Running Panavision Millenium XL on EFP?

[Marcin Brauer]

Have any of you used Panavision Millenium XL camera on EFP with blue springs?

 

The heaviest camera I have flyed so far was Arri 16SR3 and the arm adjustment was in the middle of its way - so I guess I will be able to put XL on with 200ft mag?

 

I will be able to check the camera one week before shooting, so I would like to prepare myself in advance.

 

As far as I know they will require from me to fly the camera on a ATV - any ideas about best hard-mount for quads?

 

Thanks,

[Richard W. Davis]

Sounds a little too heavy on a blue spring arm ESPECIALLY for ATV work. Not to mention flying 200 ft mags. I have never flown such small mags you will be constantly driving back to get mag changes. I would recommend looking for another rental arm from a brother op or rental house.

Do you have custom 24 volt out for the Millenium XL out of your EFP? Best of luck, Be Safe,

 

Rich Davis

[bobgilles]

Talk to the DP about ordering a 235 instead, it is a cheaper rental and will be much much easier to fly in your riding mode.

[Marcin Brauer]

Richard,

 

I do have Conrad 12v to 24v power invereter with 3pin or 4pin xlr out - This should be enough for XL.

 

There are only 3 steadicams that I`m aware here in Poland - there was 4 but one was stolen month back or so. That makes borrowing arm not an easy task. I`m starting to consider an upgrade of my blue springs to gold...

 

Bob,

 

Now as for renting other camera - I think it is not an option, I already try to convince producers to use 235 - they say they will look into it but I should`nt get my hopes up.

[Peter Abraham]

A few cautionary thoughts. First of all, I've no clue how good Production Insurance certificates are in your market. If your arm snaps and the camera is demolished as a result as the ATV flies along merrily, they will point their fingers at you. Fair warning.

 

As for upgrading the Blue Spring EFP arms to Gold Springs, there is more to it than meets the eye. Despite the visual similarity between EFP and III-A arms, there are important differences that make upgrading springs a poor idea.

 

1. The dogbones themselves are not as thick.

2. The hinge is not the same thickness.

 

You risk having the arm itself suffer metal fatigue or failure if you add Gold Springs and overload an EFP arm. That arm was machined to carry just what it was machined to carry. Fancying up the springs to make it be more than it is might well work. It might even fly for quite a while. Then again, a major arm component may well torque out and crack, or twist- leaving you with a broken arm. The arm socket plate that interfaces with the center spar of the EFP vest is not as strong as the III-A vest plate. AND- and-and- the vest "Y" upper spar is not nearly as thick as III-A vests or newer vests.

 

If you overload a vest, you risk having the metal in the upper "Y" area along the breastplate bow out.

 

When not overloaded, the EFP was as efficient and great a video rig as ya could find back then. I would beg you to look past the ease with which one can make 24 volts run up that centerpost, and consider how many of the elements are NOT made to support a Panavision camera.

 

Oh. I forgot. The gimbal ring, bearing races and certainly the lighter and thinner Yoke are all not made to support an Panavision camera. As I said, you might get lucky. Or, you might drop a camera that cannot even be replaced with a new body because they cannot be purchased. Only leased.

 

Proceed with care. I'd urge you to put out the call over Europe and rent or borrow a rig. Not just an arm, but an entire rig suitable to the job. I know this will cost production ( or you ) but it's small potatoes next to suffering a catastrophic failure of either the arm or gimbal when hard-mounted on an ATV.

 

Please, be careful- and have a great shoot. Aside from any cost issues arising from possible damage to Steadicam or Panavision camera, you could be hurt badly if the arm snaps under load as you are leaning way over the arm up against a support pole ( as is frequently the case when doing ATV vehicle mount shots ). No shot is worth being injured.

 

Let us know what happens.

 

Peter Abraham

New York

[Richard Mercier]

Hello guys!

I begin a film with a Panavision XL2 and It will be the first time I use this camera on the steadicam. How is it, if you've tried this configuration?

Thanks.

Rich

[Marcin Brauer]

Hi Rich,

 

This is a nice camera to fly. I was using it on my EFP, with my blue arm almost at the maximum setting. I can`t remember what power plug it uses (I think 2pin lemo, but not sure) - we were running it from brick battery as my EFP doesn`t have 24v inverter installed yet.

 

Our unit had a problem with video-tap sometimes it wouldn`t start but I don`t think other have the same issues.

 

Here is the photo of hard mount setting: PHOTO

 

Just found two other photos: PHOTO1 PHOTO2