Brent Johnson Posted November 12, 2011 Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 Hey Guys, I am having difficulty getting an image on my Zephyr Standard Def. monitor. I have image coming out from my mini usb port to the sled and the standard cabling going into my monitor, and I'm not getting an image. Some help would be great. I would love to practice using the monitor on the sled and not on the camera. -Brent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Wolfgang Troescher Posted November 12, 2011 Premium Members Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 Hi Brent, that´s strange! I´m using Zephyr with SD-monitor and 7D with brakeout-cable without any problems: Everythings connected and I saw pic on monitor. I´m sure youre cabling is right, but I added 2 pics from my Zephyr with cables. Wolfgang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Erik Brul Posted November 12, 2011 Premium Members Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 The 'old' Flyer monitor which i believe is now once again part of the SD Zephyr package has 2 inputs.. maybe you are trying to watch a signal on the wrong input. Just keep pressing that button to input 1.. Just a idea.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brent Johnson Posted November 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 Hi Brent, that´s strange! I´m using Zephyr with SD-monitor and 7D with brakeout-cable without any problems: Everythings connected and I saw pic on monitor. I´m sure youre cabling is right, but I added 2 pics from my Zephyr with cables. Wolfgang Hey Wolfgang, Yeah I have the exact same setup... BUT, I couldn't find the mini usb cable straight to composite, so i bought a regular USB breakout and i am using a USB to USB mini converter. DO you think that's the problem? @Erik, I only have 1 input on my SD monitor, unless it's hiding very well.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Tom Wills Posted November 13, 2011 Premium Members Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 Hey Wolfgang, Yeah I have the exact same setup... BUT, I couldn't find the mini usb cable straight to composite, so i bought a regular USB breakout and i am using a USB to USB mini converter. DO you think that's the problem? Well there's your problem. I doubt that your USB breakout cable is wired correctly for the camera. Just pick up another one. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/652385-REG/Canon_4076B001_AVC_DC400ST_Stereo_AV_Cable.html Once you've got that, it all should connect up properly. Also, I think the Zephyr monitor may only have one AV input. You'd be able to tell if there was an "Input Select" button, and it gave you an Input 1 and Input 2. Input 1 is usually the one you're looking for. I never got much of a chance to play with the Zephyr's monitor though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brent Johnson Posted November 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 Hey Wolfgang, Yeah I have the exact same setup... BUT, I couldn't find the mini usb cable straight to composite, so i bought a regular USB breakout and i am using a USB to USB mini converter. DO you think that's the problem? Well there's your problem. I doubt that your USB breakout cable is wired correctly for the camera. Just pick up another one. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/652385-REG/Canon_4076B001_AVC_DC400ST_Stereo_AV_Cable.html Once you've got that, it all should connect up properly. Also, I think the Zephyr monitor may only have one AV input. You'd be able to tell if there was an "Input Select" button, and it gave you an Input 1 and Input 2. Input 1 is usually the one you're looking for. I never got much of a chance to play with the Zephyr's monitor though. Thanks Tom, I have another question as well. I am shooting a spec commercial on 35mm Film, not sure yet what camera.. but it HAS to do high speed. Is my stock rig capable of running 24v cameras or just 12v? I just bought a set of IKAN LB-130S batteries from B&H. Should I return them, and get something else? And wheres the best place to get Zephyr sled power to camera power cables for specific cameras? Thanks for helping, I'm a 2 week owner of the Zephyr and thus noob-ish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Tom Wills Posted November 13, 2011 Premium Members Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 Thanks Tom, I have another question as well. I am shooting a spec commercial on 35mm Film, not sure yet what camera.. but it HAS to do high speed. Is my stock rig capable of running 24v cameras or just 12v? I just bought a set of IKAN LB-130S batteries from B&H. Should I return them, and get something else? And wheres the best place to get Zephyr sled power to camera power cables for specific cameras? Thanks for helping, I'm a 2 week owner of the Zephyr and thus noob-ish. In terms of the batteries, I haven't used Ikan's batteries, but I'm assuming they're generic chinese V-Lock batteries with a label slapped onto them. They're pretty expensive though. I'd go with IDX E10S batteries (which are actually cheaper than the Ikan models - though the IDX charger will probably make up the price difference!). IDX has support here in the US, and IDX builds all of the Steadicam PowerCubes, along with the chargers Steadicam sells, so you know they're a decent company. Your call though. The Zephyr needs the auxiliary battery plate to do 24v. It's a nice addition to have in the kit, so you can get longer runtimes on 12v too. For power cables, I think Tiffen makes some, but Terry West can make almost anything. He's made all the cables I own so far. In terms of the 35mm film camera - I'd be a bit concerned. The Zephyr tops out at 23 pounds of camera load. That's not a lot when you're talking about a 35mm camera. Even one of the lightest modern 35mm cameras, the Arri 235, is 7 pounds for the body alone. Add on the weight of the magazine, 400 feet of film, a lens, a remote focus receiver and motor, rods for the motor, and a clip-on matte box, and you might already be over the capacity of your arm, gimbal, or sled in general. Even then, the Arri 235 can only shoot at up to 75 FPS, and also is probably more expensive than a spec commercial would have budgeted for a camera. Other cameras will get even heavier, even more quickly, and would really be out of range. Could you strip down a 35mm camera and make it work? Possibly. But if you have to lose the matte box, and you end up with flares, or the DP can't add filters he needs, or you ditch the remote focus and the shot's soft, etc... you've put yourself into a really bad position. When you buy a big rig, the price sure does sting. However, you can walk onto any set imaginable out there and know that you won't have to be a problem. Smaller rigs have their place, and are incredibly useful and great purchases, but for big jobs, the big rigs still rule. Not trying to be a downer here, just trying to keep you from getting into a bad situation too early on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Brian Freesh Posted November 13, 2011 Premium Members Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 The 235 will fly fine on a Zephyr with a prime lens (preferably zeiss standards or speeds, but S4s and the like will probably be fine), clip-on mattebox, 200' mag, and focus device. Not much more than that will work. I'm not aware of any other 35mm film cameras that will work on a Zephyr's weight limitation. Also, everything else Tom said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brent Johnson Posted November 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 Thanks guys for the sweet tips. Just for my own notes and practice I'm going to run down to my equipment check out and rig up every 35mm camera and lens set that I can, write them down and see what I can do and how much weight I have left to fly (bringing a scale with me). Where can I get the 24v battery conversion plate at? @Tom This might be a dumb question. but can you run a 24v cam on a 12v batt with 24v batt conversion plate? Also, Never a downer, always a motivator! -Brent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Tom Wills Posted November 13, 2011 Premium Members Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 Sounds like you're dealing with school equipment rather than rental house gear, which means you may have a slightly better chance of putting together pieces that'll work. Best of luck with that. The auxiliary battery plate (or whatever Tiffen is calling it) is another V-Lock battery mount, which will accept any of the same kind of batteries that the normal Zephyr battery mount would. It has a switch on it that will either produce 12v in parallel with your current battery - thus doubling your runtime - or 24v in series with your current battery. Call up Steadicam, they'll be able to sell one to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Mark Schlicher Posted November 13, 2011 Premium Members Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 Brent, You get the 24v conversion plate directly from Tiffen. It's about $650, and contains circuitry to switch between 12v and 24v. You can see it in some of the pictures I've posted on another Zephyr thread. Camera-specific cables can be anywhere from $60-$250, be prepared. There may be a couple of different Zephyr SD monitors...one that is essentially the Flyer monitor, and one that is also used on the Scout (with silver buttons). Post a pic if you can... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brent Johnson Posted November 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2011 Awesome, Thanks for the information, looks like I have to get the 24v conversion plate. There's goes next pay check. -Brent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Alan Rencher Posted November 14, 2011 Premium Members Report Share Posted November 14, 2011 I just purchased my secondary battery plate for my zephyr. If you buy from a dealer, it's a little bit cheaper. I actually bought mine from Abel Cine. I had to call Tiffen and get the part number because Abel had never sold that part before, and it wasn't in their system. The part number was TI-807-7350-02 for the Anton Bauer model. Make sure you check it when you get it. They accidentally gave me a replacement for the stock battery plate at first. Abel sold the part to me for $625, and make sure you fill out a tele-production tax form with Abel if you haven't already (brings your tax rate down to 3.5%). Even with the tax it was cheaper than the list price of $650. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Mark Schlicher Posted November 14, 2011 Premium Members Report Share Posted November 14, 2011 Another dealer I highly recommend is Showcase Atlanta. Great prices and excellent personal service. Kenny Crysler is the video manager, 404 321-3636. Even if you never use the 24v capability, the second battery hangar is a "must-have" accessory for counterbalancing heavy cameras and for extra power capacity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brent Johnson Posted November 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2011 Yeah, I just emailed Dan from Tiffen to see if he can send me the part number. Looks like I got ahold of a 435 on saturday and sunday. Im going to fly it with just the body film and lens. with a dolly battery pack plugged in and someone holding on too it. It's a student shoot so im sure it will be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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