Premium Members WillArnot Posted November 19, 2004 Premium Members Report Share Posted November 19, 2004 Hi All, Anyone use the Aladin Focus system made by Chroziel?? I was up at Walter Klassen's shop in Toronto having my vest retrofitted the other weekend, and came across the Product book from Chroziel. I was quite intrigued. It appears that this focus system accomplishes the best of both worlds of the Preston and Bartech and does so in ways that niether has yet been able to achieve. Namely the ability to control each channel (focus, iris, zoom) separetely AND wirelessly. Go to: http://www.anthrazit-design.com/ and select 'wireless products' at the bottom. This system would allow for: - a DP or Gaffer to wirelessly control Iris, DP's love this (The Bartech does this too, the Preston does NOT) - an assistant or DP or operator to wirelessly control zoom. That's right. FINALLY you the Steadicam operator can neatly (the zoom units profile is quite ergonomic) clamp the unit to the gimbal handle for zoom control WITHOUT a wire going to the receiver under the lens. It also has a LED readout for calibration purposes for an assistant say working wirelessly from a seperate monitor. - Niether the Preston or Bartech have managed to make this helpful function easily available. - The Aladin is similar to a Preston receiver where all three channels are controlled from the one unit. Opposed to the add-on as needed system of the Bartech. PLUS SIDE: the system will work (i've been told) with your current digital motors including Preston motors, also Scorpio, Arri, and new digital Heden motors. Don't know about M-One motors. DOWN SIDE: to make each channel wireless you need extra batteries and transmitter modules to make up 3 seperate transmitter controllers. We obviously don't see many/any of the Aladin's here in US but from what I've been told they are the 'Preston of Europe' and well liked. Is this true? What steadi ops are using this system? Reliability? I am not quite sure about operating frequencies and conflicts etc. Perhaps those more informed can enlighten and comment? I certainly may not have complete knowledge of either the Bartech or Preston systems. I don't mean to overlook anything. Looking for more info. Jim, are you there? Shame on you for not letting more of us know you were in town! Why did you forego the opportunity of a larger waist, a louder hangover, and cleaner feet? :P Thanks, Will Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Eric Fletcher S.O.C. Posted November 19, 2004 Premium Members Report Share Posted November 19, 2004 Will, My hatred of the Aladin is well known, We had two of them on a series I did 2 years ago and while we were promised amazing things out of them they did not deliver. To compare them to a Preston of Scorpio is a joke. THe Motor amps are too small so the motor response is slow, they have multiple issues with "Sneak Circuts" (Any device that is protected by a 5 amp fuse that blows 10 amp supply fuse's and not blow it's own 5 amp fuse has SERIOUS issues) There is no Error correction in the TX/RX section so you get these amazing full travel errors. Bad Frequencys that they work on... I could go on but I won't.... My advice on the "Aladin" is DON'T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Stephen Murphy Posted November 19, 2004 Premium Members Report Share Posted November 19, 2004 We obviously don't see many/any of the Aladin's here in US but from what I've been told they are the 'Preston of Europe' and well liked. Is this true? Whoever is telling u that is stretching the truth a tiny weeny bit. Standard issue in Europe at the moment is the Arri LCS. Has been for a while. They're so in demand that the rental companies have trouble keeping enough of them in stock. Theres still quiet a few Genios knocking around as well though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members JimBartell Posted November 19, 2004 Premium Members Report Share Posted November 19, 2004 - Niether the Preston or Bartech have managed to make this helpful function easily available. - Shame on you for not letting more of us know you were in town! Why did you forego the opportunity of a larger waist, a louder hangover, and cleaner feet? :P Thanks, Will <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Darn that Alec for blowing my cover! Actually, it was a brief trip and we barely managed to fit in the things we really wanted to do, which left us with very little time for visiting. I didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings by leaving them out so I left everyone out, except for Alec and we go waaayyyy back. Plus any more nights out like we had and I'd be getting death threats from my liver. I plan to put the first batch of 10 BUZ zoom controllers in the field in December. A wireless option will be available if there is enough demand. As for the Aladdin, did you find out the price? A 3-channel system with one transmitter and no motors was something like $16K+. Jim "socially retarded" Bartell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Benjamin Treplin Posted November 19, 2004 Premium Members Report Share Posted November 19, 2004 Hi all, Stephen is right, the standard remote focus system in Europe is the Arri LCS. On 70 percent of my jobs I fly LCS on my sled which comes with the camera. I have never seen an Aladin on set or in a rental house, I can't judge its performance. I only saw a prototype back in 2000. IMHO the only system that is comparable with Preston, Arri LCS or Scorpio is the cmotion. It runs digital and analogue motors as the Aladin does. It is also possible to incorporate Preston an LCS hand units into the system. I had one my sled recently. It is a small lightweight receiver, easily mounted. Best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Eric Fletcher S.O.C. Posted November 19, 2004 Premium Members Report Share Posted November 19, 2004 It appears that this focus system accomplishes the best of both worlds of the Preston and Bartech and does so in ways that niether has yet been able to achieve. Namely the ability to control each channel (focus, iris, zoom) separetely AND wirelessly. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> BTW The Scorpio does that... I REALLY HATE the Aladin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJ Williams Posted November 20, 2004 Report Share Posted November 20, 2004 It appears that this focus system accomplishes the best of both worlds of the Preston and Bartech and does so in ways that niether has yet been able to achieve. Namely the ability to control each channel (focus, iris, zoom) separetely AND wirelessly. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> So does the Preston Fiz.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Frederic Chamberland Posted November 21, 2004 Premium Members Report Share Posted November 21, 2004 Hi all, I had the opportunity to use the Alladin in Canada (as a focus puller) with Dutch operator Francois Perrier (who's actually Canadian but lives and works mostly in Holland). He has one of the first Alladin on the market (I used his in 2001) and used it with Scorpio digital motors. And Eric is right when talking about frequency's problems. We had a couple of "transmission lost in space" and motor not responding , also some self resetting driver unit... Not a perfect unit, but as Eric says, maybee the frequencies are not suited for America. I do remember a good design and simple operation with long batterie life on the remote. But as always, the response and connectivity between handset and driver is most important and in that case, did not pass the test. As for the frequency thing, I own a Scorpio and there is a frequency selector when you travel in different parts of the world. And the price tag was definitly below a Preston or Scorpio but way much than a Bartech. And, if my memory is good, you have to choose when buying the unit , if you are going to drive digital motors like Scorpio or Preston or other ones like Heden: you can choose only one type of motors and they supply the matching driver unit. My 2 cents Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fosteralex Posted November 22, 2004 Report Share Posted November 22, 2004 Hi, As I said in the 2003 forum I am a very happy user of Aladin - We have the two channel system and have never had any problems with it. Smooth, reliable and hasn't blown anything up yet :D I think that Eric`s dislike of the system came from having used the first prototype that was donated to a production to test (?) and the problems that cropped up were later rectified. Christian Betz at Chrosziel, Germany is the person to ask if you have any questions. info@steadicamline.com Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Eric Fletcher S.O.C. Posted November 22, 2004 Premium Members Report Share Posted November 22, 2004 Hi, As I said in the 2003 forum I am a very happy user of Aladin - We have the two channel system and have never had any problems with it. Smooth, reliable and hasn't blown anything up yet :D I think that Eric`s dislike of the system came from having used the first prototype that was donated to a production to test (?) and the problems that cropped up were later rectified. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Big correction needed here. No units were "Donated" to Us and we went thru 4 of them. They ALL Sucked. My Favorite was the "Sneak Circut" that would blow the cameras 10 amp fuse but would'nt touch it's internal fuse. That's a real piece of engineering to be able to do that.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members RobVanGelder Posted November 23, 2004 Premium Members Report Share Posted November 23, 2004 Eric, that sounds more like a cable problem BEFORE the connected equipment. No real engineering needed for that, just a short with the housing will do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Eric Fletcher S.O.C. Posted November 23, 2004 Premium Members Report Share Posted November 23, 2004 Eric, that sounds more like a cable problem BEFORE the connected equipment.No real engineering needed for that, just a short with the housing will do. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> 4 units and 16 cables? no it was an engineering issue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericoh Posted December 9, 2004 Report Share Posted December 9, 2004 This system would allow for: - a DP or Gaffer to wirelessly control Iris, DP's love this (The Bartech does this too, the Preston does NOT) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hi Will, For the Preston, you can get a secondary iris controller pod. It comes with a 10' cable that plugs into the bottom of the handunit and therby overiding the iris control on the handunit. That way the DP (or Gaffer) can be pulling iris remotely. I have this accessory and it has been a hit with DP's that like to ride the iris themselves. Best, Eric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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