Massimo Bordonaro Posted June 7, 2014 Report Share Posted June 7, 2014 Does anyone have any experience with the RT Motion focus iris zoom controller... Sister company of Mark 5 out of England? I'm in the market for a 3 motor controller basically, and wants to know if anyone has used this system before... Or if anyone owns one currently. Distance issues, interference, smoothness, durability, etc. I don't have the money for a Preston, or a C motion, so please don't go blabbing about those Two. I only want to hear if you personally have experience with the RT Motion. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Jarrett P. Morgan Posted June 7, 2014 Premium Members Report Share Posted June 7, 2014 I have owned one for quite some time now (it will be two years in September) and used it extensively. I have posted quite a bit around the boards, but here goes a quick synopsis: When it works, it is great. When it doesn't, it is frustrating. I know that is true of most things, but I have had a considerable amount of downtime with the device. That being said, I have had substantially better luck with the newer Mk3.1 version with the better antennas than the 3.0 system ( I would not consider buying the 3.0 system used). I had about 3 brains go down on me because of antenna issues (broken off, mostly) the first year I owned the device. Since upgrading (which the folks over at RTmotion were great about since the system was already in for service) I have had zero connection/range/antenna issues.The motors are powerful enough to do most lenses. I have had a couple of issues with slightly stiffer older lomos, but I also have the 3.0 motors (apparently the 3.1 version is slightly better; I can't speak to this). The motors are light and mount fairly well. The best features of the unit are the Hand unit and the brain/MDR. They are both quite small, light, and well designed. While they aren't up to Arri or Preston ruggedness standards, they have taken a fair amount of set life under my ACs and are still just fine. The customer service is pretty good, for being across the pond. Shipping does take awhile, and having to compensate for the time difference can make it difficult to talk on the phone, but Kris Bird and her compatriots do a great job for how busy they are. That all being said: It is a good system for the money and works just fine. I have had some issues with it, but I also had a combination of an early adopter and bad luck. Now the system works just fine and ACs are generally happy with it. Would they be happier with a Preston or C-Motion? Yes. Are they happier than with a bartech? Most say yes (though I do love the bartech; it never breaks)I hope that all helped and wasn't too confusing. I see you are in LA. If you would like you are welcome to take a look at my system sometime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members James Davis Posted June 7, 2014 Premium Members Report Share Posted June 7, 2014 Signal quality is rubbish we had one side by side next to a Preston last year in a particle acceleration lab in Oxford, no comparison it kept dropping out and losing signal constantly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Victor Lazaro Posted June 7, 2014 Premium Members Report Share Posted June 7, 2014 James, was it a 3.0 or a 3.1? I heard that the new 3.1 antenna was much improved over the previous one. I am too interested in the RT motion. Anyone around NYC with I could to look at? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Massimo Bordonaro Posted June 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2014 @james I'm also curious if the one you had tested side by side with the Preston was the 3.0 or the 3.1 version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members James Davis Posted June 7, 2014 Premium Members Report Share Posted June 7, 2014 No sure it was almost a year ago, it was total rubbish, enough to put me off of ever buying one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Massimo Bordonaro Posted June 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2014 @james So was it the 3.0 or 3.1 version you tested/saw? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoltan Jonas Posted June 11, 2014 Report Share Posted June 11, 2014 Hi Massimo, There is another thread on this system, on which I wrote up some weeks ago my honest, and favourable impression of the MK3.1 system: http://www.steadicamforum.com/index.php?showtopic=16890&p=101465 In response to a few comments above; Please don’t go comparing this unit to a Preston. We all know which unit it going to win if you do this. At such wildly different price-points there is no fair comparison I’m very happy with my unit, as I have elaborated in the above link. Admittedly, my unit arrived as I was to embark on some extended personal travel, so I haven’t had too much opportunity to road test it. The two occasions it’s been on set, it performed without issue. I’ve never had to use the transmission power above ‘Low’, so I can’t comment on the close-proximity wireless issue. I’ve used the system in conjunction with a Teradek Bolt, and a set of two-way radios. Whether or not these would in theory, or in practice, interfere with each other, they had no issues at the time. I’ve established friendly relations with the people at MK-V (RTMotion’s production partner), whom I’ve met at a few trade-shows, and to whom I’ve offered my constructive feedback. They have always graciously listened, and I confidently expect for the feedback to eventually be implemented. All the best! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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