Sean Seah Posted April 12, 2010 Report Share Posted April 12, 2010 Zephyr Introducing the New Zephyr!! just got this off the Tiffen page. Just when I am decided to go for a Flyer this pops up. I'm looking to use the rig with Canon XF300 and DSLRs. I find my current Pilot a little too "light" to do whip pans (could be me). I tried the Flyer LE a couple of months back and it is awesome as it really feels like a different beast all together. A lot more stable with a large EX3 on it. Could anyone at NAB please give me your inputs if the Zephyr has the same "feel" of the Flyer LE. I hope it does and it seems like a great tool for me. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Peter Hoare Posted April 12, 2010 Premium Members Report Share Posted April 12, 2010 Looks like a much needed update to the Flyer. Sounds like it has a nice new arm too... Leaving for the show in half an hour, will go and have a look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Tom Wills Posted April 12, 2010 Premium Members Report Share Posted April 12, 2010 I think I'm in love. I knew I should hold off on my itchy new-rig-buying-finger for a while. Looks like this might be just the upgrade I need! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Seah Posted April 12, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2010 Great thanks. I had a look at the specs and it is indeed quite a Flyer LE replacement it seems. The camera load is similar at 20Ibs. The arms does look exactly like the Flyer arms in the brochure. The vest is supposed to be a new design. The million $ question now is the price.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Mark Schlicher Posted April 13, 2010 Premium Members Report Share Posted April 13, 2010 The inertial weights and sliding monitor and battery bottom stage are both extremely welcome additions. From the picture the arm and vest look pretty similar to the Flyer LE (including the minor annoyance of no ratchet buckles). The extra power connectors and built-in HD-SDI cabling is welcome. So is the designed-in upgradability. I wonder if the power handling capacity of the post wiring has been increased? Given how the dSLR's have taking the lower end of the market by storm, it's slightly unfortunate that HDMI ports are not included. This would have also been a perfect time to include a monitor yoke. And I assume that a new HD daylight monitor will be available as an option? But I don't mean to quibble. This is a very worthy successor to the Flyer. Well done, all! Zephyr Introducing the New Zephyr!! just got this off the Tiffen page. Just when I am decided to go for a Flyer this pops up. I'm looking to use the rig with Canon XF300 and DSLRs. I find my current Pilot a little too "light" to do whip pans (could be me). I tried the Flyer LE a couple of months back and it is awesome as it really feels like a different beast all together. A lot more stable with a large EX3 on it. Could anyone at NAB please give me your inputs if the Zephyr has the same "feel" of the Flyer LE. I hope it does and it seems like a great tool for me. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Seah Posted April 13, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2010 Yeah I totally agree that a HDMI port would be a great addition. A friend of mine at NAB said the Tango add on is as awesome as it can get. Looking forward to the prices... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Tom Wills Posted April 13, 2010 Premium Members Report Share Posted April 13, 2010 (edited) From the PDF on the Steadicam website, they'll be selling it with an HD compatible monitor which should be more daylight viewable, and have a "wide viewing angle" - sounds like a new Steadicam monitor to me. And, while HDMI probably would have been a great option, it's not a real production connector - it's non-locking, it's got a lot of connectors in it (more to go wrong when in a coiled post cable), and the standards for it keep changing. I'd rather have to buy or rent a little Blackmagic HDMI to HDSDI converter if need be, rather than deal with having to re-wire the sled when HDMI 1.4 (or 1.5, 1.6, 1.7.... ad infinitum) comes out. For a rig in this weight class, it should be a professional instrument, with professional connections. To anybody who was at NAB, is there any talk of pricing or availability for this thing? If it comes before Christmas for under $20,000, I think I might just go for it. It really is the rig I've been waiting for. Edited April 13, 2010 by Tom Wills Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Daigon Posted April 13, 2010 Report Share Posted April 13, 2010 From the PDF on the Steadicam website, they'll be selling it with an HD compatible monitor which should be more daylight viewable, and have a "wide viewing angle" - sounds like a new Steadicam monitor to me. And, while HDMI probably would have been a great option, it's not a real production connector - it's non-locking, it's got a lot of connectors in it (more to go wrong when in a coiled post cable), and the standards for it keep changing. I'd rather have to buy or rent a little Blackmagic HDMI to HDSDI converter if need be, rather than deal with having to re-wire the sled when HDMI 1.4 (or 1.5, 1.6, 1.7.... ad infinitum) comes out. For a rig in this weight class, it should be a professional instrument, with professional connections. To anybody who was at NAB, is there any talk of pricing or availability for this thing? If it comes before Christmas for under $20,000, I think I might just go for it. It really is the rig I've been waiting for. When I as speaking to some rep at the booth about the cost and I guessed about $15,000...the rep smiled and made a hand gesture with his thumb that suggested it was much lower. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Erik Brul Posted April 13, 2010 Premium Members Report Share Posted April 13, 2010 I think 'carefully ofcourse' the basic starting rig will not be much more expensive then the basic Flyer LE. But this depends if they will sell it besides the current LE rig or replacing it completely. If they decide to sell it besides the Flyer, the startingprice would be something between $ 9995,- / $ 12995,-. On the other hand, if this is the new 'Flyer' then the gap between the Pilot and this sexy thing would be to big if it sells from 10K or more.... So, well i don't have any idea :lol: but she is a fine, hot looking Sled ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Brian Freesh Posted April 13, 2010 Premium Members Report Share Posted April 13, 2010 We are being told the price will be similar to the flyer le. The new arm is now shipping with the le so the le now has a 20lb weight limit. The le is intended to remain available with this rig. Personally, I don't think i'd pay more than 10k for this with a flyer at 8k, unless I had a very large budget. The thing balances and flies much bettder than a flyer. Weights being spread out provides much better inertia, and the adjustability makes db a breeze. Also, pilot weights can be added on both ends of both horizontal posts. Adding them just below the monitor is the ticket for keeping the monitor from being way out. Off to show more peeps how to us it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Stone Posted April 13, 2010 Report Share Posted April 13, 2010 The ability to add additional "powered" accessories like Bartech/M1s without performing a serious mod to the rig is a welcome feature as well. It appears from the marketing material that most of the irritants of the Flyer have been addressed. I am a bit surprised to hear the Flyer is continuing but maybe TIFFEN believes this a good space on their product shelf between the Flyer and the Archer 2. -Andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Seah Posted April 15, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2010 Praying it does start higher than 8k! Could somebody get some videos of it? I have seen quite a bit of stuff on the TANGO but not the Zephyr yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Tom Wills Posted April 15, 2010 Premium Members Report Share Posted April 15, 2010 The video from the Landmine Podcast has a little bit of the Zephyr in it - Personally, I'm hoping it comes in in the Near-$10k market, right about where the Glidecam X-22 fits in. At that price point, it's the clear winner in terms of competition, and still has some price wiggle room for most people to be able to get a few accessories with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Seah Posted April 16, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2010 Oops.. I meant not more than 8k. I wonder if they will offer some kinda sales for the existing flyer LEs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Gibbins Posted April 19, 2010 Report Share Posted April 19, 2010 Does anybody have any idea at all about price and/or release date for the UK? I am about to buy either a Pilot / Flyer LE / Zephyr! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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