RobinThwaites

Hi Pascal

Greetings from Broadcast India!

Just so you know, the reason for the higher position is because in a lower position using a G-series arm you will not be able to reach the bottom of the arm boom and make best use of the range. Of course comfort is down to the wearer so it is your choice..........

Robin

Hi All

Tiffen always quotes maximum CAMERA weight (payload) for Steadicam complete rigs i.e Pilot 10lbs, Flyer LE 19lbs etc.

Robin

The next Tiffen-Europe Three Day Steadicam Workshop has been scheduled for the 19th November at the BBC Wood Norton Training Centre (near Evesham, 2 hours from London). This is already filling up even prior to publicising it so if you are interested please do come back to me asap.

Naturally we will be training on all the latest gear, Ultra 2, Clipper 3, Archer, etc. plus probably Flyer and Pilot.

Please contact me by e-mail to robin.thwaites@tiffen.com or phone at +44 1869 34 38 35.

Robin

On the 17th November Garrett Brown will be holding a seminar with University College Dublin, Ireland.

This is a great opportunity for Irish Steadicam operators, anyone who is interested should contact Rowena Kelly at the University directly at this e-mail address, film.production@ucd.ie.

I will be there myself and look forward to meeting you all.

Robin

Hi Jason

"the original batch had no speed control built into them / weren't pressure sensitive, so you needed to adjust the pot on the lens servo itself to control speed (newer versions of the J7 fixed this problem,"

To my knowledge all J-7s had pressure sensitive sprung potentiometers for speed control. The difference between the two basic versions were pin-out compatability with Canon and Fuji.

Biggest problem was centering drift, at Optex we used to drill a small hole through the legend plate on the end ot the lever part so that you could access the trim control (the end og the pot shaft) without dismantling the unit.

Robin

Hi Mike

They are indeed OpTex brackets, the blue one was for a BVP-70 or similar Sony splittable camcorder and the red one for a BVW 300/400. In both cases you remove the handle but with the 300/400 you have to disconect the tally and cover the hole with the little plate. The v/f connector gets screwed back onto the front of the bracket. Great brackets and really rigid - shame the cameras are antiques!

Robin

Hi Mike

Good to meet you at IBC. If you are thinking Ultra 2 or anything with a G series arm, a top tip from GB himself is not to wear the bridge/socket block on the vest too low. That way you will be able to use the whole range of the arm downwards as well as up. Tilt stage makes life easier as well.

Robin

Hi Mike

Check your cables first, a broken feedback pot core in the cable will do that.

Robin

Hi Alan

I am away at the moment but why not give James at our office a call 01869 343835. The light draws over 4 Amps, this seems quite a lot for a phono plug.

Robin

Hi Ed

Call me!!

Robin

Hi Rick

I have not seen an e-mail from you, please e-mail direct to robin.thwaites@tiffen.com ,

Thanks

Robin

Hello All

It is short notice but Tiffen are sponsoring a workshop to be held near Barcelona between the 19th and 22nd August. Price is 1200.00 Euros (not including accomodation) and the workshop will be held in Spanish and English.

Website, www.afilm.es

For information please contact me at robin.thwaites@tiffen.com

To book please contact info@afilm.es

Also see www.tiffen-europe.com

Robin

Hi Bob

For video TX better to keep it high for better signal path. Should not make much difference to the Flyer LE as you can extend the post.

Robin

I tried a pair of video glasses quite a few years ago and, like Chris, found it very disorientating. Similar to using gyro stabilized lenses or binoculars from a helicopter, no doubt someone could learn to get used to it!

Robin

Ahhh! Yes you are right. I had assumed the RGB could be SD as well as HD.

Robin

Hi Brian

It is possible that you could get a monochrome image out of the green channel of the RGB to feed the monitor, can't promise but worth a try.

Robin

Hello Norbert

The upgrade for Sven will of course be free, Adams upgrade was to a different design with a removeable post.

Robin

Hi Chris

Just to add, I used to do a lot of work with wildlife camera ops when the SR-1 was order of the day. I would agree with Erwin, it is nice and quite rugged but that main power board can be sensitive both the the long camera screw and also to water coming downwards onto the camera which runs down the mag and accumulates on the base causing total failure. Seen it several times.

Use a viewfinder tap for 100% if you can find one, should be quite a few used ones around.

These guys also always used to take an old Bolex for when everything went wrong.

Best

Robin

Hi Bob

Assuming thge battery is on the sled then it is not included in the 19lbs. Preferred configuration for best balance is for 2 90W Lithium type. I flew that camera without the extras last week and it was well within capacity, just check that the V/F weight is included in the body weight.

Robin

The Flyer is a very nice rig; I bought one and realized within 30 days it would not carry the fully rigged cameras I was accustomed to working with, nor would it allow me to be competitive in my market. .... Mattebox, focus system, transmitters, eye lights, audio kit, downcoverter; the list goes on. It is a great starting rig though and a working rig if you live in the world of "DV" sized cameras.

 

I was about to question SD/HD monitor choice in the FLyer LE I'm about to buy, but that seemed to be answered in the thread above (no one seemed overly concerned about lack of HD monitoring).

 

But your comment Robert got me a bit concerned; I'm planning on flying a Panny HPX500 on the (new) Flyer LE. Of course the 500 is an ENG style HD cam. So here's my list of what'd be flown:

8.2 body

3.5 lens

mattebox = 1lb 3oz

1 4x4 filter = 4 oz

AT1800 (audio) 10.3 oz

Bartech 11oz

M-One focus motor 11 oz

rails 7oz rods + plate 2.5 oz= 9.5 oz

Modulus 3000 7 oz

Ultralight2 = 12 oz

cables = 6 oz (?)

TOTAL FLOWN = 16.12

 

Have I forgotten anything? Weights are lifted from OEM docs. Seems like there's plenty of room to spare on the LE, rated at 19 lbs. Which is why I was so excited when they announced the LE upgrade from 15, as I knew that would be at the hairy edge. WAIT.... is the battery on the sled considered part of load?? A Dionic90 works (1.7 lb), but the ProPac14 (5 lbs) is right out. And would a Dionic be enough counterbalance mass for 16 lbs on the stage?

Hi Jay

Oil is the way to go, NEVER WD-40.

Robin

Hi Rob

I come into contact with Steadicam used in some pretty unusual places but this must be one of the "greats". Congratulations, look me up when you get back if you have time.

Robin

Hey Mike

I have a matching one given to me by the man himself - looks a bit more worn though!

Robin

Hi Pete

Just curious, why did you want the extra weight - especially at that position?

Robin

Peter

The JVC 110 does NOT have autofocus, it is a broadcast style lens where the rotating barrell actually moves the glass rather than a servo system. What you saw at the show was the huge depth of field that you get with a short focel length lens under good lighting conditions.

Best

Robin

Hi Mark

As per Jamie's post, push the arm down until it is nearly horizintal before trying to turn the adjusters, optimum is when the cables are close to horizontal. Adjust only with the weight on, and yes the adjusters are likely to look slightly angled, this is normal. The key with these arms is to harmonize the two sections so that they work together properly.

Robin Thwaites