Premium Members richard bellon Posted August 11, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted August 11, 2009 Hi Guys, i dont mean to ask stupid questions but i am looking to purchase i new rig. I cant decide between the ultra 2 or pro. Is the motorized stage/tilt head a gimmick or is is worthwile. Also the g-70 arm how does it compare to the pro arm geoelasticity vs spring interchanablity? these are the decideing factors , can someone pls give an opinion on what would be a betta choice thanks rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members chris fawcett Posted August 11, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted August 11, 2009 Tilt heads and motorized stages are addictive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Jess Haas SOC Posted August 11, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted August 11, 2009 Tilt heads and motorized stages are definitely a personal preference kind of thing. There really aren't any shots you can't get without them but some people do swear by them. I personally prefer to not have extra stuff on my rig that I don't need, especially things that can break like motors and electronics. As far as arms go they are both very nice arms. The pro arm seems much easier to clean and service while the G-70 arm has all the bells and whistles. You will find people who swear by both of them and you really can't go wrong with either choice. ~Jess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Robert Starling SOC Posted August 11, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted August 11, 2009 The tilt head function is something I use and adjust on just about every shot. Frankly, I can't think about the last time I did not use it. Love it and would miss it if I didn't have it. By the same token, there's obviously plenty of operators doing a lot of nice work without it as well. I have a G-50 arm but there was one show I was working on last Fall where the client, NFL Studios had their own rig, arm and vest. The rig was / is an old Frankenstein ProVid and the vest was just plain nasty. They did have a very nice PRO arm which I ultimately ended up using with my vest for two months. The PRO arm was silky smooth... like buttah and in certain types of shots it excelled over my G series arm... to the point where I took my arm into the factory to have it checked and serviced. The rest is a long, long, long story that I'm not going to delve into here on the Forum. The short answer though is if I were looking at the two arms (G-70 vs PRO) today I'd be looking really hard at the PRO. I officially vote this thread "Most likely to be eventually banned or deleted by Moderators". :unsure: Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Louis Puli SOC Posted August 12, 2009 Moderators Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 I officially vote this thread "Most likely to be eventually banned or deleted by Moderators". :unsure: Robert Hi everyone I hope we are all grown ups, well some of us ,well a few of us , well you and i am not going to delete it . There is nothing like testing the gear for yourself .Yes there are many people in different camps here about this or that gear is better so read the archives talk to you bank manager and buy which ever fits your needs and bank balance . Good luck Louis I fly the best rig in the world for me Puli Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Charles Papert Posted August 12, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 We all tend to get very comfy with the mode that we work in. The Tiffen rigs offer some specific features that aren't found on any other rigs (here in the US), but there are few operators who have spent extensive time using current Tiffen rigs as well as PROs or Ultimates etc. outside of workshops/demos/trade shows. Those would be the most likely to have interesting viewpoints about this sort of thing as they aren't coming from a standpoint of brand loyalty or "I've never had it/not had it, so I don't see why I'd need it/can't live without it". There have been times when I have had to do fast pans with a generous amount of tilt and thought that it would be cool to have a tilt head. Shooting a concert from the barricade was another recent experience that would have been much nicer if I could have built in the pan and kept the post level. Somewhat less so for me is the motorized stage concept--while I get it, have played with it at workshops over the years and can think of definite times when I might use it, I've also seen it work erratically and I would find it terribly distracting if I heard the whine of the motor drop out during a shot at an unexpected time. More than anything, I think you need to look at what it takes to get these features, and that is that you have to buy the complete rig along with it. Either the Ultra/Archer/Clipper etc works for you or it doesn't, from sled to arm to vest. The advantages of going with other manufacturers are that you can mix and match components if you happen to prefer one manufacturer's top stage, another's post, another's vest etc. Over the years my rig has slowly morphed from 100% PRO to 5 different brands, one component at a time. I like the Tiffen rigs but I'd feel a little trapped for this reason. Actually I'm not sure if things have loosened on that end and you can now break up complete systems from Tiffen--can someone elaborate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandon Dimit Posted August 12, 2009 Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 I'm looking to purchase a new sled as well but cant afford a PRO yet, I have an overhauled steadicam Flyer LE and I fly RED and F-900 all day but it's getting to be a hassle on that little rig it's fun but I think it's time... Anyways I was wondering if maybe you had an old sled you were possibly selling? If anyone is selling a sled please reach me brandon@bdfilms.net I'm looking for EFP or let me know what you have. Thanks, Brandon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Robert Starling SOC Posted August 12, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 Just to clarify, I'm not using a motorized top stage, just the manual tilt version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Mike Marriage Posted August 12, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 (edited) I thought the motorized stage was a total gimmick until I got mine. It's great for instant headroom adjustments just before or between takes. Because you don't disturb the sled, you don't need to wait for it to settle. I occasionally use it mid shot on stair transitions etc but it starts to become too much for my small brain if I'm not careful. Haven't used the tilt head that much - only for major tilting. Probably will tomorrow as some of the shots involve following actors along a raised walkway from ground level but I don't tend to make fine adjustments with it. Edited August 12, 2009 by Mike Marriage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members richard bellon Posted August 12, 2009 Author Premium Members Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 thanks guys appreciate the imput i do see christian betz offers a tilt head add on for pro/mk-v will look into that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Kris Torch Wilson Posted August 12, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 Is the motorized stage/tilt head a gimmick or is is worthwile. Arich Rich, I use the remote motors on my Ultra 2 all the time. I only do live stuff so I usually don't have time to fiddle with the tilt head. I'll have a shot from on stage, then a few seconds later one from the pit, then half way up on the lip of the stage etc. The remote allows me to set a couple of memories and as I reposition, the top stage does the same. Makes it easier for me to keep headroom. While it would be better to use the tilt, so I could keep the post straight, I just don't have the time. I work with guys a lot better than me who don't have this feature and their work is super, but its a great crutch for a hack like me. Kris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members richard bellon Posted August 12, 2009 Author Premium Members Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 I'm looking to purchase a new sled as well but cant afford a PRO yet, I have an overhauled steadicam Flyer LE and I fly RED and F-900 all day but it's getting to be a hassle on that little rig it's fun but I think it's time... Anyways I was wondering if maybe you had an old sled you were possibly selling? If anyone is selling a sled please reach me brandon@bdfilms.net I'm looking for EFP or let me know what you have. Thanks, Brandon hey brandon no sorry dont have a rig to sell, at least not yet. sorry mate rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Dietrich Posted August 12, 2009 Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 (edited) thanks guys appreciate the imput i do see christian betz offers a tilt head add on for pro/mk-v will look into that Hallo Rich, I use the Betz-Tools tlit head on my rig-hd now for 1/2 year it is real solid and fast to install i love it and use it almost all the time. I, tested PRO and G-50/70 (even gc gold,master,...) some month ago and i think it was the only real heavy solutuion i hab to make,wile buying me rig. Finally i fell in love with the PRO-arm. Chris Edited August 12, 2009 by Christian Dietrich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members RonBaldwin Posted August 13, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted August 13, 2009 question: how much higher does the betz tilt stage raise the top stage over it's stock position? rb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Dietrich Posted August 13, 2009 Report Share Posted August 13, 2009 (edited) question: how much higher does the betz tilt stage raise the top stage over it's stock position? rb At my Betz-Rig it raise the stage ca. 3 cm over the stock position. I think it would be the same hight at Pro or MK-v. Hear some pics of my Rig with and without tilt stage: Edited August 13, 2009 by Christian Dietrich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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