Pilot or Flyer or Scout - help me decide

[Andrew Stone]

Informative post Erik. Thanks!

 

I'm going to hazard a guess that Tiffen's 2 battery mount solution for the Zephyr will be an Anton Bauer dual mount "hotswap" adapter as seen [ here ].

[Mark Schlicher]

Eric,

 

Thanks for the additional information. I'll look for the video on Vimeo, it sounds interesting.

 

I read on another forum that the payload for the Zephyr was adjusted upward during the final phases of development, so that may be the reason that there is a difference between website and pricelist information. But the website info seems to be talking about the arm lift as 30lb.

 

Peter? Frank?

 

I looked at the specs just now...

"• 30lb (13.6kg) lift capacity no-tools (24lb (11kg) payload capacity)"

I also believe that the latest Flyer LE's had a slight payload bump to 20 lbs...?

 

Well, first of all, that is the difference between the internet page information about the Zephyr and the Zephyr PDF price document information. But in these PDF documents, they talk about a 24LBS and 30LBS payload for the arm. In the Literature document they mentioned the 20LBS camera payload also.

 

But the arm seems still almost 100% the same as the Flyer LE arm which was indeed slighty upgraded for that 20LBS. Don't forget that it's not just the arm, the gimbal is a very important part in the weight possibilities. The Scout has the same arm as the LE also the same gimbal. Because you cannot mount a second battery, the payload is max 18LBS. The Zephyr gimbal is a huge toolfree upgraded gimbal and don't forget, this gimbal is able to handle the Tango..

 

I think they mixed up some text information also. That 30LBS is also exactly the same info about the Archer 2 Sled information. The Archer 2 Sled (read: gimbal) is rated for 30LBS, 13.6KG. This is only in combination with the G50 arm.

 

But the big differences sofar are:

 

- The Zephyr vest is a big upgrade with ratches

- Dropin stage with 2 videolines (including HD/SDI) + 2 powerin/outputs standard.

- 2 seperate rods for faster dynamic balance.

 

But you can only mount 1 battery below and not 2 as with the Flyer LE. More weight below makes it possible (within limits) to have a bigger payload on the topstage. In the future they will add a optional second battery mount but at the IBC all Tiffen guys including Garrett himself didn't had any idea how that second mount would look :) Or they all didn't want to tell me ;)

 

There is a nice video on vimeo 'Steadicam’s New Zephyr and Scout - Part 1 on 10.8.10' and part 2 also where Peter is talking 2 hours about

steadicam in general. He mentioned the Pilot, the Scout, the Zephyr and the Archer 2. He explained the payload differences, interesting says 'approx 15LBS for the Scout' and 'approx 22LBS for the Zephyr'. So, some final answers from the Tiffen people would be nice :)

[Brian Freesh]

24lb CAMERA payload, told to me by Frank and Mike earlier this month. As things have changed a lot regarding the Zephyr specs, it seems they've got inconsistent documentation.

[Erik Brul]

Well.. if that is really the case.. then this Rig will be a winner for sure.

Nice specs, serious upgrades now if compared to the older smaller rigs. For me the dropin stage, the

vest and still the same performance from the arm since the first Flyer arm.

[Mark Schlicher]

Yup, 24lb camera payload (including aks), per Frank and Peter last week.

 

Sweet.

[Andrew Stone]

Yup, 24lb camera payload (including aks).

 

Still unclear about the battery portion of the payload. The Zephyr appears to be designed with one battery or 2 to 2.75 pounds at the bottom with the typical supplied batts. Is there weight spec based on this and one must extend the post to get it into line with droptime?

 

If that is the case then you would have to put a Hytron 140 on the bottom the Zephyr, if you wanted a reasonably short post. I heard some rumblings a few weeks ago about a second battery mount but nothing further on it.

[Brian Freesh]

Andrew brings up a great point. I dunno where they are with the second battery mount, but even with it you'd need more weight not to extend the post at all. I'm not sure if the Zephyr comes with the Merlin/Pilot weights or not, but it does work with them. The 2 horizontal posts that hold the monitors and the batteries are the same post as on the bottom of the pilot. Weights ca be added to both ends. Helps to put a few on the front with the monitor because it is so light. There is also a dovetail on the bottom of the rig, though I do not know what fits on it, and I believe there is a 3/8 threaded hole there too. That's where I want the second battery, there or on the front.

[Erik Brul]

Do you guys remember those nice weights Chris mentioned a couple of months ago??

The ASSY weights (1 lb). These weights can be screwed below the Zephyr post as extra balance weight.

I don't know if this can be done on the SCOUT but i have seen / done this at the IBC on the Zephyr..

 

The battery mount for the Pilot looks identical to the one on the Scout and Zephyr. Since Tiffen introduced the Pilot with AA battery option, it was possible to upgrade at a later moment to the V-mount or AB mount. Maybe you can buy this upgrade and figure it out yourself?

 

But the weight issue can be overcome by adding those ASSY weights, the power issue for example with RED use must be

solved with the extra battery mount which connects to the present mount for 12V parallel or 24V..

[Mark Schlicher]

My understanding from Frank is that the dual battery option is on the way, relatively soon, but he didn't offer a specific timeline.

 

With the single battery you could need to use a heavy battery or longer post, as you suggest...or the ASSY weights. But Frank confirmed to me that it is designed for full payload on top even with two batteries below.

 

Yup, 24lb camera payload (including aks).

 

Still unclear about the battery portion of the payload. The Zephyr appears to be designed with one battery or 2 to 2.75 pounds at the bottom with the typical supplied batts. Is there weight spec based on this and one must extend the post to get it into line with droptime?

 

If that is the case then you would have to put a Hytron 140 on the bottom the Zephyr, if you wanted a reasonably short post. I heard some rumblings a few weeks ago about a second battery mount but nothing further on it.

[Sean Seah]

The Zephyr is awesome. I loaded the Zephyr with a steel weight and 5D2 on it. Felt like a big rig. Decided to ditch the Scout and go for the Zephyr.

[James Davis]

The Zephyr is awesome. I loaded the Zephyr with a steel weight and 5D2 on it. Felt like a big rig. Decided to ditch the Scout and go for the Zephyr.

 

 

Great choice, I used one a while back at a Tango demo and was very impressed, on the list for next years equipment purchases for sure :=)

[Nelson Villamil]

Hello everyone.

 

Zephyr, super interesting topic.

 

I see that we all have many questions, in addition to changes in the specifications that have not been updated in the documentation from the web.

 

Those who are interested in the Zephyr need all the information officially updated by Tiffen.

 

If someone already has their hands on a Zephyr, it would be very Keep interested to share information and photographs.

 

Thanks

 

Good flight.

[Joseph Stunzi]

Hello everyone.

 

Zephyr, super interesting topic.

 

I see that we all have many questions, in addition to changes in the specifications that have not been updated in the documentation from the web.

 

Those who are interested in the Zephyr need all the information officially updated by Tiffen.

 

If someone already has their hands on a Zephyr, it would be very Keep interested to share information and photographs.

 

Thanks

 

Good flight.

 

I had the opportunity to fly a Zephyr as well as a Zephyr/Tango combination last week at Tiffen's Operators Night as part of the Southeastern Classic. The capacity is indeed 24lbs... as I believe several others have confirmed in other threads on these forums. I will say that the improvements to the Zephyr vest over the Flyer vest are very nice. It's much more robust. And seems to be a lot more along the lines of the LX vest. Keep in mind that you can use the same vest with the Tango as well, so that means the new Zephyr vest can take some bulk! One of the things that I spotted out of the corner of my eye were these snap-on weights that could be added to the rails at the bottom of the sled to allow the operator to adjust the monitor to its optimal position for operation versus balance. These seems to be quite a nice addition. They came in two different rail widths to accommodate all sizes and variations among the Steadicam line. On the note of weights, the Zephyr is compatible with the Merlin addon weights as is the Pilot sled. These little guys should make a huge impact on dynamic balance and inertia especially when flying the smaller cameras like the 5D/7D.

 

Mark Schlicher was there as well and I know he had several extensive conversations with Frank, Garrett, and Peter about the Zephyr, Zephyr vest, and Tango. So he might have some more details that I didn't catch.

[Nigel Barker]

Just to update this topic & to let everyone know that the discussion wasn't purely academic. I found a really good deal on a new Pilot with IDX batteries & went for that. I could not find a used Pilot locally at a low enough price to compete. A Zephyr would have been twice as expensive & a Scout not a lot less. The fact that I couldn't even get quote for a Zephyr out of the local Tiffen distributor was the final thing that tipped me toward the Pilot. I was tempted by a used Flyer LE at about 50% more than the new Pilot but figured if I outgrow the Pilot & want to move up to a bigger rig in a year or two I would prefer to get the Zephyr in any case & should still get a good price for the Pilot. I suspect that the price of used Flyers will fall just as soon as the Scout & Zephyr are shipping in quantity.

 

Many thanks for all the helpful advice.