Why not a GII?

[Erwin Landau]

That's why... any questions?

 

 

 

 

Here some serious Panavision Gold II issues.

[RobVanGelder]

Brings back some very shocking and expensive moments for me..... :unsure:

[Peter Abraham]

Please be so kind as to identify the manufacturer of the part that wasn't able to support a Panavision Gold II without breaking ?

 

I was forced to fly one on a job once. It felt like I was shooting with a Volkswagen Beetle on my arm.

 

The identical part broke at a Rockport Workshop on my arm, about 13 years ago. -shrug- It may have just been "it's time". How old was that arm when this happened?

 

Peter Abraham

New York

[David Allen Grove]

My first job since recovering from surgery a few months ago was with a G2. (call me crazy)

 

It's the last time I'll fly one.

 

Low mode was fun. :blink:

 

My WK-TD vest really saved my back! Very good purchase!

 

This camera is EVIL heavy!

[Brad Grimmett]

Here's a couple of pics of me and the GII from a movie last year. What a beast. The panaflasher and Z series lenses didn't help either!

[Brad Grimmett]

Here's another.

[David George Ellis]

In honor of Danny Vermin from Johnny Dangerously, I flew the G2 once... ONCE. I had the pleasure to step up to the beast and I was not prepared for this. They originally asked for a Millenium, but never got it. Too late to find out by the time I got to Vermont. On top of that, nothing from the G2 was stripped down, so it was at full slut-nut. At first, I was having problems balancing it. WAY TOO TOP HEAVY!!! I tried everything to to get the C of Mass into the gimbal, but it was lost somewhere in the black hole of cameras.

 

So after all the eyblinking and looking over, I just said "Frruck it!" Got into it and it hurt like the first time. Went to set and that's where shit hit the wall. It was not steady, it was assisted handheld. The DP who fortunately for me, was a prior associate and really understanding, kept asking me if I could be more fluid. I said I'd try. Un-fucking-wieldly!! I did the best I could and we broke to change setups. Got on the phone with a buddy of mine and he told me I was fucked. I agreed.

 

Went back inside and moments later, my physical arm started to go numb. I hung it up and pulled the DP and AD and told them I was in pain. The Prod. Cord. who was a friend of mine was asking me if I was ok, and I said no. The AD who I worked with b4 asked if there was a difference in weight between the G2 and the Moviecam SL and I said... With that, I ended up with a very bruised ego and spazzing forearm. As a consolation, I got a premium burger for my attempts.

 

Very apprehensive to another experience, but like everything, I'll try anything twice. Once to hate it, and another to make sure I hate it. I'm Lucky I didn't end up in surgery.

 

P.S. For the other newbies reading this, this is an exact example why we should always go to camera preps at the rental house if working with a camera for the first time.

[Charles Papert]

I did two months on a series about 9 years ago with either a Platinum or Gold conversion, can't remember which now. 3A sled and arm, which needed to be held up for about 5 lbs worth of overload. Day in and out, all kinds of shots including a flat-out run in a rutted, weedy field with direction changes. I finished the show limping; made my right ankle "funny" and it took several years before the sensation went away. Not worth it. Steer clear, chaps.

[RonBaldwin]

We've all spent time with the dreaded G2 conversion, but a few of us "adventurous souls" have even tried it unconverted (meaning with the full size optical/video block and full size dove-tail and panahead dovetail plate). Those doing this are (in addition to nuts) risking injury and/or severe damage to the sled/arm.

 

Over the years I've had the opportunity (as well as the ocd) to weigh many of the cameras we fly. What I've found is that the "light weight " cameras we always want are not really that light, and the "heavy ones" we fly are not that much heavier, but most often cross the dreaded 35lb line into a world of pain.

 

The conversion kit, with the lw dove-tail adaptor, 400ft film, 2 steadicam camera plates, cables, matte box, 1 preston motor and Jerry Hill's motor mounting bracket, weighs a whopping 33 lbs. Add a lw zoom, at 2.5 lbs, and it's not too bad at 35.5 lbs (I know those zooms are crap, but if you're shooting tv...come on). Things start to get a bit nutty when using primos -- a50mm, for example, would add 3.5 lbs to the above "do-able" example and make the camera a not so do-able 39 lbs. Add a pana-tape (1.5 lbs) and all of a sudden you're aproaching 42lbs (this configuration is what blew my 3A arm up 4 years ago. One of the springs shot through the arm cover, luckily my elbow was there to stop it!).

 

I can't imagine the weight of this camera unconverted, with a full size matte box and dovetail/plate. Must be in the ballpark of 50 lbs (plus the sled would be around 72 lbs).

 

ouch.

 

To put it in perspective, I recently did Grey's Anatomy, so we were shooting in hospitals all the time (ie - near many an acurate scale). I simply removed the LW2 from the rig and weighd it; I was suprised to find with the same aks as above + the addition of the pana-tape and 50mm primo it was 35 lbs. It was a 3 perf LW, which I'm told adds a pound, so I can only assume a "normal" LW with the above aks + 50mm would be 34lbs.

 

Good god I've written way too much. Sorry if I bored you.

 

Ron B

[Alec Jarnagin SOC]

Ron,

 

Thanks for the post - very interesting. Always wished I had a scale handy for the Panavised F-900. Anyone know what this pig weighs?

[RonBaldwin]

now I'm really embarrassed, I actually have the info you seek (see why I off-road, I need to get the geek out of me).

 

last time I flew a panavised 900 it was 30 lbs -- the camera (no viewfinder), 6 - 27 zm, clip-on matte box, low mode bracket, 2 camera plates (pro) and the sony dove-tail, 1 preston motor, miranda converter, hytron.

 

the 901 back is just over 3 lbs.

 

It was much lighter than I thought it would be, but pretty long and really power hungry.

 

cables suck.

 

RB