Nikk Hearn-Sutton SOC Posted October 13, 2004 Report Share Posted October 13, 2004 Ok, whether it's me or I just suck but I'm having the damnest time trying to balance the XL 1 on my SK2 (sound of radio communications)ROGER THAT. Either the brick that I'm using is too light or too heavy. When it come to the larger rigs, NO WORRIES, but the smaller one particulary the X-1, I have to post all the way up and arm hits the monitor. I know it can be done cause I've seen it!!! (Melanie Motiska posing for the sk2 steadicam on the steadicam site) and she has more than enough room on her lower post. Whatsthedillyo!! :blink: Nikk " Lost in space or is it just me Sutton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members RobVanGelder Posted October 14, 2004 Premium Members Report Share Posted October 14, 2004 It´s all about weight, Nikk, want to buy a practice/DV cage? I´m taking orders now :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikk Hearn-Sutton SOC Posted October 14, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2004 Whats the cost in US dollars? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinThwaites Posted October 14, 2004 Report Share Posted October 14, 2004 Hi Nikk Look at the battery in the pic of Melanie, the one on the sled is a NiMH or Lithium (light!) and there is another on a battery carrier on the camera which is probably a good move for an XL-1/2. Robin Thwaites OpTex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikk Hearn-Sutton SOC Posted October 14, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2004 I see it!!! An oversight. Thanks Nikk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members RobVanGelder Posted October 15, 2004 Premium Members Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 Whats the cost in US dollars? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Nikk,it´s about $300 including shipment. The problem is the transportcosts, they are about the same as the value of the thing. Look in the brackets/widgets forum for more info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sebastian matthias Posted October 21, 2004 Report Share Posted October 21, 2004 hey nick i havean xl1 myself for training and short films.i have a baerbel-rig,made for heavy cameras,so i had to find a solution as well. get yourself some flat plates of aluminium or better steel and a catgriller from baerbel.drill holes in the middle of one plate,so you can attach the catgriller.drill holes in all plates on each side,so you can srew them all together (like a sandwich!) with long srews.drill holes in the bottom plate for attaching your groundplate for the steadicam.screw a second ground plate under your xl1 and lock it in the catgriller. and off you go. this might sound a bit confusing because my english sometimes is not perfect, but it definitely works.i have a couple of aluminium and steelplates as long as the xl1 and manage to bring the weight up to 18 kg !!!!!!! if i want to.(wich most of the time i don´t ,because life´s hard enough) if you do´t use a catgriller it works,too,but it a bit more of a drama,ecause you ave to srewthe weights directly to the camera.(be careful not to pick the camera with the weight up on it´s handle!) i also gota special triangle-shaped thing called ProMounter from a german guy called Bednarz to attach the plate to the xl1 with 2 screws email:contact@XL-1.de. hope i could help you cheers sebastian-has-the-heaviest-xl-1-on-earth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members RobVanGelder Posted October 21, 2004 Premium Members Report Share Posted October 21, 2004 Hey, Sebastian, you are ruining my business :huh: And it might not be as cheap as my DV-cage,after you bought the catgriller, the steel plates and the works to make them fit nicely. And it is certainly not as sexy as mine! B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sebastian matthias Posted October 21, 2004 Report Share Posted October 21, 2004 hey rob ! didn´t mean to ruin your business.please forgive me!!!!!!!!!!! but: if you leave the catgriller away it´s about 30 USD ! (but if you then pick up the camera on its handle because you had a long night out , it probably costs 3.000 USD !! :blink: and be honest: no gear can be as sexy as the operator who flies it ! :P cheers and greetings sebastian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members MichaelStewart Posted October 28, 2004 Premium Members Report Share Posted October 28, 2004 Hi Nikk, I have an SKII also, I use a cage and aVX2000 (even lighter than the XL1) The key is not necessarily the weight (although you need that), it is putting the weightabove the camera and on the ends that will help you balance the best, cramming on the weight, you will exceed your arm limit quickly, another key I have found is that because the sled is non telescoping, you really don't want the gimble too far down the post, keeping your horizons level becomes more difficult, the XL1 picture shown on the steadicam site is way too high above the gimble for my taste, logic will tell you that a "roll" at the gimble will be magnified several times over at the lense, the farther away from the gimble it is (I like to use the analogy of firing a rifle, you may only swing the barrel a quarter of an inch, but your shot will be way off target and will be compounded the farther away you are, just some thoughts of someone who has finally got it down to a science using the minidv cameras, the cage is the best way to go, once again it isn't the weight you want as much as distributing it properly, hope this helps, I will post a pic of my rig soon to illustrate my point. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikk Hearn-Sutton SOC Posted October 31, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2004 Thanks I think I get what your saying but illistrations would be nice so How can i put weight ABOVE the Cam. So if I'm Right on what your saying is I have the cage and the cam goes above the cage correct or not. Nikk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Benjamin Treplin Posted November 1, 2004 Premium Members Report Share Posted November 1, 2004 Hi Nikk, today I had the opportunity to fly a VX 2000e. To get it balanced I used 3.5 kg metal on a long dovetail behind the camera. You can see on the picture that the gimbal is way down. When mounting the weight above the camera the c. g. of the hole system moves up and the gimbal with it. The inertia increases in tilt and horizon as well. And IMHO you want the weight to a certain degree. More mass is more inert. The set up on the picture was quite nervous. I hope this makes sense. Best Benjamin VX 2000 on Baerbel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Burton Posted November 2, 2004 Report Share Posted November 2, 2004 Hi Nikk, I have an SKII also, I use a cage and aVX2000 Mike <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Ultra newbie question but what is a cage used for ? cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members charlesneufeld Posted November 2, 2004 Premium Members Report Share Posted November 2, 2004 4mat?? A cage, or weight cage, is used for adding weight (10-20lbs, or whatever is needed) to the camera platform so that a lighter camera (eg minidv, hi8 etc) can be flown on the larger rigs. Basically it just makes a camera that weighs' in at a pound or two, heavy like the film cameras. So that is can be flown with a "similar" feel... Hope this helps... Charles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikk Hearn-Sutton SOC Posted November 4, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2004 Well I made the cage and my GOD what a difference it makes!!!!!! There's still some tweeking I have to make but in essence, IT BUTTA!!!! I'll have pics of the rig set up in a few days. Thanks to all again. Now it's time to make some money with the smaller DV's. Nikk "Cage me up!!!, before you go-go" Sutton :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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