Mickey????

[Jess Haas SOC]

I think part of the reason that Jerry and Eric receive very different results has a lot to do with the rig used. As Jerry says the method only works perfectly if the masses at the bottom are on the same plane. If you take a look at a green screen monitor you will notice that the center of gravity tends to be significantly lower than where the screen is. With an LCD such as that on the ultra 2 the center of gravity is much closer to the face of the screen. With a rig setup like this or similar: http://xcsinc.com/ultimate2/1199.jpg you may find that Eric's method results in perfectly acceptable dynamic balance while with a rig like this: http://www.moscowcam...ltra2_large.jpg it might be much worse.

 

Just a thought, haven't actually tried Eric's method on either rig but I do know that it tends to result in decent dynamic balance with my rig where most of the weight at the bottom is close to being on the same plane.

 

~Jess

[Kareem La Vaullee]

Both the Mickey and Eric's method only work if the monitor and battery c.g.'s are on the same horizontal plane

 

And the "Mickey and Eric's" method fails even more if you have your Motors Driver Box attached to the front of your top stage...

 

Remove your Preston/Scorpio/whatever receiver and have your Monitor and Batteries c.g.'s on the same horizontal plane and it can be effective, in over cases it's just useless.

 

K.

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

Both the Mickey and Eric's method only work if the monitor and battery c.g.'s are on the same horizontal plane

 

And the "Mickey and Eric's" method fails even more if you have your Motors Driver Box attached to the front of your top stage...

 

Remove your Preston/Scorpio/whatever receiver and have your Monitor and Batteries c.g.'s on the same horizontal plane and it can be effective, in over cases it's just useless.

 

 

Both the comments in this post are incorrect.

 

As masses go the MDR is camera weight and in fact serves to lower the CG of the camera which is a good thing

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

Both the Mickey and Eric's method only work if the monitor and battery c.g.'s are on the same horizontal plane

 

 

Totally Incorrect The LEH, batteries and Monitor do not share a coplanar CG on the XCS Ultimate

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

I'm going to give Eric's method a shot, because I'm still chasing the illusive DB on the Ultra2. My question is for us tethered guys. Will balancing with my fiber disconnected have any affect on the DB once I'm in show? I have the Mohawk jumper and like it hanging just off the right side of the post, near the gimbal. It tends to pull my rig slightly right (plus the connector itself has some mass), so I compensate with side-to-side adjustment once I'm up and flying. I ask because it's nearly impossible to get an accurate spin balance on the stand with a fiber hanging off.

 

 

For the work you are doing you don't need dynamic balance, You're not whip panning

[BJMcDonnell SOC]

You guys are all NERDS lol.

[RonBaldwin]

Looks like after cinegear we'll be having the great steadicam spin-off. I'll supply the booze and gimbal lubrication, Eric will bring the mickey, BJ will bring the roofie.

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

Looks like after cinegear we'll be having the great steadicam spin-off. I'll supply the booze and gimbal lubrication, Eric will bring the mickey, BJ will bring the roofie.

 

 

ROTFLMAO

 

Nice.

[Jerry Holway]

Eric-

 

As I keep trying your method as stated, and it keeps coming up NG for dynamic balance, I assume there is some missing step in your instructions, such as where you initially place the camera c.g. relative to the post.

 

Or does it not matter?

 

Please advise.

 

Jerry

[Ari Robbins]

Update...So I tried Eric's style of DBing, I found this to work very well when it came down to being able to speed through DB when its not needed to be as precise for doing a very complicated shot. However, when I needed to do a more challenging shot, I used the spin method instead because I felt like I could get a little more accurate. I did Eric's test, got it to as close to perfect as I could, then I tried the spin test to ensure DB, what I found is that if I did Eric's test first, it made the spin test easier as I was already much closer to DB then had I started just with the spin test. Considering its so easy to do both of these methods while I"m already in the balance game, I figure I"ll use Eric's to get me roughly there, and then finalize with the spin. If its an easy shot, maybe not take the time to spin, but hard shots still need precision so think I"ll use both. I think I"m going to purchase the Mickey because before I"m give then camera I"d like to be able to assess the sled's parts prior, saving me the time later when I"m given the camera. And of course none of that applies for having the 2nd or 3rd cam pre built to steadicam for the entire day/show, then time is no issue. However, what I think we are looking at with these two styles of balancing is a choice, a good choice too. We have multiple options and can utilize them how we see fit.

Thank you again Eric, I really do appreciate the spread of knowledge, I think I'm gonna be a long time user of the 90D Drop.

 

Ari Robbins

"Hit the red skittle, then put the circle in the square"

[Richard James Lewis]

Why is everyone constantly dynamically balancing?

 

Sled stays the same for 90% of work, dynamically balance it once, remember where things go, sorted.

 

Same applies for the occasion where you expand things out.

 

I don't think I'd go out of my way to buy a gadget for it, it definitely isn't something that I spend a lot of time doing daily on set.

 

Rick.

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

Why is everyone constantly dynamically balancing?

 

Sled stays the same for 90% of work, dynamically balance it once

 

 

I've mentioned that numerous times. I dynamically balanced my sled two years ago and haven't really touched it since and it's still in dynamic balance. Contrary to the teachings of some, the SLED defines dynamic balance not the camera.

[Jerry Holway]

Eric-

 

Again, I ask for some clarity here - if you aren't changing things, then of course DB won't change. What I want to know is how you got it the 1st time (all the steps)... so that the process can work for anyone on any rig.

 

Jerry

[Jens Piotrowski SOC]

I'm wondering how I can dynamically balance myself? I think I do more whip-pans with my body than my sled and most importantly a crappy job on a whip-pan does not get better with a db sled. practice, practice, practice......

[Ari Robbins]

I'm whip-panning in every shot, every day...I find it makes "walk-and-talks" a little more interesting :)

 

I wish I could keep the rig the same every day though, but from job to job with all sorts of different cams and lenses, from super high to super low; then repack to head to the next one, I just can't keep the rig the same. Use to with my old one, imagine some guys go through this and therefor DB is more consistently changed.

 

Ari