P-tap on Zephyr top stage

[Afton Grant]

The Alexa is 13.8 lb

The Alexa Plus is 15 lb, but has built in wireless video

There are many great lenses less than 4 lb

 

I'm not saying it's ideal, but just that it can be done with careful wiring and selection of accessories.

 

On the other hand, the Sony F5/55 ( 4.4 lb, 25W ) should be a cakewalk.

 

Alexa Plus wireless video? Do you mean follow focus?

 

You might be right, Noel. In an absolute ideal situation, you might be able to choose the right accessories and strip down an Alexa enough to fly on the Zephyr. It would be a purely theoretical situation, however, since we operators have next to no control over what lenses and accessories we will be handed on any given day. For this reason, I wouldn't consider the Zephyr an Alexa compatible rig.

[Ryan Brooks]

I own a Zephyr. I would never even consider flying an Alexa. I know what sled I bought. Maybe someday I'll upgrade but until then I'll just pass along those jobs to other operators.

[Brian Freesh]

So... P-Tap attached one way or the other is totally doable on a Zephyr Top stage. Good deal.

[Charles Papert]

On the p-tap setup that Alan posted a pic of early in this thread:

 

I've recommended just that setup to a number of ops over the past few years. Just to clarify, for those who might think it makes sense to just wire the Lemo direct to the AB breakout: it does in theory, to keep bulk down by the top stage. However having owned four or five of these breakouts and had several of them exhibit failure of one or more ports, it's more cost effective to have the Lemo to female p-tap cable made once and keep the four-way splitter stock, so you can easily replace it. And if you only need one p-tap source, you can eliminate the splitter. More often than not, I preferred to put the splitter up by the camera anyway, to keep the camera self-contained for when you move to studio mode. This setup just gives you more options.

 

One last thing: the p-tap standard is not an ideal one but it is here to stay. The splitters do have a tendency to live up to their name in a less desirable fashion, in that the two halves that make up the outer shell can start to separate. When this happens, it becomes possible to insert a connector the wrong direction, which will obviously reverse the polarity. I've had it happen and it wasn't pretty. You can bind the sucker up with tape but at a certain point its safer to replace it with another splitter.

 

Have been trying to coerce various parties to build a "pro" version of the four p-tap concept with a metal case and a power switch and no-one has taken the bait yet...

[Janice Arthur]

Charles;

 

The P-tap backwards thing happened to me the other day and was puzzled for a while at how they could get omni-directional.

 

Now I know.

 

Luckily nothing fried but it did give me thoughts of issues.

 

I've just ordered the Flyer, and pilot power to female p-tap that I've needed forever and really glad that's the best workable choice.

 

Thanks all, ruined my record and learned something again.

 

Janice

[Stefan Baltz]

I know it's a bit off-topic, but googling for female P-Taps I stumbled across this site.

 

http://steadicamparts.com/cart/index.php

 

has anyone had experience with those custom made cables??

[Jonathan Pfundstein]

Does anyone have a link to the correct 3 pin LEMO: EGG.0B.303 that comes off the Zephry top stage? I would love to attach one of these to my P-tap breakout.

Of course I could have one made but I'd to be able to make one myself and get on the cable game.

[Tom Wills]

Here you are: http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/LEMO/FGG0B303CLAD52/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMtJvlLX7mFQSMQCKlX6Q4sC

 

However, I would suggest that you make a 3 pin LEMO to Female P-Tap cable, rather than always having to have the 4 way P-Tap splitter on your rig. Not only can the 4-way splitter fail, requiring a re-solder job, but I've often found I only need to power one thing off of a P-Tap, and having that extra bulk of the 4-way isn't necessary all the time. Plus the splitter can go elsewhere on the rig/camera, if needed, not just where the 3 pin LEMO is.

[Jonathan Pfundstein]

Here you are: http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/LEMO/FGG0B303CLAD52/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMtJvlLX7mFQSMQCKlX6Q4sC

 

However, I would suggest that you make a 3 pin LEMO to Female P-Tap cable, rather than always having to have the 4 way P-Tap splitter on your rig. Not only can the 4-way splitter fail, requiring a re-solder job, but I've often found I only need to power one thing off of a P-Tap, and having that extra bulk of the 4-way isn't necessary all the time. Plus the splitter can go elsewhere on the rig/camera, if needed, not just where the 3 pin LEMO is.

Gotcha, the lemo to female p-tap definitely seems like the way to go from all I've been reading.

I could find the actual lemo connector online, just trying to find one through a camera site and not just manufacturer. I'm sure the soidering job on the connector will require a bit of skill, but the main thing I'm not sure of it the actually wiring, with three connections leading to the 2 p-tap. If anyone with cable making experience wouldn't mind chiming it that'd be most helpful!

[Alan Rencher]

I'm going to start offering this cable on my site. I've been making them for years, so it's probably time. If you need one now, you can email me. $65 for a 0B.303 to P-Tap female.

 

Alan@mediablackout.net

 

[Matteo Quagliano]

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/204182-REG/Anton_Bauer_POWERTAP_MULTI_PowerTap_Multi.html

 

best tool ever get on my Archer 1 sled. not for the camera but easy going for FF or video signal (camwave sd) or downconverter. all coming from bottom batt.

 

ps: you obviously need some calbes to adapt, I got mine from XLR to p tap, in a way I use propietary power exit from the sled connected to the multiport

 

ps2: I think I was suggest by some great and big op back then but I don't remember who was.

[Alan Rencher]

Here's two options I offer for this:

 

http://mediablackout.net/product/lemo-to-female-p-tap/

 

http://mediablackout.net/product/lemo-to-p-tap-multi-breakout-cable/

[Libor Cevelik]

I have to say I like Alan's ptap box… I snapped velcro on bottom of my top stage other velcro on the ptap and works great ...

[Matteo Quagliano]

did the same with velcro and now got 4 power exits but not having Alan cable (which is great) I had to get lemo to XLR and then XLR to p tap multiport.

 

work great.

[Michael Desiderio]

Is there a chassis mountable P-Tap connector anywhere? Something that can be mounted inside of a project box or similar?