435 on a Sushi Server

[Leandro Silva]

Hello everyone.

 

I have an upcoming shoot with a 435 es. I don t have a dedicated low mode bracket for a 435, but I do have a Baer Bel sushi server. It has been very useful in video shoots (and really good as a 5d all purpose cage), but I haven t tried it yet with the 435. A few questions:

 

Does it even fit? I m not sure if the sushi server is wide enough...

 

If it does fit, has anyone tried it? Is it stable enough to do the job? What about loading mags, isn t it a problem?

 

Thanks in advance!!

 

Leandro Silva

[Janice Arthur]

Leandro;

 

Don't think you can use the old 535 bracket on a 435. Pretty sure about that one.

 

435's are crazily shaped and that's why we all spent lots of money on the special bracket. If you can't find a bracket, poor man's low-mode of just flipping the camera might be your only choice.

 

(I've got one you can use if you want, assuming you're in the US?)

Lots of them are sitting collecting dust in LA so they're easy to find.

 

I'm trying my 435 plate on a RED as an alternative to buying the technica (sp) plate I'll find out if it works today. (I don't want another $300. something sitting here.) Someone else asked about that.

 

JA

[Nitin Rao]

Hi there

 

Well u have quite a few choices with the 435 ES camera.

1. U could invert the stdcam upside down.

2. Depending if its a std Mag u do get brackets to fix on the camera. Chk on the Jerry Holway site.

3. Have the cam put in a low mode cage. ( i have mostly flown my kit in the same)

 

Hope this helps

 

Cheers

 

Nitin Rao

India.

Edited April 27, 2010 by Nitin Rao

[brooksrobinson]

Leandro,

 

I’m not sure where you are based, or what the camera houses are like there, but I’d make sure to have the right gear to start with. I realize I’m not directly answering your question regarding the Sushi-Server (I’ve never used it), but this is what I’d order to make sure the job is done right, and that you aren’t placed in an uncomfortable situation:

 

• 435 Steadicam Mags (4 should do it)

• Clip-On Matte-Box

• 100% Video Top

 

The Steadicam Mags are a no-brainer. You need them so that the film moving through the mag doesn’t affect your balance mid-shot. There is nothing worse than having the camera start to tilt on its own during a precise move. You also need them so that you can utilize the 100% video top, which doesn’t work with standard 400 foot mags. There are two kinds – Arri and SL Cine. The SL mags are lighter, but jam easier, and assistants and loaders hate them. They are also much louder, which usually isn’t an issue with an MOS camera. They are less expensive to buy, so a lot of the smaller renal houses have these instead of the Arri mags. The Arri mags are a touch heavier, but won’t jam nearly as easily. They are a better option if you have the choice.

 

The Clip On is needed to get rid of the sliding base-plate, and the weight that goes with it. Run your focus and iris motors off of the two 15mm rods that come with the 100% video top.

 

The 100% video top is the key. It is used in place of the eyepiece block. It is lighter, and has two holes on the top flat plate that allow you to screw into it, so that mounting a dovetail plate for low mode is easy. It is a solid mount, without any flex or vibration issues.

 

Jerry Hill also makes a nice tilting low-mode bracket for the 435 that (I believe) allows you to keep the standard eyepiece block in place, though I’ve always had such good luck with the 100%, I never saw the point. Many people swear by it however, so that is something to look into.

 

However you go, make sure production gets you the right gear to do the job successfully. It is their responsibility to get you what you need to achieve the shots, and your job to demand that you get it.

 

With the above package, flying a 435 is a dream. It is a great steadicam camera.

 

Good luck!

 

Brooks Robinson

 

PS I don’t know what kind of rig you have, but make sure you can run 24V easily, as the 435 has a pretty good power draw getting up to speed if you are running more than 24 frames. I think that is the only potential downfall, and only an issue with some rigs/battery combinations.

[Leandro Silva]

Thanks Janice and Rao for the quick and thoughtful answers. And thanks Janice for the kind offer.

 

I m in Lisbon, so, even though we re quiet well equipped as far as camera systems, specialty items are hard to come by. So no LMBs...

 

I guess poor man´s low mode will have to do.

 

I have considered the dedicated LMBs for a while, but oredring stuff from the USA can be expensive (sometimes they go trough customs, and i pay trough the nose, sometimes they re delivered to my house. No idea why). When I waS ready to order the 435 lmb, those were shelved and replaced by reds... now im looking in to gearing up for the red, and all we use is 5Ds. Untill i hit the lottery and get the lot of them, I guess I ll be playing catch up!

 

Thanks again!

 

Leandro

[Leandro Silva]

Leandro,

 

I’m not sure where you are based, or what the camera houses are like there, but I’d make sure to have the right gear to start with. I realize I’m not directly answering your question regarding the Sushi-Server (I’ve never used it), but this is what I’d order to make sure the job is done right, and that you aren’t placed in an uncomfortable situation:

 

• 435 Steadicam Mags (4 should do it)

• Clip-On Matte-Box

• 100% Video Top

 

The Steadicam Mags are a no-brainer. You need them so that the film moving through the mag doesn’t affect your balance mid-shot. There is nothing worse than having the camera start to tilt on its own during a precise move. You also need them so that you can utilize the 100% video top, which doesn’t work with standard 400 foot mags. There are two kinds – Arri and SL Cine. The SL mags are lighter, but jam easier, and assistants and loaders hate them. They are also much louder, which usually isn’t an issue with an MOS camera. They are less expensive to buy, so a lot of the smaller renal houses have these instead of the Arri mags. The Arri mags are a touch heavier, but won’t jam nearly as easily. They are a better option if you have the choice.

 

The Clip On is needed to get rid of the sliding base-plate, and the weight that goes with it. Run your focus and iris motors off of the two 15mm rods that come with the 100% video top.

 

The 100% video top is the key. It is used in place of the eyepiece block. It is lighter, and has two holes on the top flat plate that allow you to screw into it, so that mounting a dovetail plate for low mode is easy. It is a solid mount, without any flex or vibration issues.

 

Jerry Hill also makes a nice tilting low-mode bracket for the 435 that (I believe) allows you to keep the standard eyepiece block in place, though I’ve always had such good luck with the 100%, I never saw the point. Many people swear by it however, so that is something to look into.

 

However you go, make sure production gets you the right gear to do the job successfully. It is their responsibility to get you what you need to achieve the shots, and your job to demand that you get it.

 

With the above package, flying a 435 is a dream. It is a great steadicam camera.

 

Good luck!

 

Brooks Robinson

 

PS I don’t know what kind of rig you have, but make sure you can run 24V easily, as the 435 has a pretty good power draw getting up to speed if you are running more than 24 frames. I think that is the only potential downfall, and only an issue with some rigs/battery combinations.

 

 

Hello Brooks.

 

I agree with you, production should be responsible for supplying us with the necessary tools for the job. It just happens that sometimes, these are just not available around here on a short notice. So we try to help...

 

The stuff on Jerry Hill s site just looks great. It s eye candy. I hope I ll have the opportunity to try it sometime..

 

Steadimags and clip on are already covered. The thing is, we re not sure a video top will be available, so that s why I even considered the sushi server.

 

I fly a Baer Bel. Great, simple, solid built, sled. So far, no power issues with the 435 and high speed filming.

 

Thanks for taking the time to answer!

 

Leandro