Matt Burton Posted July 12, 2007 Report Share Posted July 12, 2007 So it's been out a while now can anybody give a review of the arm ? -matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Scott Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 :rolleyes: Hello everyone, I'm new to this forum. But have enjoyed reading it for some time. I have owned an Actioncam Zero G system for two years now. It has been great. All of Brian's claims have proved to be true, and his customer support has been very good. The only problem is the time delay for communications and the usual international shipping hassles. Switzerland is a long way from Tucson!! Â I am currently working a indie short flying a Panavision GII. The camera with 2 fiz motors, a light weight 400 ft. mag and Titan transmitter weights in at 45 lbs. I can balance with 3 trimpaks on the sled. One for monitor and wireless, 2 for the 24 volt. I use a Transvideo Cine III monitor, so the whole rig's about 70 LBS. (Heavy!!!) Anyway I'm only using about 3/5ths of the springs with this much weight. Â A few months ago I did a week with the Fontana police department flying a Panasonic P2 HD with 1 trimpak on the sled. Just took out some springs and it flew this light weight rig with no problems. (Changing springs takes me about 15 minutes) Check out the footage at www.joinfontanapolice.com to see the rig in action. Â The system is very usesr friendly and very versatile. 11- 70 lbs, 12-24 volt, 2 inch post, rear mounted vest, seems to me your just about able to do whatever comes along. Â I think it's the best rig you can buy for the money. Â I haven't flown, other than quick runs at NAB, many of the high end rigs, so I can't say how the Actioncam would compare to them, but the Actioncam fully loaded is under 20k. Â I love to talk with anyone else who's flown the Actioncam. Â Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Erwin Landau Posted September 5, 2007 Author Premium Members Report Share Posted September 5, 2007 :rolleyes: Hello everyone, I'm new to this forum. But have enjoyed reading it for some time. Â I think it's the best rig you can buy for the money. Â As I'm sure it's a fine piece of engineering... I wouldn't go that far... Â Use all the rigs on the market and then make a comment like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Eric Fletcher S.O.C. Posted September 6, 2007 Premium Members Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 :rolleyes: Hello everyone, I'm new to this forum. But have enjoyed reading it for some time. Â I think it's the best rig you can buy for the money. Â As I'm sure it's a fine piece of engineering... I wouldn't go that far... Â Use all the rigs on the market and then make a comment like that. Â Â DING DING DING. Very True words. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Scott Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 :rolleyes: Hello everyone, I'm new to this forum. But have enjoyed reading it for some time. Â I think it's the best rig you can buy for the money. Â As I'm sure it's a fine piece of engineering... I wouldn't go that far... Â Use all the rigs on the market and then make a comment like that. Â Â DING DING DING. Very True words. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Press Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 Then again he did ad the qualifier and honestly just how many other rigs are there out there for the same money as Actioncam that perform as well? Â I don?t know. I?ve flown almost nothing but an AS Actioncam for the last 10 years so I?m hardly impartial. I would love to get my paws on a new Zero G but at the moment it?s not on the priority list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Charles Papert Posted September 6, 2007 Premium Members Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 Then again he did ad the qualifier  Exactly. How many rigs sold new for under $20K can fly a G2? May even be in a class of its own (making it easy to call it best in class)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Erwin Landau Posted September 6, 2007 Author Premium Members Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 Cheap rig to buy... cheap camera to rent... A Producers dream. Â Better you then me... How are the joints holding up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Press Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 The thing is you have to convince everyone cheap doesn?t have to mean bad or poor quality :) Â In my opinion a lot of the savings Brian has made to Actioncam?s cost is down to good design and clever, clean engineering. Â I originally bought my AS rig thinking it would be a stepping stone into a Steadicam rig. Fresh from the course and flying the autocue laden beast at ITN C5 News I insanely wanted more. Actioncam was the same price as the Glidecam of the time but better quality in every conceivable way. Â As it turned out coming back to New Zealand my career is more digital doco than film so Actioncam has been a good fit. Â I still do the odd Steadicam shoot with a hired Clipper and while it?s like getting into a new car (? ok it is damn nice to fly? and all the accessories actually fit without random bits of gaffer tape? or strange plug adaptors? and the battery system isn?t from the 80?s? and the cam assistant doesn?t wrinkle their nose as if your harness smells? ) my beat-up Actioncam can do everything this decade younger next generation technology can do and do it well for what was a fraction of the cost. Â Brian makes very good stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Scott Posted September 8, 2007 Report Share Posted September 8, 2007 Eric it seems like your more than willing to come down hard on me for my belief that the Actioncam is the best rig for the money, but you have no more experience with the Action Cam than I have with an Archer or Clipper. So who is right, and who is more qulifed to pass judgement?? Is the Zero G an Ultra?, no, but it's tens of thousands of dollars less. Â Erwin, a producers dream indeed. After 7 days of flying the GII monster I am none worse for the wear. However I can say that tring to manhandle that much camera up and down and through the rocky deserts of Tucson did not result in my best work. We did a number of shots where I rolled out the entire 400 ft. load. Â However I can say that I learned alot about what I am capable of doing with 70+ lbs. hanging off my back mounted vest. Oh, and thank goodness for the back mounted vest!!! Â I would also concure with Stephen that Brian at Actioncam does make very good stuff. Stephen you would most certainly like the new Zero g. Â Looking forward to the next gig with a nice light Panasonic HD camera. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members RonBaldwin Posted September 8, 2007 Premium Members Report Share Posted September 8, 2007 the G2 you are flying -- I hope you are at least using the conversion kit. If you are flying that pig in normal handheld mode (whick happens to be roughly 45 lbs) you are risking injury and pushing your gear past it's limits. I know we all have to eat, pay rent, and get demo footage, but come on. Spend the $266 for the conversion kit and maybe beg for a lw zoom and then it's not too bad (10 to 12 lbs less). Then maybe you won't blow a disc, tear a muscle, bust a giblet, whatever.  be careful  rb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Scott Posted September 8, 2007 Report Share Posted September 8, 2007 Ron, The production got Panavision to donate the camera package and the only light weight thing they would give them was 2- 400' light weight mags. Still had the original optic block. We obviously took off viewfinder and the A/C was happy with just a focus motor, and one rod. The whole rig was 48 LBS. according to my "super precise" bathroom scale. Heavy but not heinous. The big saving grace was I could balance using 3 Anton trim pacs instead of bricks. We also never used a zoom, just primes. The longest was a 75 and that only for one shot, a 180 track from front to over the shoulder. Thanks for the concern, Ron! Â Happy flying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members RonBaldwin Posted September 9, 2007 Premium Members Report Share Posted September 9, 2007 "48 LBS...Heavy but not heinous" Â A 40 lb camera is heinous, 35 lbs is heavy. We have to watch out for ourselves, production certainly won't -- so you aren't doing anyone any favors who deserves one by flying a camera that shouldn't be flown. As mentioned before you certainly won't be doing your best work, you could injure yourself, and the gear will be stressed beyond it's capacity. It's asking for trouble. Production would be on the phone hiring a replacement before the medic even got to you. Â The goal is to make a living AND be vertical at 65. Â rb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Scott Posted September 9, 2007 Report Share Posted September 9, 2007 Ron, Â Your point is well taken. I can assure you this is the first and last time I fly a camera that heavy. Â It is amazing how production has no clue what it's like to do what we do. I mean "the camera just floats there" so it must not be heavy, right. The laws of physics evaporate in the bubble of the steadicam??!! Â I do have to compliment Brian and his Actioncam, the unit did the job with out a groan or squeek. Or maybe I just couldn't hear it over my own heavy breathing. Come to think of it sound was giving me some nasty looks... Â I went for a 9 mile trail run today, my kness hurt more than usual, wonder why?? Â Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Burton Posted September 10, 2007 Report Share Posted September 10, 2007 I went for a 9 mile trail run today, my kness hurt more than usual, wonder why?? Cheers  Jeese man whats wrong with you :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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