Jerry Holway

Benjamin- Minor point: Tiffen's rigs have 1.50, 1.58, and 1.75 inch posts. The Volt can be adapted to 2" posts, but the other manufacturers will have to do the work - As Betz has done. It doesn't make business sense for Tiffen to do the engineering and testing etc. themselves, but they have been more than willing to cooperate to get the Volt onto other rigs.

Typically this is a problem of the operator's posture. When you put any arm over your shoulder, the section closest to the body will pop up as you lean back. Same thing happens if you lean back when operating... and the Master arm is more sensitive to this (a design trade off in making it very isoelastic)

I've made some new items... including this Zalex Longplate M bracket to IDX battery mount and cable. Please check out the new PDF of all the items I'm currently making. 3D_printed_accessories.small.pdf

Most likely the centering of the pan bearing to the yoke is the culprit, based on the pictures. You might be able to shim it to get it more centered. More expensive rigs either have some mechanism to adjust this centering and/or much better machining and control of tolerances. You got what you paid for...

Regarding the panning: If you've done the "hand-free" test and the rig pans, it may be that the pan bearing is sticky and needs a good cleaning. Or, alas, replacing. If the "hand-free" test shows no panning, then it's likely a combination of lack of pan inertia (typical of small sleds) and heavy-handedness, both of which are easily fixed, as described above.

This is entirely Peter Abraham's fault. He asked me if I could print a bracket that fit under his Longplate to hold a BFD receiver. There's a lot of room on many camera builds for receivers, transmitters, and other accessories under his plate. One thing leads to another and there are now six new items for sale, and options for more. See the PDF for information. 3D_printed_iems_for_sale_8_31.20.pdf

Another posting for the VGTBE. 3D_printed_iems_for_sale.pdf

Isaac- Because you have the base and monitor one one plane with the Aero 30 (a necessary thing) and if the camera/mic holder & accessories balance the rig statically, then you are most of the way there for dynamic balance. You don't need to worry about the mic holder. The challenge comes with trying to move the camera and batteries forward or backwards, opposite each other, and getting in static balance again, and then spinning it fairly slowly (like a real panning shot) and seeing if it is in dynamic balance. I'm not sure what choices you have for moving the battery in and out on the Areo 30. If both the battery and monitor positions are fixed (in and out-wise, if that's a word) then you are kind of stuck. If the battery moves (or even the monitor) in and out, you should be able to find dynamic balance pretty quickly. From the setup in the pix, I'd suspect the camera c.g. should be just a little behind the axis of the central post, maybe .25 inches. Jerry

okay, another PDF here - better organized and a new thing - a button extender for the Volt - great for regular use and indispensable for use with a zoom controller3D printed iems for sale.pdf

Good for you for practicing on both sides, and for questioning and experimenting. That's how we've progressed, operating wise, over the years. Do what feels best. It seems from your description like going regular is the right (normal) way for you. It doesn't really matter how others feel.

Get the 50 for that price and upgrade it - check with Tiffen first if you can, how long it will take, etc. Then try, if you can, different vests and hopefully find one you like. Not necessarily what anyone recommends - it's a personal choice.

Yes, you can adapt the Shadow V gimbal (or Shadow, U2, Clipper), or get a M1/M2 gimbal set for 1.58" posts

Balance normally. You don't want a big pendular moment as you move around in low mode any more than you would in high mode.

FYI, if you buy an M1 or M2 gimbal, it's easy to modify it for the post diameter of 1.75 inch or less (1.58, 1.50...). If it's a different gimbal to be modified for the Volt, many (expensive) parts have to be modified to fit the Volt bits to the gimbal. It's not just fitting to a different diameter post.

Peter was having trouble with the video, so I'm giving it a try... Garrett_3_Section_Arm_April_18_2012_720.mov