Sam Morgan Moore

3 weights on the bottom is going to put the camera too far away from the gimbal. This will make your shots less stable. You want the distance between the stage and the gimbal around 2-3 inches max. You'll need to add weights to the top to do this. My EX1 (and shotgin mic+fluff) only sits around 3.5 inches with 6 weights at the bottom - the post is short My reasoning for this config is short post = monitor close to me and easy to view and less risk of brushing rig with my legs ! Using the extra weights far from the post means more rotational inertia - easy to fly straight Each set up it is a different set of compromises of course One thing I am convinced is that the rig alway performs best when used near the maximum weight for the arm, however configured S

It is my guess ,my only experience of heavier rigs being a V25 with a weight cage, and also my pilot with ex1+letus steel rails (bottomed out big time) that the natural inertia of such masses possibbly makes it less critical especially when partnered with years of operating skill My experience of the the ultralight merlin sugests that with such a small rig it is easy to configure in a manner that is wildly out - the pilot less so and, I guess, a large rig even less so -possibly the reason GB managed to invent the system without, AFAIK, full knowlege of the subject S

Thanks all for the input My 5mm start point is fair then I think considering that the Pilot with three or so wieghts attached to the bottom (wich are in DB alone) the battery/monitors contribution to the overall stability is fairly minimal - the amount may be even less than 5mm Honestly as a newb I am not sure I could even spin a perfectly set up rig flat ! In terms of the side drop test method I, as a newb, guess this 'theoretically' does not work but may/does work in practice with many rigs - hence the debate S

Interesting - again one is locking down the variables to the minimum of two S

But in the case of the Steadicam Pilot where (rigged 'normally) -the monitor sits above the sled -the battery hangs below it - the battery is heavier than the monitor - the monitor is positioned near the end of the sled ie away from the post the camera would need to sit behind the post for DB to be possible Correct? Thanks for the time BTW (and yes I have the read the primer many times) S

Sorry I dont understand that - maybe being thick/newb ! If the monitor is lighter than the batteries and at a different height and/or distance from the post surely there is no DB to be gained with the CofG of the camera over the gimbal I hope the OP does not consider this to be threadjack.. SMM

What I am thinking - and I think I saw a similar post by one of the masters it that one is trying to cut down the variables while hunting for DB - ie reduce the amount of combinations that balance statically but might/might not gain DB that if the battery is lower than the monitor and heavier -we know that the CofG of the camera must be behind the gimbal for DB, in the case of a light rig like the pilot this distance from the gimbal is fairly minimal by marking the camera and putting it in a reasonable position to start with the variables are reduced in the hunt once one has found a DB for a specific post length (and I typically extend my post by the length of the allen key handle maybe 7cm) one can mesure the gimbal to camera distance (or eyeball it) At that point to set up (from a broken down form) one gets post lenght and camera distance set and just fiddles with the battery until SB is acheived magically gaining DB at the same time - reduced variables In summary would one agree that for newbs it is correct to think that.. -placing the camera CG a short distance behind the gimbal will lead to good start point for finding DB or an approximation thereof that is good enough for basic operation -marking the camera speeds up this process Of course the more experienced operator will need different rig configurations and a greater degree of DB to operate more demanding shots S

Charles I am learning flying Ex1 On the DB thing I think a lot of newbs like me are somewhat mislead by the concept of balancing using the adjustment on the top stage I am developing this procedure -Mark the camera CofG with tape or pen (by balancing it on a pencil off the rig) -possibly make further marks on the camera for CofG with accesories/different batteries Know that because the sled batteries sit low/close and the monitor high/far that the camera CofG must be slightly behind the post centre line for DB -mount the camera with that mark maybe 5mm (or so) behind the post centre line (using the top stage adjustment to place it there) -use the top stage to gain a horizon - balance in the fore aft axis the rig by moving the battery and leaving the top stage alone - the camera has to stay at that 5mm (or so) position Experiment with changing that 5mm with post length (longer = less ?) S

Oscilations/Judders - something loose and flapping around Pendulluming - to fast drop time - rig too bottom heavy Any bottom heavy rig will swing a bit when you accelerate - needs to be countered with a light touch DB will help starting and stopping pans etc S

Are you using the little GZ bolt that screws up under the lens to make extra rigidity ? Also everything must be tight - accesories like microphones must not be wobbly S

In my post above I meant Flyer - sorry ---- Once you are shooting adapter on sticks and no adapter on the rig you are going to have a mighty long swap over time - Id rent or buy a second camera rather than do that.. S

Pilot ? But are you going to need a focus solution ? S

I think the advice above is absolutely correct about not just the springs but the whole mechanism not being built to stand the forces involved in heavier cameras You could just spend more on a bigger rig , or hire as required (if they will fund it) I think the skillset learned practicing with a pilot will upscale nicely Have you considered the lack of 'affordable' focus solution with an adapter which could make the whole scheme a non starter I have a letus and ex1 and initial experiments show that it 'might' fly if If got rid of the rails and made a super light weight device to support the lens - Im not that bothered about moving forward with that project because I dont think the look is a worthy exchange for the loss of AF and DOF You could also get/hire a canon 5d2 if they are obsessed with the 35FF look - light enough to add a focus solution - of course that camera is riddled with other conundrums like 30FPS only and inconsistent exposure The upcoming Pana GH1 has 24p, AF and a near RED size chip, and weighs the same as a bar of chocolate I think these DSLRs mean that the adapter is on the way out - so buying a rig for the odd adapter shot is a poor plan IMO S

Thanks - not bonkers plans then Im slightly worried about my non gimbal hand getting dis isolated from the arm by touching it if the J is note carefully designed Ill see the cost of a seperate mounting block - or while im at the machinist... do you have a Pilot or larger rig? S

Im posting this in the newb area because I consider the Pilot a 'newb rig Firstly is there a manufacurer of some kind of hard mount - maybe for attaching to a wheelchair/golf cart would it be insane to use regular lighting grip -- Secondly Im 6'5 tall and am finding rarely need to boom up but often am looking to boom right down - I find it very hard to be stable while holding down (my ex1 + sanken + small battery is rigged to be about three inches above the gimbal - i could change this but not so easily without making other compromises) Is there a manufacturer of a (I dont know the correct term) 'J thingy' to lower the camera height relative to the arm - does this affect operating Tia SMM

Im talking about the clip that is like a monopod from a stills camera It doesnt rotate - but there is some movement (in my pilot) maybe +/- 10 degrees when the clip is undone - it is therefore possible to tighten the clip with the bottom and the top of the sled mildly misaligned (when viewed directly from above) s

The post extension allows for about 1/8th of a turn misallignment - loosen your post extension and rotate the bottom of the sled until it aligns with the top ?? S

Im sure the more experienced operators (Im a newb to steadicam - but a proffessional stills shooter for more than 18 years!) may disagree with me but.. Do you have your own digital video camera or a budget for one? To learn any camera operation the best method is to be able to practice practice practice and evaluate your results 'for free' Steadicam is camera operation on a higher level but still falls into a category of camera operation I would buy a Steadicam Pilot and a camera too - I love the canon 5d By the time you graduate, and move through the business via some corporate, music work and TV work I think you may find film and heavy cameras are almost forgotten - or you will be in a position to rent or buy a rig that can fly film and heavy cameras My experience in learning the steadicam has imporoved my operator skill on sticks and hendheld so much and my experience as a stills shooter has meant I have progressed well (I hope) because I have a years of knowledge of lenses and framing before even touching any camera that shoots moving images at all my experience of workin with 'graduates' of (still) photography is that they just dont have enough time spent just playing and evaluating partly because the colleges are still insist on film S

Ill skip that then until Im hanging with a electonics nerd - thanks - £30 saved I hope this is not off topic - any hints on setting up the pilot for keeping horizons - Im trying to get my head round long post short post lost of weight etc - I seem to have cycled through all combos - EX1 is nice - latest version is 6 weights bottom, none top, pretty short post - previously I was on 4 top and 4 bottom, post extended the length of the yellow allen key (thats about half out) maybe for really perfect horizons (real estate tours :( $$$) Ill need antlers S

That lead - did you do it properly or just chop out the middle and wind the wires back together - Im reluctant to try but dont have great tooling available S

I take the plate from my miller head that would attach to the camera and attach it to the manfrotto 'bottom' and then attach the manfrotto 'top' to the camera - dont know vinten but imagine similar S

Manfrotto make a plate (prokit £38) I just bought three of them so they are probably out of stock :) One for the pilot and one for my sticks and one for an undecided future handhed/shoulder rig I cant see you wanting do be diddling with a screwdriver 'on set' S

You can attach (with an adapter) Nikon Manual Lenses enabling control of the aperture, shutter speed and ISO are not controllable beyond the exposure lock frame rate is fixed at 30fps Enough control for cool footage - not enough control to be able to make consistent cuts between camera angles etc Nikon manual lenses are available in a wide range of focal lengths and wide apertures that create a look that is 'cinematic' compared to small chip cameras like the EX1 Reverie is 'awsome' because it looks so nice for a $3000 camera and very minimal lighting budget (a torch in the helicopter!) - I agree the plot is limited The 5d is a bargain as the only camera that has a '35mm film look' (because of the larger than red chip) that is light enough to operate on a rig such as the Pilot and sensitive enough to typically light with a reflector or two Super exciting if a $6k rig is at the top of your budget... S

So that was basically Bartech -> Redrock somhow mashed together Monitor - did you have and do you know about that.. thanks for info S

Was the Giro on ?? Was there a focus solution ?? (newb learning on 5d) S