soren k jensen

Dear Chris, One suggestion: add a shoulder mount option that can quickly go on and off. I often switch between Easyrig/TurtleX shoulder mount, Flyer, sticks and handheld during the same day, It would be really nice to let the exovest improve on shoulder mount possibilities!

I use a Flyer with a HVX200 and a wired varizoom remote on the gimbal. It works for me, and I can't afford a focus puller and wireless gear. I do documentaries so a Flyer is a good addition to the techniques I use. Can't use shallow dof on the FLyer, but use a 35mm adapter for handheld, monopod and tripod stuff. The combination works fine, particularly if you plan the style of the shot in accordance with the content.

I haven't had time to try Janice's skirt on ;-) -Apparently neither has Janice. Anyway, another suggestion is to use antlers. For a Flyer they wouldn't have to be as long or heavy as on the larger rigs. Just my '2 ører' (danish cents...)

Janice Arthur suggests using a 'skirt' to stabilise. Haven't tried it yet, but will soon: http://www.steadicamforum.com/forums/index...57&hl=skirt

Hi Robert, It's the grip. I am still not so familiar with the different Steadicam part names :P;-) That is a really good tip (cheap, easy, quick and smart, my favourite), many thanks!

The red post handle on the Flyer is a bit small for me. Has anyone found a good way of adding something to it that will make its radius bigger? Rubber, hard foam or something?

Sorry Erik and others, It has now been brought to my attention that Ben Fisher, the owner of Zeitx, may not be the most trustworthy business person. Do a search on zeitx and Ben Fisher. Sorry for any inconvenience!

If anyone gets to try this unit for the HVX or DVXb, please let us know how it performs: http://zeitx.com/site3/vxf.htm Thanks, Soren

Many thanks, both of you!

Has anyone seen or built a longer docking bracket for the Flyer? -I can't check DB on the stand because the bracket is so short that 360 spinning is impossible.

Thanks all for the very good ideas! It will be a month or two before I do the shots, but I'll try to make some stills and post the result on youtube and link from here. Mounting the camera like Peter suggests is a great idea: it will allow for framing while walking, and when i pan to film forward I'll see the flipped out lcd. I cannot show you anything from the actual documentaries yet for various reasons. -One of them being that some of the kids are taking the Jackass style a little too literally -scary stuff they've filmed themselves! I found this for 360 degrees, actually a nice idea, maybe best suited for classroom or kindergarten static recording: http://www.ptgrey.com/products/ladybug2/samples.asp -and a funny lofi diy here: http://videothing.blogspot.com/2005/05/my-...experiment.html Rob, if you get to Chiang Mai, check out my friend Lasse's art gallery there, and say hi from Soren: http://www.lalunagallery.com/ best, soren

Thanks Brian, actually a very good idea, will do! (...rummages through kitchen utensils and hacksaws...' hrm, a diy project with no money and a host in desperate need of an extreme makeover, how to do? -Sounds of nipping and tucking, ouch. 'I am ready for my closeup', pans to face...aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarghhhh) -sorta like the experience you sometimes get from other diy projects ;-) best, soren

I shall be filming myself walking around empty schools, narrating and guiding the audience through my one-man documentaries on learning. I am using my Flyer, Varizom wired remote focus/iris/zoom and HVX200 plus two wireless sennheiser lavaliers and a small onboard light. I'll be moving from closeups of myself moving through the places, to views of empty rooms and schoolyards. I plan to use dissolves during whip pans as transition between locations. Any advice, apart from practicing and planning it thoroughly ;-) best, soren

I agree with the above. One addition: I use a Flyer, and am experimenting with a Varizoom Rock-PZFI wired remote, mounted on the post, beneath the handle. Put on a larger wheel for focus. When working with the stock lense and deep DOF, it is possible to focus 'enough', particularly in sd, to keep things in the ballpark. Not enough for very critical work, hd, tight dof. The Flyer sd monitor is quite good, but learn to estimate distance by eye, and use the distance info on the lcd. I am, however, stupid newbie indie enough, to have bought a varizoom EFC that normally controls canon and fujinon lenses. Jim Bartell was very kind in directing me that way, as I can't have an assistant with me on what I do, and I need something wired, because of budget restraints. I am presently finding the right gears to interface with my mpic 35mm addapter and ff gear. As Mikko said, I am going for the indie stupid points, not for an academy award... Will keep you posted on how that goes. If it doesn't work on the Flyer, at least I'll have a remote for the 35mm adapter, when mounted on jib or crane etc.

Thank you very much, Richard! :)