Tim Westover

Cool thanks for the fast response Chris, do you think there will be any problem with the weight of a bigger rig on the zephyr vest? I use to have one when I took the workshop but I can't remember if the piece holding the socket block is metal or plastic. Figure we'll have to get a pro socket block to put on the vest. I'm actually not sure if I can find a zephyr vest anymore either do you know if Tiffen is still selling them / are the Aero 30 vest the same ones?

Hey all, I have a friend whom is a girl and is on the smaller side - around 5'2". She is looking to buy a vest to use to practice/use with my pro rig. She's trying to keep this affordable, so I wanted to know if anyone has used the compact flyer vest (http://www.tiffen.com/displayproduct.html?tablename=steadicam&itemnum=803-7800-01) with a larger rig like a pro cinelive OR has a smaller vest they are looking to sell. Thanks.

Hey all just wondering what you guys have been using for a Practice Cam to use on a weight cage. I've had a cheap camcorder for a year or so that I use with my weight cage but it's pretty terrible and has some weird stabilization compensation that makes the image go out of wack sometimes. Looking to get a better "cheap" camcorder or camera that has some zoom functionality to simulate different focal lengths. I have a small mirror less camera but I'd like something to keep permanently on the weight cage, It's also limited to the 2 primes I have so something with zoom would be great. Thanks.

SOLD.

Recently upgraded to a new rig and am selling my Zephyr. It is in great condition, normal cosmetic wear and tear nothing notable. Sale will include everything that came with original Zephyr including everything pictured, as well as the following extras. Pictures Here - https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8DHoQ-NpQi-SHh3cERIUGNhUzA 1. Tiffen AB Battery Plate (Small Dovetail) (Cost $650). This is a second battery plate that mounts to the bottom of the zephyr, essential for flying larger camera setups like Amira, Alexa Mini, or Red's. 2. SkyMagic Gimbal Grip - (Cost $130) gives the zephyr a larger gimbal handle, some people prefer this. It is reviewed here - http://www.steadicam...ic=19778&page=2 - Retail $130. 3. SkyMagic Monitor Yoke - (Cost $150), which allows you to flip the monitor easier for low mode shooting. Retail $185. http://www.steadicam...showtopic=20074 - The grip and the yoke on the Zephyr in the pics is what this Zephyr looks like if you mount those onto it. 4. Low Mode F-Bracket (Cost $200) - A must if you want to shoot low-mode with the Zephyr. I also am including a second stock monitor mount for if you want to mount a recorder, wireless, or the WHM-BG Horizon Level onto the back as Frederic has in the sky magic threads. Asking $6750. Located in NYC. Send me a PM or Email at Tim.W.Westover@gmail.com If you have any questions feel free to ask.

Second Note: it includes everything that came with the Zephyr as far as power cables go and all included original accessories and weights.

If you are still looking I am selling my Zephyr as I just upgraded to a pro rig. It is in excellent condition, very well taken care of as all my gear is. I was going to list it up this weekend when I had time to take pictures and everything. I am also including the second battery plate from Tiffen which mounts to the bottom of the Sled allowing you to mount (2) Dionic Batteries. This is essential for flying an larger camera like Amira, Alexa Mini, or Red's. Along with that I am including the SkyMagic Gimbal Grip, which gives the zephyr a larger gimbal handle, some people prefer this. It is reviewed here - http://www.steadicamforum.com/index.php?showtopic=19778&page=2 - Retail $130. I am also including a SkyMagic Monitor Yoke, which allows you to flip the monitor easier for low mode shooting. Retail $185. http://www.steadicamforum.com/index.php?showtopic=20074 - He has these mounted on the Zephyr in the pics in the link I Posted. That is what this Zephyr looks like if you mount those onto it. I also am including a second stock monitor mount for if you want to mount the WHM-BG Horizon Level onto the back as he has in the picture. Asking $6750. Let me know if your interested.

There doesn't seem to be a mounting point for an additional battery hanger on the Aero, this must not be possible on it? This is pretty important for flying any heavier cameras as they are simply too heavy for the rig if the battery is attached to the camera itself.

Copy that, thanks guys.

Quick question, this may be an obvious one is probably due to my lack of knowledge about dynamic balance, but with the Zephyr, after achieving dynamic balance and flipping into low mode with the low mode bracket, how do I maintain dynamic balance when I need to adjust the monitor in order to see it? Would I just need to re-do the whole process? Thanks!

This is probably well past your shoot date at this point, but yes you could fly this setup, as long as you strip the epic down cage wise, I've been doing an epic with a summilux, lmb-25, 2 motor fiz setup, with teradek and it's been working out fine with one to two filters in. I believe the kowa's are no heavier than summilux's if not a little lighter but I could be mistaken.

Thank you all for the responses. I'll be looking into a workshop over the next couple months. One more question I wanted to ask (i'm sure it has been asked countless times) is how you all built up to the roll of a steadicam operator. Did you work through the camera departement (AC'ing or Operating) and eventually invest in a steadicam? I'm at a point where countless people who go through working at camera rental houses like myself move to the roll of an AC afterwards, so I'm debating whether to push for that or work towards workshop / steadicam training & investments.

Copy that. As for workshops this might be an obvious question but would you recommend taking a longer workshop like one of the week long Main steadicam workshops or would a 2 day Abel zephyr pilot scout workshop give me a solid groundwork to build off of. Thanks all.

Great, will look into that, thanks Chris

I'll briefly summarize where I am at right now, I have been a camera prep tech for the past 2 years at a camera rental house. We do see steadicam operators but I've had little time to chat with them so I have a few questions that I'd be grateful for some advising on. I currently AC on the side and am very interested in getting into steadicam work firstly for my personal projects and because i've enjoyed the glide cam but I would like to look at it as an investment into a field that has always interested me. I know it is a competitive, costly, physically demanding field so I'm trying to figure out what the right route to get started would be. At my work I have access to good amount of camera's for my personal use on the weekends , and have owned a glidecam hd2000 which I used solely for DSLR shoots. I now have been shooting more on the F55 and Epic which are over the weight capacity of the glidecam especially with heavier lenses, FIZ units, matte box etc. With that said, at the moment I am considering saving more for a steadicam scout or zephyr and I know I would get a good amount of use out of them but as far as getting into the field of steadicam operating, at what point would it be a good idea to invest in a workshop and are their other things I should be considering before investing as well. I'm a bit hesitant at the moment mainly because it could be 6 months or so until I can drop the money for a steadicam and I don't want to forget by the time I actually purchase one. What investment do you think would benefit me the most at this point. I will be at there rental house for another year or so, so I will have a lot of access to cameras and time build upon steadicam operating skills. Thanks for your time!