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Paul Wegschaider

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  • Rig
    Zephyr & Alexa
  1. Thanks Tom, that is exactly I was really looking for. Do you have an idea how I could get connected from 4pin-XLR to a V-mount battery?
  2. Hi everybody, I just have a question about the v-mount adapter cable on the back of his Alexa this video: https://vimeo.com/26644839#t=42m32s (video starting point 42m32s already in URL) Does anybody know, where I can get THIS? Cheers, Paul
  3. Ok, I just read a couple of topics here. The problem seems to be bigger than I thought. No easy solution on Zephyr... :(
  4. May I ask a last question: I have 2 V-Lock batteries on my Zephyr with over 30V power! (Zephyr battery V-Lock + 2nd dove tail) Why does Alexa need about 24V to work at this setup?? Below 24V it shuts down immediately!! I am really confused, because Alexa normally works fine at about 11V minimum with 1 battery at the onboard V-mount. Is there any Zephyr setup I don't know?
  5. Robin, thank you so much for helping me, that means a lot for me, I really appreciate that! I´d love to join your workshops in the UK, but it´s still too far for me at the moment, my newborn baby son and my wife need me very close in the next months. That was very important for me to know, because my rig with the matte box (plus additional counterweights at the bottom) is already over 30lbs (with sled). I´ll be more careful, thank you! Some guys here wrote, that Tiffens´ recommendations are always below the real payload of any arms, so I didn't really care about some lbs more. My payload is now a bit below 30lbs. A tiny bit. I hope I understood this correctly: I should not tighten the springs too much in starting position to get the cam just higher? So, for my marginal payload it would be better and more secure to use the arms horizontal or better below that, so the springs are quite soft (to avoid to be broken)? To get the cam higher I have to extend the length of the centerpost, but not touching the arm tension!? Well, I´ll study the ordered operators handbook (hopefully be delivered in 1-2 weeks) concerning the arms´ "sweet spot". I guess it is the arm tension where the sled is steady while jumping in the starting position!?
  6. Here it is without the matte box: https://www.facebook.com/Paul.Wex.Films/videos/1327604827356340
  7. Hi there, well, I just wanted to tell you, that I´ve fixed my problems. I put a 16mm on and all slow "dolly"-footages are perfectly smooth... :) Cheers
  8. Hi, first of all: THANKS Erik for your time, you really helped me in point 1), 2) and 5)! Those things really nobody could tell me yet. Thanks a lot Scott too, I really will look into that!! This serial circuit is not the nicest way to work with, but well, lets see... ------------------------------------------------------------ @1) This is really what I needed to know, thanks!!! I addition to that I studied all the YT clips and I noticed, that every operator is holding the gimbal handle just at the inner end. I always grabbed it with completely my full hand, that seemed to be a big mistake. I am right handed. I tried regular as well, but it didn't make any improvement to the footage. I changed to goofy because I´ve been really good using the Glidecam right handed in the past... @3): I thought too much stiffness of the arms are the main reason of transferring the steps into the footage? @4) :-) this is still a funny thing, I am still not figuring that out, because while leaning 1cm in any direction the sled says good bye... But it bothers me not so much anymore, because my sled flies fine and steady in front of me while standing. So the screws seem be okay now. ------------------------------------------------------------ After my posting here I put on the matte box for increasing the weight. Somebody in this forum wrote that Zephyr arms work better with more weight. Here is an example of a little test with 21mm. Its really not smooth. https://vimeo.com/229126721/ce2f3cde57 (A pic of the setup is the thumb.) I know the horizon isn´t fine here, but thats not my problem, I´ll practice that enough in future. I just want the steps to disappear, because any soft stabilization in post is not able fix that... Now, the actual state, some minutes ago: I increased the post length and did a new balance with a longer drop time of 3 sec - and I feel a bit better. ( I don't have a test footage online yet) I see on most YT clips, that the sled is mostly positioned beside the body while following a person strait forwards. What about holding the sled in front of the body while following? Its more exhausting and it is hard to watch the monitor, but wouldn´t it be better to get well stabilized footages?
  9. Hello, although I´ve been working very successfully with my Glidecam HD2000 (FS700+7Q), I´ve really big problems starting with my Alexa on my new Zephyr rig. Actual state: The down rigged Alexa Classic is about 16-17lbs (7-9kg). I use 2 V-Mounts for sled weights with the optional small dove tail, static and dynamic balance is very well, drop time about 2 sec. The zephyr arm was changed to the new A30 from Tiffen while purchase, the vest fits perfectly, no shoulder space here. Unfortunately there are no Steadicam workshops in middle europe, so I haven't visited one. I already ordered the operators handbook, I watched all YT tutorials (Ted Churchill is a god!) out there and I read lots of topics in here. I know, yes, there is lot of practice needed and can´t be learned in weeks, but with my huge experience with the Glidecam, the basic sled balancing is not the point. I am an absolutely newbie working with an vest+arm! My problem is now: The shots are not floating, nearly every step is visible, by walking normally, missionary. No vibrations here, the post is as short as possible for both balancing types successfully done. I use the arm goofy now, but I tried it regular as well with no improvement in the result. So, some basic questions concerning the arm are still open, maybe one of you can help me here fixing my problem: 1) I know that the gimbal hand should touch the post very slightly, so I do. (like i did on the Glidecam) But what about the other hand? Should it touch the gimbal handle also just slightly or is it better to hold it more stronger, to avoid transferring steps to the sled? 2) All the basic sled stabilization should be done by my body. So if I walked down a line (missionary), touching the gimbal+handle with my hands is not necessary - is that right? The hands are just for directing and lifting the sled, but only if needed? 3) The Zephyr operation manual tells me to setup the arms about 5-10° up horizontal. But what about the weight with e.g. Alexa? Would it be better if I set the arm down for less stiffness with the heavy Alexa? What is the best arm setup for slow following/walking shots? 4) The Zephyr operation manual tells me to set the side crews on the arm socket differently on the top and bottom. If I just turned the bottom screw all the way in and leave the upper screw a bit out, is the arm&sled&cam still secure? What about the rollers, how should they be set for using an Alexa/16lbs? All in or out? (Maybe there is an experienced operator, who can tell me this in german, the operation manual is really written dizzily in this point...) and: 5) If somebody knows: Is there a hot swap available with the Alexa by using the small dove tail (V-Mount)? If yes, how to plug?? What is the 1/2 switch for? Thanks a lot for any help, I´d really appreciate. I don´t know any operator (with a similar rig) in my area for asking directly. I swear I practise every free minute, but these points above really make me mad... Cheers, Paul Austria
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