Premium Members Thomas English Posted September 26, 2005 Premium Members Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 Seems I am relegated back to newbies since to many people this is probably a very simple question. Got a job on the Arri ST (studio) I never use the video top on the 435... do I need to use it on the ST (I enjoy the weight of the 535B with 100% top and steadimags) There is an extension throat for the mag to hold it more vertical. Do I need to bother ordering steadicam mags ? I know that you can use the LT steadimags with an adaptor. Is there a weight saving on the LT s steadimags? Thankyou all for your time thomas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Stephen Murphy Posted September 26, 2005 Premium Members Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 (edited) Ive only needed to use the ST once - i prefer the Lt, but if you prefer the added mass of the ST then more power to you. Personnaly i think that by the time youve added a cinetape, couple of motors, low mode bracket, transmiter etc that the camera is the perfect weight/mass for a steadicam camera. If you dont use the 100% top on the ST then you might not be able use their low mode bracket - you dont want to have to use a low mode cage do you:)? - they suck:)! I prefered the balance point the ST had with the 100% top, which mounts above the camera as opposed to the side of the camera. Having the mag 100% vertical is user perference but given the choice why wouldnt you want to have it perfectly vertical? - otherwise you'll have to constantly trim between takes to adjust for the slight variation as the film takes up. I know its only slight but it will make a difference if you start using longer lenses. Id always go for the 100% top and steadi mags. Keeping the eyepiece adds a significant amount of weight and with the 100% top you get a better picture for your monitor. It only takes 7 minutes (yes i timed it) for a good assistant to switch the camera from studio to full steadicam mode so carrying the eyepiece and/or IVS isnt going to save the production any real time or money. Hope this helps, Edited September 26, 2005 by Stephen Murphy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Thomas English Posted September 26, 2005 Author Premium Members Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 Thanks stephen! The reason I ask about these extra s is that is this production are so tight ... The ST is the only body on the shoot.. I don t think they can afford the extra 200 pounds for a 100% top.... and possibly not the hundred quid ish for the steadicam mags. I generally convince production to go upside down for low mode. Is that a bad idea? I ve been doing it loads on 35mm .. everyone seems to be going intermediary... are they ever any problems with going upsidedown on any of these cameras? I have nt gone into proper lowmode once this year! John Ward once gave me a right roasting when I told him my bad habits.... So I ll insist on the LTsteadimags and see what happens with the 100% top. You would happily carry this on your 3a arm? very gratefull for your answere s stephen.... your bar tab is mounting! cold guinness is it? thomas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Dave Thompson Posted September 27, 2005 Premium Members Report Share Posted September 27, 2005 Thomas- If you can get the LT 100% video tap it will save a little weight and give you a better image. The regular 400 ft mags are fine . The show I am on doesnt have them and I personally think it is one less part to the conversion. The ARRI lowmode bracket will fit the ST and LT with or without the 100% top if you have the right pieces. Weight wise it probably comes in a little lighter than a 535B and I would say with Ultra Primes it balances very nicely. Dave Thompson, SOC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Thomas English Posted September 27, 2005 Author Premium Members Report Share Posted September 27, 2005 as it turns out we are now using shift and tilts. could get painful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Stephen Murphy Posted September 27, 2005 Premium Members Report Share Posted September 27, 2005 Hi Thomas, The ST in full steadicam mode with ultra primes was no problem for my 3A arm (on my evolution)- as i said ive only flown it once. The arricam LT is my personel fav. steadicam camera; fly it a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Thomas English Posted September 29, 2005 Author Premium Members Report Share Posted September 29, 2005 did the job today gosh.... I had to carry the bridge plate system to have the shift and tilts combined with regular mags and regular top... made it quite heavy... heavier than a 535B by far (from the rig settings). Funny because its not bad to lift and does nt feel any pain but as soon as i did anything complicated my footwork fell apart... simply couldn t get away with my normall footwork with such weight on! thanks... respect to all u BL2 old boys out there xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Stephen Murphy Posted September 29, 2005 Premium Members Report Share Posted September 29, 2005 Next time you have to use tilt and shifts on steadicam (??) ask for the newer Arri lenses. I had them on a commercial i DP'd recently and they are great. Self contained tilt/shift means no bellows system. What you sacrifice in fexibility you more than make up for in a simpler , yet just as effective, system. Accepts all the usual arri aks. I bet your focus puller had fun:( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Thomas English Posted September 30, 2005 Author Premium Members Report Share Posted September 30, 2005 Sharps hated it... she was cute though I kept just asking her things like... left of frame 4ft and right of frame 7ft and Ill focus by manipulating the frame and camera distance... but she hated it.. she kept wanting me to hold the camera into shots so she could tweak the lens... it hurt... It was a dream sequence so I knew I had room to manoever artistically. poor lass... Im sure it looks wicked though... I like the way u can hold focus on person accross the frame by panning and tracking ! playing accross the focus plane! lots of cool steadicam oportunities.. poor lass Guy holding the gun .... setting the focus plane accross him (as he points towards you) and tracking round him so only the gun starts in focus but then the whole body comes into focus... wicked! Yeah... reckon your arris sound loads better! loads! these were made by arri but they had the bellows ... hence the 19mm bars.. how fast are your arris? these were only f4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Stephen Murphy Posted September 30, 2005 Premium Members Report Share Posted September 30, 2005 how fast are your arris? these were only f4 <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Off the top of my head they were a T2.8 ish. I only had a 45mm and a 90mm, but thats all i needed. For the most part im not a huge fan of swing/shift lenses but these were very nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Thomas English Posted September 30, 2005 Author Premium Members Report Share Posted September 30, 2005 I think as an artistic choice they are overated.... the couple of really well planned out moments are cool.... But I am not sure really how much they add overall vis a vis the hassle.. Using them in anything other than dream sequences and promos... dunno I think if I was a stills man I would be infinately more excited and probably use them all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattmarek Posted October 5, 2005 Report Share Posted October 5, 2005 something important i feel needs to be pointed out....although stephen is from ireland, he will not, i repeat NOT touch a glass of the cold, black liquid gold his country produces. shame :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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