using an old sk with a PD150

[Bob Busch]

I have a stedicam sk and I am trying to mount a 4 lb sony camera on it. the minimum weight for an sk is 8 lbs and my pd150 barely weights 5 lbs. What is the best way to make a mini-dv heavier without reinventing the wheel. I allready put exercise wrist weights through the handle of the camera and around the upper tube with slidy and sloppy results. should I put a bar under the camera and mount weights on it front and back, to increase inertial stability? would a 4 lb metal block between the dovetal and the camera help? should I make the block even heavier to increase inertial stability? does mounting weights on a low-mode bracket help too?

 

Also, I am short, and trimming the fore-aft ballance (with such a light camera) seems to work poorly at tilting the cam up to shoot taller people. has anyone used a tilting plate to set a tilt up or tilt down.

 

thanks,

Bob

[Mikko Wilson]

Generally any meathod of adding weight to the system is accepted - provided that it's firmly attached (Not sliding around)

 

But also rember the physics.. a 2lb wight at 10inches will seem like 4lb at 20inches!

So by positioning wieght further from the gimble you can redude teh weight to be carried.

- Of course this only applies to sled ballancing.. there is of course the minum range of the arm.

 

I have tried a metal plate below and above the camera (on a low-mode clamp)... I prefer on the lwo mode clamp.

 

I think the best solution to get max inertia would be to use a lowmode clamp to attach a 2nd dovetail plate to the top of there camera and then use it to place on some extra wights - then you are also set for low mode. - Or better yet, use Antlers!

 

Here's one solution we used at a workshop with a *really* small camea on an SK2: http://mikko.n3.net/photos/flying/pages/tr...K2_SOA2004.html

That's a big AB Battery under the camera, held in securley with tape of course!

 

- Mikko

[bobgilles]

I carry Mafer clamps for times when I fly 16MM cams. In your senario, I would clamp one under the top stage and 1 or 2 down as low as you can. this is a tight and shift proof way to fine tune your weight on a small rig. I have similar situations when I want to keep my gimbal in a certain spot, the little clamps work good for that too.

[Bob Busch]

Generally any meathod of adding weight to the system is accepted - provided that it's firmly attached (Not sliding around)

 

But also rember the physics..  a 2lb wight at 10inches will seem like 4lb at 20inches!

So by positioning wieght further from the gimble you can redude teh weight to be carried.

- Of course this only applies to sled ballancing.. there is of course the minum range of the arm.

 

I have tried a metal plate below and above the camera (on a low-mode clamp)...  I prefer on the lwo mode clamp.

 

I think the best solution to get max inertia would be to use a lowmode clamp to attach a 2nd dovetail plate to the top of there camera and then use it to place on some extra wights - then you are also set for low mode.  - Or better yet, use Antlers!

 

Here's one solution we used at a workshop with a *really* small camea on an SK2: http://mikko.n3.net/photos/flying/pages/tr...K2_SOA2004.html

That's a big AB Battery under the camera, held in securley with tape of course!

 

- Mikko

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Bob Busch]

Thanks Mikko that is helpfull. if I put the weight above the camera, (versus below) will it require less weight to ballance the rig with the battery/monitor counterweight? Also if the weights are farter apart from the center horizontally will that help the camera with it's inertial stability? Also I see that you have your arm on upside down on the SK. IE... :o the "passive bone" is closest to the sled instead of having the passive "bone" attached to the vest. does that help keep the arm from hitting the battery and monitor with a lighter camera? I tried that, and I also tried using a "drop down" to give more distance between active arm and the sled.

Have you heard of using a "drop down" for that purouse.

 

Has anybody used a tilting plate to tilt up or down at a more extreme angle?

Bob

 

 

Generally any meathod of adding weight to the system is accepted - provided that it's firmly attached (Not sliding around)

 

But also rember the physics..  a 2lb wight at 10inches will seem like 4lb at 20inches!

So by positioning wieght further from the gimble you can redude teh weight to be carried.

- Of course this only applies to sled ballancing.. there is of course the minum range of the arm.

 

I have tried a metal plate below and above the camera (on a low-mode clamp)...  I prefer on the lwo mode clamp.

 

I think the best solution to get max inertia would be to use a lowmode clamp to attach a 2nd dovetail plate to the top of there camera and then use it to place on some extra wights - then you are also set for low mode.  - Or better yet, use Antlers!

 

Here's one solution we used at a workshop with a *really* small camea on an SK2: http://mikko.n3.net/photos/flying/pages/tr...K2_SOA2004.html

That's a big AB Battery under the camera, held in securley with tape of course!

 

- Mikko

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[RobVanGelder]

You could consider buying a weight cage, specially for lightweight camera´s..... :rolleyes:

 

 

Shameless plug: I happen to have a few in stock.....

[Mikko Wilson]

No the arm isnt' inverted, it's an SK2, not an SK. - this is the biggest difference between the rigs. and yes it's done to help clearance.

Just the other day someone mentioned flipping the SK arm, but someone else said it was a bad idea because it woudl cause teh arm to explode. ..more about it in some other thread thats somewhere around here..

 

Yes spredding th eweght around will imporse it's effect, bot in balancing, and increasing inertia.

 

Oh yeah and a weight cage is definalty a good option. - I guess i took that one as a defacto option ;-)

 

- Mikko.