Mark Schlicher

I have a few surplus Bartech cables for sale. All are in good condition. High quality Mogami cable and genuine Lemo, Fischer, and Jupiter connectors. $50 per cable (I have two of each cable) or $250 for all ... US priority mail shipping included. International shipping extra. At these prices, it's worth it for the connectors alone! 1. Panavision power/run cable 24V w/ 12V step-down regulator for analog BFD (2 available) 2. Arri power/run cable 12V (11 pin Fischer) (2 available) 3. Aaton run cable (4 pin hermaphrodite to 2 pin hermaphrodite) (2 available)

For weddings you could go with a Solo, Pilot, Scout, or a used Flyer (very reasonably priced) but if you aspire to larger jobs you will outgrow it quickly. The Zephyr is almost too much rig for weddings. It is, however, a very capable rig for low budget videos, microbudget indie films...shoots where you carry C100/C300, Red Epic, Sony F3, etc. Also good for some (but not all) multicam applications.

SOLD thanks

Dennis, There is a good chapter on the business of Steadicam in the Steadicam Operators Handbook, which is available on Amazon and well worth the money. To what has been said above, I would add that it is very difficult to make a fulltime living at Steadicam, especially outside of major production centers of NYC, LA, Atlanta, Chicago, and a few others. Many operators I know do a lot of traveling. The investment in training and equipment is far from cheap, and it can take three to five years to get a toehold in the business as an operator. In the meantime you will need a plan in place to make money while you practice and learn, preferably on the same kinds of shoots where you want to be a Steadicam op. (Live TV, sports, music videos, narrative film, etc.) Hope this helps. Get that book.

Marshall Horizon Indicator ONLY for 7" and 6.5" Marshall monitors models: 651STX and 70XP and 70XHB series (this includes the Steadicam-branded version.) For monitors with firmware version 3.40 or higher. This artificial horizon indicator overlays X and Y leveling scales on your monitor screen. A great alternative to a bubble level. It is not motion-compensated, but still is still very useful in the field, and as a training aid. Excellent condition. B&H price: $245 My price: $145 including via USPS (international shipping extra) If you want, I will throw in a sturdy metal clamp that can be used on the bottom monitor tube of Zephyr, Scout, and Pilot.

I generally require 50% down via Paypal or bank money order and 50% day of shoot. On tight turnarounds with verifiable companies I have accepted 100% payment on day of shoot.

Ever consider a narrow version for Archer & Zephyr owners? especially useful for a rig without a nosebox like Zephyr.

Keep in mind that the eBay vest is the "compact" vest. I don't know how large you can be and still fit the compact vest, but I am 5"7', average/slight build, and the "standard" Flyer vest was a little too big to fit me well. The compact vest was a better fit for me.

Here's the US web page: http://www.shop.pbtools.us/PB-1387-Film-Tool_c432.htm

Yeah, Zephyr plate is the same width as Archer plate. Another option is this: http://cam-jam.de/alexa.html Very light, very rigid, low-profile. Takes advantage of your existing Zephyr dovetail. Also works with ENG cameras. You give up the quick-release function.

In my somewhat limited experience with lowmode and a heavy camera, the aux battery hanger with second battery does a good job of adding enough mass to keep the post short in either high or low mode. Without it, the extended sled is unwieldy either way.

I'm just saying that post extension may be needed to drop the camera down to a specific desired low height, but nothing inherent about low mode that requires lengthening the post. Simply lower the gimbel and. voila.

I guess I follow the logic but I don't see that extra extension is automatic...especially to the point where you "couldn't get away with it." Extending the post in low mode is a choice but is not necessarily required.

Why do you think that lowmode will be any different than high mode? There is no difference in capacity as far as I know...

Christopher, Zephyr is not designed for used with heavy, power-hungry cameras. You may be best served to turn this job down if you can't convince production to rent a light b-camera, for reasons well-stated above. Consider Canon C300 with a PL mount, as another option. That said, there are some ways to make the Alexa work on a Zephyr, possibly even with the lens you mention. I'm not saying you "should", especially if you don't have the kind of close relationship with the DP and/or director to have the kind of conversation that is necessary to manage their expectations about the rig. First: Weight. The lens and camera body alone are close to 25lb. Slightly above the official camera payload but probably do-able, and very unlikely to damage the rig. As pointed out already, the accessories could tip you over the practical limits of the rig. Prep is crucial, to see if you are above the total lifting capacity of the arm. Lighter lenses would also help for sure. Second: Stability and vibration. Adding the second battery allows you to keep the post short, minimizing flexing issues, and using the Steadi-Alexa bracket will help minimize potential vibrations. Sometimes vibrations with the Zephyr can happen because the connection between the post and topstage can get loose over time. Get in the habit of checking from time to time. Side note: Keep in mind that a heavy sled will have a lot more inertia than you may be used to, so the rig will behave differently. Third: Power. The Zephyr can handle the power of the Alexa with a few important cautions. On a big rig you could just slap a battery on the back of the camera if you wanted, but you are already tipping the scales on a Zephyr, so you have to power off of the sled. 24V is preferred with Zephyr because it is less stress on wiring. Make sure to check your 24V cable to confirm it's wired for 24V and not 12V. If your monitor has a battery plate, consider running the monitor on its own battery. You will want DIonic HC or equivalent on the sled, to handle the high current draw. And you will want lots of batteries and charging stations. No matter the voltage, the camera draws a lot of current and you will go through batteries fast, especially if the batteries have a lot of cycles on them. The Bartech and focus motor take a surprising amount of current in addition to the camera's draw.

If you have Tiffen to an upgrade, everything you need is included (as long as your camera is receiving a tally signal from the control room). The tally upgrade consists of adding a tally connector on the topstage, as well as an additional power lemo, and perhaps rewiring the sled (I'm not sure but I think that they replace the wiring loom). They provide a wire with a photocell receptor, and a "talent tally" LED to tape to the lens shade or prompter, in case the viewfinder is removed or obscured. On the bottom, they wire tally into the 8-pin hirose video/power connector, and replace the stock cable with a new cable that has a place to plug in a tally LED that is taped or velcroed to your monitor. It is possible, I'm sure, for someone else to custom wire something similar, but Tiffen's solution works and is well thought-out.

Cost: check with Tiffen but it used to be in the neighborhood of $1000, and it includes an upgrade of your sled's connectors and wiring. Alex is right that it's a photoresistor input. Tape it to the camera's tally light.

I strongly second Robert's advice. I would add that a secondhand Flyer LE is also an excellent starter rig, and it will handle configurations that are a bit heavier than the Pilot.

So which is it? 1) "custom bearings that certainly are not tapered in anyway" 2) "two taper roller bearings" (implied not-custom) That would not seem to be a matter of opinion, but fact.

Good advice and suggestions here. Also, do you have good dynamic balance? This could be affecting your horizon on panning, especially noticable with the lesser inertia of the light rig. The quick way I used to get my Flyer into the ballpark on DB was to 1) extend the monitor arm completely horizontal, with the monitor face tilted up at a slight angle. 2) use a relatively light battery, like an anton bauer Hytron 50 or Dionic 90. 3) tip the battery panel down, tucking the battery slightly under the post (just a bit beyond vertical) 4) put the camera on the stage with CG about 1/2 inch behind the post center. Adjust side to side static balance. 5) get rough front to back static balance by making slight adjustments in the battery paddle angle. 6) Set drop time to about 3 seconds 7) fine-tune static balance with the camera stage adjustments. 8) test and adjust dynamic balance using the normal techniques.

A simple "demand letter" is a good place to start. Keep it factual and professional but outline your intention to take further action if not paid by a certain date. Google demand letter for more info.

Jess, A few thoughts... Remember that, although the negative voices can be loud, they are not, and have not, been the only voices. Bullies are very good at sniffing out vulnerability, and very good at claiming they speak from authority or speak for the entire community. They don't. And slowly but surely, (and often behind the scenes) this community has policed itself and the bullying behavior has been corralled, if not eliminated completely. Kudos to the mods especially. For us as individuals, it is a subtle practice and hard to master: to be open and vulnerable, but strong and confident. To keep our childlike enthusiasm but shed the need for external approval. We all have better days and days when we can be wounded by a careless comment or nasty barb thrown our way. I was "that kid". The one who was the last one picked for the team. Every time, for years. I was the bookish shy kid with tape on his glasses, literally. The one who couldn't throw or catch or run. I know that sting of having only talents and interests that had no currency among the "cool kids." Bullies, like sharks, smell the blood in the water. There is no way to convey to anyone who wasn't in those shoes what a special corner of hell it is to grow up this way. I hate locker room mentality, and I hate how much it has infected this forum in the past. And I will say this: it's all bull. F*ck it and f*ck them. Live your life, and do your work, in the way that makes you happy. Gather friends that are true friends and shed the ones aren't. Grow your own garden, metaphorically speaking. Try not to let the voices of the jerks drown out the voices of reason and support. People have no right to judge you. Nevertheless, some will. And it will hurt. The secret, as a wise person taught me, is to learn to let the emotion pass through you, and deflect the energy in a way that will serve you positively rather than stay inside and fester into bitterness and resentment. Emotional tai chi. And trust me, I know it's easier said than done. I believe in "not feeding the trolls" whenever possible. But sometimes silence is equal to enabling, so it is important to speak up and call it out. The attack on you in the other thread was one of the most offensive things I've seen on this forum in a long time. I was happy to see you stand up for yourself, and I was glad to see people expressing support. I'm sad to read that it continues to affect you so deeply, especially with the other stresses you are facing. When I met you a few years ago at Stabilizer Expo, I was still pretty new to this community and felt like an outsider. You were one of the people who, by your warmth and passion and generous spirit, made me feel welcome. I'll always appreciate that. From my perspective, you are as much a part of the community as anyone else. One of the good ones. So I'll leave you with this thought: if you feel you need to take a temporary or permanent break from the forum, I understand and respect that. I've had those moments myself. But consider this: you are a valued part of the community and no one...not one nor a dozen bellicose, blustering, bombastic elitist asshats...has any right to chase you out if you want to stick around. The prerogative is yours and yours alone. Be well!

Emily, There are many good suggestions here. If you go with a Zephyr, I second Victor's comments. Regarding the batteries, skip the Hytrons. Not nearly enough power reserve, particularly if you were to fly a camera with heavier power consumption (such as a broadcast camcorder). Go with the Dionic HC's. If cost is a big factor, you can go with recelled Dionic 90's (search the forum for John Ritter's contact info). Not quite as good as the HC's but still better than Hytron 50's. You didn't mention live TV as your application, but you should know there is a whole 'nother world of accessories specifically for live TV. The Zephyr V configuration includes tally wiring in the sled as well as the tally sensor and light kit, HD Marshall monitor and a 3.5" return monitor. You may still be able to order the regular Zephyr with a "tally-ready" upgrade, but I don't know. Live TV will require other options too, such as a Stanton zoom/focus controller. Used gear from a trusted source can be an excellent value, and you can be ready to fly bigger cameras. They also often come with a lot of cables and other extras already included. That said, if you don't mind starting out flying a camera payload under 24 pounds, the Zephyr is a great value. The Zephyr will fly most broadcast HD configurations, Epic, C100, C300, Sony F3, and F5, etc.

The green screen will be the best for outdoor use, until you can afford a Cinetronics.

Shawn, scroll up the thread and you will see some other issues with Marshall monitors. Sounds like your replacement monitor is faulty as well as your original. You shouldn't be having the problems you are having.