Lav Bodnaruk

i'd love to throw my 2cents in, as a v20 owner. I too looked for a rig that was going to get me started in understanding the process of steadicam and only due to the price, i turned to the v20. using it with different cameras was a mission at times, resulting in improvisation and hand made mods. I still own the v20 and am quite comfortable with it now. i have done a lot to make it 'fit' better around my needs... basically, i look at it as my first car, one that I build up, work on the engine and learn the basics on... Of course, i cant wait to try out a mercedes of the steadicam, but meantime, my nissan has got all the turbo boost i need to get me through my small gigs; mods: internal wiring AB gold mount quick release (shifts camera back/forw a bit easier) etc... hook - lowers the rig by 10cm (that head room that got mentioned is now not an issue) custom build cage etc dont judge too harsh, remember it is a nissan :unsure: http://www.translationthemovie.com/pics/gl.../misc%20262.jpg http://www.translationthemovie.com/pics/gl.../misc%20264.jpg http://www.translationthemovie.com/pics/gl.../misc%20265.jpg http://www.translationthemovie.com/pics/gl.../misc%20271.jpg http://www.translationthemovie.com/pics/gl.../misc%20272.jpg http://www.translationthemovie.com/pics/gl.../misc%20274.jpg http://www.translationthemovie.com/pics/gl.../misc%20269.jpg

great pics! :D

Hi Paul, thank you very much for your post! I had no idea I was in the record reaching vancinities, as they never missed the beat till now. I am going to try them on the Supercam charger then, see what comes out of that... my hopess aren't high (which isn't a bad thing - as you said I got heaps out of them already) and will then definitely turn toward contacting Anton/Bauer in Singpore. Thank you for the great post! Cheers mate,

Hi Steven, Thanks heaps on the information you posted, including the photograph! Very helpful! The camera department wasn?t too thrilled with the idea of flipping the picture and I am sure they will like this much better, if only I can chase down the bracket in the time before the shoot. I might actually try the cage I built first and then turn to the bracket, but keep my eyes open for it for future jobs - basically I don?t know if I have enough time to buy anything before we have to roll up the sleeves and get flying... Thanks mate! Cheers,

Thanks Alec, Ive thrown the idea at the guys re: the flipping of the picture. Cheers,

Hey guys, i have two AB ProPac 14 Nickel Cadmium 14.4 V 60W Logic Series batteries. I am using the Logic Series Life Saver 8 hours quad charger and am unable to get ANYTHING from the batteries. Both of them, when placed on the charger pretend to charge, going from yellow equalise (after 8hrs) into green 'lifesaver' mode. What is peculiar is that both of them have suffered this same faith. With Volt meter i get no readings from the batteries. With Volt meter i get a reading from a charger, which therefore i think works ok. Is it possible both of them died at the same time? Is there a way for me to check this. Truth be told they are OLD batteries, from September 91 to be precise, so I wouldnt be surprised if they just died, but am wondering if they would both die at the same time... I have another 2 batteries, TrimPac, that use a different charger - Panasonic Lifesaver SuperCam charger. The batteries are 40w as apposed to 60w and are trim looking (slim I should say) with LCD. They are working great... Should I try the two above mentioned on the Panasonic charger? Somehow I fear doing this, as it may ruin my Panasonic charger leaving me with no charger for the two slim batteries... if you have any idea on what i should do, please let me know. Also, if you think I should try and re-cell the batteries, as apposed to buying new once? Try that option? Is there a place you can recommend - I am in Australia, QLD, Brisbane... Thanking you in advance!

Hey all, let me first tell you how great this forum is and how much it has helped me in learning about operating in general. I own a rather different set-up, that is not PRO by any means, but rather a learning curve. It was initially bought as a rig that compliments the camera operator (an extra item in the van) but has since ended up doing couple of odd jobs... of course i am talking about my Glidecam v20. The rig often goes out to mates, who have practised with it as much as I have, and one of those mates is using it to shoot an indi feature with XD Cam soon. The XD Cam will be equipped with pro, 35mm primes and on board battery. He has done the basic camera tests with the Glidecam v20 already, managing to get the balance correctly - thanks to my battery bricks that were counter balancing the heavy front of the camera, powering the 7inch LCD. Instead of using the Pro Pac AB batteries, he used my Super Cam Panasonics, which are much slimmer and lighter - apparently a perfect combination. Anyway?s, I was told they wanted to do some low mode shots. Being that I am the owner of the rig it was up to me to come up with something, and since I never bought the cage from Glidecam I decided to make one up myself. (Having experience in handling aluminium). Really long story short I have just completed the cage. It stretches from 250mm to 400mm high. It is 300mm wide insde the camera space, 250mm deep (but that doesnt really matter) and will handle a load of up to 30kg inside it. (Attached picture). I was wondering if any of you ever used th XD CAM in the low mode and how you did it? Cage? Also, do you know the dimensions of the camera itself, when fully rigged up? Thank you! PS> I also wondered, during the making of this cage, if there would be any market for such a product through this or any other forum. I am able to get them out of the shop rather quick (in only matter of days) and the finish is bloody fantastic - best powder coating ever. Just a thought... PS2> I am not sure if I posted this in a correct section, I was searching the site for the better part of the day trying to think where I should put this question... couldn?t find a section just about low mode operating :)

Looks like the JayCar has 4 channels in the 2.4GHz range. Have you tried switching between them using the little DIP switches? Hi ezzy, thanks for your reply mate. i did notice that JayCar has 4 channel receiver too, but didnt know if it would be any good since it is rrahter cheap and cameragod mentions in his posts (an earler once in this same thread) that his mate used some "better" receiver then JayCar one... so i was wondering if i was meant to get some better one , or that $100 one from JayCar... also, what do you mean by DIP switches? you mean changing channels? I changed channels around with the little tool included in the package with the transmitter, and found it odd that my 2.4Ghz receiver could not tune any of the 4 channels that read the following frequency: Ch1 - 2,414MHz Ch2 - 2,432MHz Ch3 - 2,450MHz ch4 - 2,468MHz Shouldn't theoreticlly my 2,4GHz receiver be able to tune one of these channels in? I am really confused about that... I guess since i need it for the weekend i am thinking of going back to JayCars and buying their receiver with 4 channels, but didnt really want to rush into that till i maybe ask you guys. Cheers, Lav

Hey guys, i just bought the tramistter from JayCar that you were talking about. I was wondering what receiver you might suggest, for i re-call you were saying the once from JayCar may not be the best option to go for. I have a wireless camera, one of those small little gay once, that is also 2.4Ghz - and being that it is wireless it has a wireless reciever. I thought that getting this transmitter would enable me to tune it in through that receiver, but i wasn't able to do this... i do understand my receiver is not a really good one, and by no means am i saying this transmitter is either, but i am just wondering if you know why i am not able to tune them in together when they are both 2.4Ghz, same format items.... And yeah, if you can recommend any receivers, that would be wonderful. I got a shoot this weekend that i wanted to test this out with and am afraid i might be in a little of a pickle with it. if you know where i could rent one receiver for the weekend that would be good to - by the way, i am in Brisbane Australia. Thanks heaps! Lav

Cameragod, that little transmitter is exactly what i need - i will be of to Jaycar tomorrow to check it out. Seems hard to believe its that tiny and still able to project any kind of picture... just came across this one on ebay now and thought i share it with you as its in much bigger $ section... http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ARRI-Sony-GV-2-4-GH...1QQcmdZViewItem None the less, it will be Jaycar for me :D would never be able to afford anythign like that BlackBox one... Cheers,

Hi Stephen, thanks for the reply mate. Yes, i am in Oz and got Jay Cars down the road from me, so that wont be hard to get. I found a link on eBay that might be along the lines of what you are saying: http://cgi.ebay.com.au/2-4G-Wireless-1W-Tr...1QQcmdZViewItem In the item descriptin it says it is 1W transmiter, what i was wondering is what is the basic difference between 1W and maybe 5W transmiters? I very much understand that you get what you pay for, and am therefore a bit doubtful about a $50 AUD product... is something along the lines of this link better: http://cgi.ebay.com.au/5Watt-Wireless-Vide...1QQcmdZViewItem I could afford the 2nd one and i see they both take 12V inputs, which could be battery operated, so i should i get the $50 one (since its simple and easy) or aim at the $100-$200 one to get better quality. What do PROS use? BlackBox? Again, thanks mate. PS. I even saw 10W once on eBay... http://cgi.ebay.com.au/10watt-Wireless-Sec...1QQcmdZViewItem PS2. eBay links i used merely to give an idea, i didnt even read through some of them - i just wanted to show different illustrations.

Hi guys, sorry if this sounds like a silly question but i really have no idea on what the best solution may be... i have glidecam v20 with 16mm camera on it, with video tap. I would like to be able to get a video receiver, that is very cost effective, to provide picture on the video assist monitors without any cables... amm, so i am guessing this has to be battery operated, at least the video transmiter and the receiver could be on AC power or something... there are sooo many of these cost effective once on eBay, and they all seem to differ in power the provide? I understand for some you need to have a licence? What does that mean? I really dont get it? Can i get a simple once from eBay for $100-$200AUD and get the job done? Obviously i am not a pro but would like to have that signal as strong as possible (for the money in question) and so on... also it would be great to be able to power it from the 12V battery; Thanks, Lav

Hi, i am after a cheap monitor that i can use with my glidecam v20. I am having to get rig of my current one as its NTSC only... and no use to me as such. I could swap anyone for PAL monitor and add some money or just aim at buying one all together. One in question I have is L4 PRO LCD TFT 4inch - on eBay now; Drop me an e-mail if you have a monitor for sale... info@lavproductions.com Thanks!

Hi, I just got a 2nd hand L4-PRO 4" LCD monitor, just like this one http://www.filmwareproducts.com/Glidecam/109964.html IT is made in Japan so I pressume its PAL. The seller was from States and he says it works fine and it worked great before shipping it to me. Since receiving it, the signal through both inputs gives me a jumpy picture... more like the top quater of the screen is jumpy. The screen is meant to be PAL/NTSC switchable so I dont think that is what it is? Any suggestions? Should I attempt opening it up and having a poke inside? Any comments will be very appreciated. Thanks

Hi guys, i own a BL and am getting a Glidecam V20 soon to attempt to fly it. If anyone has any suggestions I would love to hear about them too. IF you go ahead on flying the camera Sebastian, let us know what you thought of it and how to best improve the experience. I am attempting to get a Pulnix BW camera onto the eyepiece and have my video tap as such. This saves the big costs associated with getting the proper video tap installed through visual products or anyone else... of course its not as good and the camera gains a bit of weight...

Afton, thanks on the congrads! I cant wait for the rig to rock up here. I got it 2nd hand but should be coming with all the papers and booklets as well... for it was relatively new and the seller included all that he got from dealership. I'll chase up this DVD, I think I already found it on B&H web site... but wish to find it in Australia somewhere for easier shipping. None the less, if anyone has any more suggestiosn Id appreciate it heaps. Thanks!

Hi guys, i am soon to be a new owner of Glidcam V20 rig!!! So exiting :D Thanks for all the tips and advice on buying it, the forum has been a great help in some of the moral dilema moments. Whilst awaiting for the rig I am wondering if you could help me in forwarding me in a right direction towards finding an instruction DVD that might illustrate balancing of the sled and maybe some basic tips on operating. I do understand that attending the workshop is my best guess, and no doubt i will get down to Melbourne the first chance i get, but meantime, i would like to be able to view some work and get an idea for it all... I have seen people offer DVDs of different kinds on eBay, but do not know if any of them are okay or not. Please throw your suggestions my way, as that would be much appreciated. Many thanks

Wow, thanks Afton! $4000USD brand new!?! The $10100AUD is a rip-off then... I got told this by a dealer as apparently this is what it costs them with all the taxes and shipping to be brought in to Oz... but that is $4700AUD difference (could the TAX be that high???) The 2nd hand rig i was looking at getting is from US and was going to set me back $3500USD... now that doesnt seem right if the rig brand new would have cost him $4000USD. I better consider shopping around a bit longer and finding me a V20 for $2000USD - isnt that generally the rule on 2nd hand stuff... half the price of brand new... There is one main thing I am worried about in getting the rig from the US and that is that I could get hit with Taxes on top of the price I am paying to a private seller....??? Does anyone have experience with this? I mean, we can try and mail it as GIFT but I am not sure if it will work... Do you think I should consider telling my Glidecam Dealership about the prices of V20 in US to see if he can justify the $10100AUD cost to me? Where is the best place to try and find 2nd hand rigs? This forum? Sorry to ask so many questions... Thanks Afton. Lav

Hey guys, just few posts ago I was asking you on your opinion in helping me identify a rig I intended on buying... since then I did some reasearch and have received numerous e-mails suggesting I get a pro onto a job rather then buying something myself for this new up coming indi 16mm feature I plan to do in Brisbane Australia soon... None the less, whilst that seems to be the go (Still shopping around and looking at different OPs and their experience whilst the script is being edited by Australian Writing Guild and others) I ran into a Glidecam V-20 for sale. Now this is a product everyone is familiar with and I thought I ask the question, of how good it is? I know that is a bad question which will probably have me in trouble by some folks, but I merely wish to find out if that would be a good rig to own as a first ever rig? Something to learn to fly on? I acess a bunch of different video cameras, from PD170 to Fx1 and Z1 (not all mine rather production company I run with 2 mates) and a heavy 20lbs (10Kg) 16mm old school BL camera... its this BL that I intend to shot the feature on... its a heavy camera with a home made Pulnix Video Tap that when loaded weights preciesly 10kg. This is why I gave a V-16 a miss and started looking at the Glidecam V-20... Again, do you think this would be the rig okay to learn on? What is the 2nd hand value of this rig? I have found that the new one, through dealership in Brisbane would cost me around $10100 AUD and am wondering what you think I should pay for the 2nd hand one (in good condition) with a 4inch LCD and a 12V battery included. It has been used rarely and it comes with manuals and stuff... (no case of any kind). The vest has glidecam written on it and the arm has glidecam v-20 written on it... hmm i dont know how better to describe it, hence why i am posting this in the noobs section... :D Any suggestions towards this rig, weather it be positive or negative, will be greatly appreciated. Any price range you reckon paying for one would be good would also help a lot in knowing weather i am getting a good deal or am i being had... Thanks guys!!! Sorry for spelling mistakes its late in the night and i am dead tired from a 17hr day... Lav

This is very interesting... more then it is wrong it is rude... i read an article in which he spoke of El Mariachi, his entire point throughout it was that if you want anything done right then you gotto do it yourself... which is what i mean by rude, you dont do that in a team sport, no one likes a striker that wants to drible through the entire defence team. Bench Him! Still, you got to respect him... it;s kind of a double standard and my post makes no sense. Thanks for the feedback on the rig. I saw one since that claimed to be Mini Steadicam. Didnt have time to post it here for you guys to see, but it went for $2000USD or something... it actualy had Steadicam writen all over it and it did look like a real deal "Mini Steadicam" it was called... nice condition... auction ended early with someone paying up BuyItNow price :D Thats very cheap though aint it? Cheers, Lav

Thanks for your help guys, I am looking at this entire thing differently since this forum. Getting a pro to do the job for this flick is a better option after all. Later down the track, the course might be a good idea for me, if the budget and time allow it... I would still be intersted in the purchosing factor, for owing a rig after the production would be a good way to allow myself to practise (in conjuntion with the proper training). So Ill keep my eyes open for any good sales, and hopefully will hear from some reps in Brisbane, Oz - that i left messages with. Thanks to everyone that e-mailed me. This forum is brilliant! :D Cheers! Lav

Hello, I am very new to this forum as well as the steadicam operting concept, but do wish to get into it more, for as an indi film director I just adore the smootheness of the shots of a steadicam and glidecam. Currently I am researching for my 16mm film (shot on the very very heavy 16BL - 9kg [20lbs]) and am trying to get my head around some of the rigs that could help me get the job done. With that here is my question. I have come across this rig on eBay and have failed to identify which brand it might be. My German is pretty poor (as I do not speak it) so I only manged to understand bits of it via Altavista Translations. The Seller himself told me it was a steadicam model and that it cost 7000euros originaly? I could not spot the logos anywhere on it and thought that perhaps someone from here could help me identify it? Also, for one to use the rig that is meant for cameras of a lighter weight, on a set-up that is a bit heavier, what kind of adjustments must be made? I will try and research this question by searching the forum here... Is there a place that 2nd hand rigs are sold at? I noticed there were few bits and pieces being sold here on the forums classifieds section, but was wondering if anyone had complete rigs for sale and/or if there is a place in Brisbane Australia that deals with similar things... Almost forgot, you may view the item in question here: http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi...AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1 Thanks, LB.