Synergy

Lets give this a shot and have some fun! RSVP: maxphotog@gmail.com That way we will know how much interest there is and we can decide what day would be best and what location would work in terms of bringing out our gear etc... It will always be free, once a month, ongoing for all enthusiasts, operators and home built specials. Any kind of Stabilizer system owner/operator is welcome. No one will be turned away!

Well... I must say I am very intrigued by the large number of well spoken, intelligent, nice and helpful people on this site. It certainly is refreshing to find such intelligent company. My observations about Stabilizer forums, especially this one, is that they seem to be frequented by very smart, creative and decent people. I find myself in great company here and this does put a smile on my face. Thank you for all being so nice and personable :) You all seem like a great bunch of folks! I also observe that operators take great pride in their rigs and I think thats really great. There really is nothing cooler than a Stabilizer system regardless of make or type. I think most ops are tinkerers and innovators by nature. It seems as though this trait is almost inherent in most operators, from what I have observed. This sits well by me, being a tinkerer and operator/owner myself. I, perhaps like other operators, am inspired by my rig. My system inspires me to shoot. I find myself constantly thinking about my system and tinkering around with it. I have to admit, its alot of fun. Well... I just wanted to express my pleasure and delight about this forum and it's members. Your all really cool people and I just wanted to say it. Cheers, and may all your flights be first class flights. Matt :)

That has to be the worst contraption I have ever laid my eyes upon. Sorry, but without even the pre requisite knowledge of dynamic balance a person should not even attempt to design something as complex as a Steadicam. The first rule of engineering is understand the physics involved in the system before embarking on a futile attempt at designing a solution for a problem one clearly does not understand. That thing is just terrible. Sorry but thats the truth and I had to say it.

Hi Bob: The SK is a nice system. I used to fly the CP EFP model, mid 80's, when I was shooting alot of Betacam back then. I have since converted everything to DV format and with that conversion the cameras are much lighter so I have switched to a lighter rig, the Glidecam Smooth Shooter to be exact. The Smooth Shooter arm is extremely quiet and smooth. It's really well engineered for the price point. They have mounted all the pivots on flat bearings which is much like the methodology used in the Tiffen line of rigs. The vest is fairly comfy, you can adjust it for a nice snug fit and it feels really solid, you can also switch the arm mount on the vest for left/right operation. There are only two minor things about the system which I am working on correcting, the horizontal armature which attaches to the vest on the SS (Smooth Shooter), is suceptable to lateral torsion under load. And the Gimbal yoke and handle need a redesign. But overall the SS is actually not a bad system I am really pleased with it. When you say inferior product lines such as Glidecam, I would agree that there are definitely some design issues, although minor, that I would address, but the price for the SS is kept at an affordable level for mid level operators. The price point may be low but the SS system doesn't really suffer any quality issues in terms of engineering. It's a very nicely engineered system. In terms of mixing and matching your current system, I would recommend that you get into a rig whos components are designed for each other rather than taking a shot in the dark. When I compare my previous CP EFP experiences with the Glidecam SS I have to say that the SS actually delivers surprisingly well. The SS rig is capable of carrying a total combined weight of anywhere between 5 and 18 Lbs depending on the spring configuration you choose. The SS arm has a detachable spring system for lighter cameras and of course you get both springs for the arm, they come installed. Thats for a total of 18 Lbs maximum for the combined weight of the Sled, camera, batteries, monitor etc... Glidecam has really good customer support and the Smooth Shooter includes: A docking bracket Stainless steel Arm Post Aluminum arm post Steel weight plates Hardware & Operating manual You will also need to purchase the Glidecam specific to your requirements such as the Glidecam Pro 2000 or the Glidecam Pro 4000 sled to go with your smooth shooter. B&H Photo currently has a special on right now for the complete package including Monitor, battery pack for the monitor with charger, Smooth Shooter vest and arm and your choice of a 2000 or 4000 Pro sled for a really great price. Glidecam kit at B&H <<<---Click Here. Overall I would say that Glidecam has come a long way since their early days and their current line of products reflects the engineering advances that their experience has given them. This is why I feel comfortable suggesting the Glidecam. Great price, Really good performance, Really good customer support, Extremely popular rig, This system is consistently sold out and with good reason, the market has responded very well to it, Very good engineering, Solid feel and really good control, Quality construction materials. I hope this will help with your decision. Cheers and best of luck. Matt :)