longer ones, so one can get the antlers straight under the post.

Kurt and Mikko: Kurt's gadget will have to be quite long though, if it's to be attached to the monitor yoke. Since there's no place to attach antlers between the lowest point of the sled and the battery rods, one would have to attach antlers under the battery rods. So in that sense the device needs to go about 18cm straight down from the monitor yoke, and then turn 90 degrees and go another 16,5 cm so the antlers are straight under the post. Am I correct in this assumption guys, or am I way off? And won't this ruin your line of sight to the monitor in low mode?

Kurt: about the long post thingy. I have Hytron 120's. If I remember correctly, you also have them? Anyway, I've added 2 pieces of 1/2 kg to the both sides of the monitor yoke, and 1 piece of 1 kg just by the bubble. I've used 3M dual lock velcro. They never fail. Don't need extra tape or nothing. And I've found this to be a quite successfull way of getting SD/HD and 16mm into DB quite fast. In the past I had just 2 pieces of 1 kg on both sides of the monitor yoke, with no weights by the bubble. But I found that this added too much weight to the sides of the rig, making it very difficult to get it into DB. Now, as I said, it's doesn't take a very long time to get it into DB. By doing this, I've added about 3.7 kg of extra weight on the bottom of the rig, (as opposed to using Hytron 50's) letting me keep the rig quite short, even with heavier cams. Have you tried this? If so, did you like it?

BTW, doing my maxing this Friday. Will post pics and thoughts that day!

Hey Tom,

my Archos will record the whole frame. But if the original picture is 16:9, it records the whole picture in 4:3. And when I press "original picture", it still shows it in 4:3. If I try to record a 16:9 picture in 16:9, it crops the top and bottom.

Hey, did did a search, but didn't find any solutions.

I've got the Archos 500. It works great, only thing is that I'm having capture problems. When I set it on auto, it always records in 4:3, even though the original format is 16:9. And if I set it at 16:9, it cuts the top and bottom. Has anyone countered a similar problem? Gosh, it's irritating. Any tips and tricks is more than welcomed.

Thanks

LE