Pedro Guimaraes SOC

Last week I tested a few new to market "lighter" 3D rigs on my steadicam. The BX4 was amazing for essentially a full size rig! (large mirror box, zoom lens capable etc...) ScreenPlane has designed a steadicam specific rig called the "Steady-flex" I had first seen the rig at NAB a few years ago in it's prototype stage. Finally it is in LA and ready to rent and purchase. Which means we might seeing it on set soon. So I went over to Camadeus and spent an afternoon checking out the rig in a ready to shoot configuration. having just finished a 3D gig with Randy Nolen he asked to stop by and also check it out. He Brought along Rick Drapkin who was also curious. Ready to shoot with EPIC and UltraPrime LDS lenses it was an amazing 52lbs!! .... that's total sled weight. No gimbal clearance issues and first rig I have been able to dynamically balance. Also no "stuff" hanging off the back of the rig. Really compact configuration! The next project with alot of 3D steadicam I know what I will be asking for... Click on the link for the full review.... http://steadi3d.com/2012/04/screenplane-steady-flex-3d-rig-tested-lightweightcompact/ It has built in lens and rig control (courtesy of CMOTION) I also did a video blog about the review. Watch the video here or on vimeo

what's a "1000ft mag" you speak about? :unsure:

Tested the new BX4 beamsplitter....here is a link to the thread with links and images. http://www.steadicamforum.com/index.php?showtopic=15912&pid=75735&st=0entry75735

Hi guys, Spent the last few days testing out new steadicam friendly 3D rigs. One of the best was the new BX4 from 21st Century 3D. Jason Goodman was nice enough to invite me out to check out thier new rig. 11 lbs. is a good place to start! Final ready to shoot weight with Epic's and red zooms (comprable weight to ultra primes) was 58lbs....quite an improvement from other setups at 70lbs+ read the article on my blog for a full review. My link and check out the video and see for yourself. on vimeo On a side note, my segway and 8motor Cmotion is available for rent separately.

man....If I ever ran for anything I'd be set. I have an unbeatable campaign slogan.

The mantis is "tall" it puts the camera higher above your shoulder than I like. makes it a bit top heavy. I'm also with the shoulder pad crowd...

Huge issue for me would be price....yet nobody has asked about that? Granted I want to first state that I sympathize with the inventor and manufacturer on the costs of R&D.... but that said....as a consumer I wanted to give my first impression at pricing... When you look at a Klassen vest you can clearly see where the high cost comes from...monocoque carbon fiber, hand laid leather...air bladders....cnc parts...$7000 more or less....I get it. When you look at PRO vest you also see the cost.... My first impression of the exovest.....well that it shouldn't nearly as much. why? Well.....that's hard to say. My first impression i guess. maybe it's because it looks like a couple 15mm iris rods in the front and back with some pads at each end...(Please understand it's not my intention to be insulting.) The construction and materials are minimal. Which makes it very light by the way I don't know...something about it just doesn't scream high dollar....or high manufacturing costs... So I walked away from my test thinking....well if it's not that expensive I'll try it... but what do I know...right? Certainly you can price an invention/product at whatever you want. Maybe the market can bear more than I think. I do know that if it's priced high than I probably will not buy it. If it's priced below $2000 I will probably buy it and give it a good run. If it's too much more than that than I'll probably just keep on living with my PRO, let others buy it and gauges the response. I hope it gets priced in a affordable way so that more people might give it a try. Sooooo.......Chris/Tiffen reps.... ANY THOUGHTS on pricing? :D

Well i had it on for about 40mins at the show. Chris was nice enough to go over his concept and design aspects then help fit the vest to me appropriately. For the first 25mins or so I was flying a ultra2 with a F65 on it. I had the arm front mounted on the vest. Initial impressions were strange.....as one might expect with anything new and drastically different. I normally use a pro vest.... Chris asked me some questions about where I was feeling pressure and we adjusted and he added a pad to the top rear portion. Finally I started to get more used it....and sure enough some of his design ideals were becoming evident. -When moving the sled father away from my body the load did not feel strong single points of pressure. -My chest was free to expand and collapse from heavy breathing. -I felt very good after the initial 25mins or so... I then switched to the back mount & the 3 section arm. I picked up the heaviest sled there....the ultra2 with the alexa-M on it in low mode. Immediately I felt a difference. I could now feel more of a pressure point on my top back pad. A bit expected as the weight and leverage had changed. I spent another 30 mins in this configuration....running, slow moves etc...worked up a good sweat even. I can honestly say that the vest felt better in front mount. Like it did a better job there at distributing the weight properly around the contact points of the vest. On the back mount I felt alot of pressure on the top back pad....much like you would on a klassen. Now I don't own a klassen so I can't really compare it properly. Although I have used one a few times. While my chin did not make contact with the top spar it came very close and it was definitly weird to have that spar so close to your chin. Compared to my pro it was very interesting. Not really sure how I feel about it at the moment. I will reserve further comment until I can do a "back to back" comparison of my pro vest and the exovest. I need a more controlled setup to gather a more clear picture. As I operate heavy 3D cameras alot I'm very interested if this vest really makes a difference. It definitely deserves more testing....my mind is open. Also pricing would play a HUGE part in my decision to actually buy one of these. I have my opinion on what this should cost but I'll keep that to myself for now. Here is a closeup of the back mounted socket block The triple g70 arm Well.... i felt super awkward when I first put it on and took it for a spin... then Garret came over and started to adjust the ride and lift of each section. after his adjustment, things got much better and more .....comfortable. Still....the proper adjustment of each section is really critical....and not easy as there is alot going on. so the boom range...... Well I guess it can come in handy...every once in awhile.....kinda like a superpost.. You don't really use it that often. Plus your now limited to what you arms can reach! and let me tell you at the upper end it get mighty awkward! So much so that doing a full boom up from lowest to highest smoothly and conssistently is very tricky. in the end...not really sold on the 3 arm idea. it's intresting....but I see it being hard to implement and something we don't really make use of most of the time....kinda like a superpost. I want to thank Chris and Garret for taking the time to answer all my questions and helping me really take this thing for a spin and try to understand thier concepts behind all this innovation. In sum....I can live with out the 3 arm section.......and I would like to test the vest further...

and I'll belive the 13 stop of DR when I test it for myself.

Not sure about "game changer" comment. The image reminds me of an si-2k....and people have not been big fans of the si. the rolling shutter performance is poor... but $3k for 2.5k raw.....is intresting. Certainly better than shooting dslr

after testing it at nab, thanks to Robert offering to walk his rig outside into the superbright midday desert sun.....I'm on the waiting list as well. im sold.

I shot a in-depth walk through the C-Motion Cvolution wireless lens controller system. Check it out....here is the article on my blog. I do a step by step overview of almost all of the features of the system. I show you how to setup lenses and the RFID. I go over the C-finder and the C-display. Also note that it is completly compatible with Cinetape, Arritape and Preston lens motors. In any case....I'll let the video do the talking.... http://steadi3d.com/2012/03/c-motion-cvolution-wireless-lens-controller-in-depth-walk-through-pt-1-2d/ here is a link to the but it is also in the article.

I feel left out.....

megadeth....I'm jealous....I know slash did a GCS as well.....Cool deal.

Naturally it is all personal opinion. But just want to address 2 things you brought up. Just to keep people informed. *knob feel* The Knob on the cvolution has adjustable tension. The AC can quickly and easily adjust tension on the wheel from compeltely free feeling to one that takes more effort. Adjust to your personal preference. In fact all of the AC's that have used my system have commented on how much they like the feel of the unit in thier hands. The Cvolutuion has a larger knob and it fits in your hand very well. The handunit is also amidextrous for left handed AC's it feels the same. *Simpler UI* I can't imagine a more simpler UI than the Cvolution GUI and slector wheel. Many AC's first comment " So it's just like the Alexa selector wheel?" yes it is....rotate and select menu's. Push to enter. Just like an Alexa. Very intuitive. The color LCD graphical interface you can learn in 5 mins. I know they both work very well. I know they both have a great product. Buy whatever you think works best for you and your situation. Read up all the information on both and try both out for yourself.

Well......i have owned my Cmotion Cvolution 8motor system since dec 2010 So far I have had Zero issues with it. Makes money for me in 2D shows and is constantly out on 3D productions. Everybody has been happy with it. No complaints from me. compatible with cinetape, arritape, preston motors, LDS, Alexa.....many advance features. Don't regret my decision for a min. My bank account is also happy. Just my .02 cents and experience thus far.

ask and you shall recive. F65 3D

JUST for everyone's information, Cmotion's Cvolution now has a epic start stop cable........

I did not see you hold a frame at any point....you were all over the place. the reply above is 100% correct. Do yourself a favor and now that you got some feedback pull those videos down. They will hurt you more than they will help. Go back practice, do everything the guy above said and you will improve.....buy the steadicam handbook and take the workshop.... nice try.....but keep trying....

"Lightweight" that's what "they" call it......75lbs rig is still not what I call "lightweight" yet. "lightER" is better. ....and yes the F35 were heavier than the F65. ....and yes it has been done. here you go... that said the freestyle rig with Si-2k cameras are closer to 55lbs....that more in the lightweight category

Thanks Chris I posted it over on the new subforum here.... :D http://www.steadicamforum.com/index.php?showforum=41

obviously four blacks where in there.....and I have put more weight than this setup on it....I think last year on my segway I had an Atom rig with RED epics and Angeniuex zooms....I think that was more than 80lbs....4 blacks and the arm was sinking..... very happy I was on my segway.

Posted an article on my blog about my thoughts and experience on flying the 3ality ts-5 lightweight rig during filming of the Katy Perry 3D movie. check it out. http://steadi3d.com/2012/02/katyperry3d/ and here is the video

have soem great ones of me working with 3D rigs and my segway.....send them on your way soon

the grammy shot was great....the slow push in on jennifer hudson's tribute to whitney was really good!