The NEW steadicam Ultra2

[Steve Fracol SOC]

Congrats Kris!!!

 

Let us know what you think. I suspect you will love it.

 

Best,

 

Steve Fracol

[chris reynolds]

ahhhh

 

another of the 'Class of Fall 2006' gets a Steadicam!! Nice one Kris

 

Jared has nearly financed the buying of a Clipper (i believe) and i've borrowed a flyer for 3 days off an Operator i know.

 

Are the rest of the class on the Forum? What are you all up to?

 

Chris Reynolds U.K

[Jean-Nicolas Dorion]

Congradulation Kris!

It's a nice rig you got there. What do you think about it?

Can you give me an idea of how much you've paid for that baby? The price list isn't posted on Tiffen's web site...

Cheers!

[Robert Starling SOC]

another of the 'Class of Fall 2006' gets a Steadicam!! Nice one Kris

 

Jared has nearly financed the buying of a Clipper (i believe) and i've borrowed a flyer for 3 days off an Operator i know.

 

Are the rest of the class on the Forum? What are you all up to?

 

Hi Chris, I traded my Flyer right after the workshop and bought a Clipper 2. Very pleased indeed, I didn't want to finance it so I bought the best I could afford at the moment. Now, it's just, practice, work, marketing and adding accessories as I can afford them.

 

All the best!

[Kris Torch Wilson]

Good day all,

 

As suspected I love my new Ultra 2. I can really only compare it to the 3A I have been using and its like comparing one's old reliable truck to a new luxury car. SMOOTH. Still tweaking and adjusting and I'm sure I will be for some time but here's what I can offer at this time.

 

G70 arm. No tools. Can't really appreciate this feature until you throw your allen wrenches at some fool in the mosh pit. Adjustments are so easy I feel guilty. Arm can go at least a foot higher than the 3A and I don't feel it in my back until I hit the very top. Bottom height is about the same but no fighting the arm to get there and no strain. The arm is a big beefy looking thing but weighs within a few ounces as the 3A.

 

Sled. No tools again. What a dream to make adjustments. Light and stiff. I can't fairly compare the gimble to the 3A. This thing is so smooth. Can't stop playing with the remote motors on the top stage. In the live TV world I'm constanly changing focal length and this feature allows me to trim headroom as I go. Everyone around me laughed and thought this feature was just for you film guys but so far I'm using the hell out of it.

Don't see myself using the tilt head very much unless doing a concert from the pit. Then it will be great. It works slick, just not enough time for me to use in the type of I show that I do. Wireing is well thought out and Rob at Tiffen was most helpful in walking me through how to "assign" the connectors to my needs. There are a series of dip swiches inside the sled base that one can use to send signals/power as needed.

Since my camera is powered down triax the draw on the batts is only for the monitors and focus motor. With this in mind it is fair to say I will only have to chang batts once a day. The new power cubes are light and fit tight. We will revisit batts after a year or so in service.

 

Monitor. The big Ultra Bright is... well big. Maybe too big but we'll see. It does make a gorgeous picture. Have not used it outside yet. The knobs on the back for adjusting frame lines should be changed to the pop out type pots if one has a tendancy to run into things. Varilights, audio monitors/ audice members' heads have a habit of jumping out in front of me. Those knobs will get sheared off for sure. I took a very lightweight piece of angle and velcroed a cover for them. Now I will leave a nice little crease in the back of some poor fools head.

 

Vest. Again it would be unfair to compare to the older one. A bit heavy but lots of padding and comfy. Easy to don and adjust.

 

Price. Tiffen is selling sled/arm/vest/6 batts and charger for just under $60K.

 

Sorry foir the long post but lots to say.

 

Kris

[Jean-Nicolas Dorion]

Hi Kris,

A week after your last post...

Still loving it? Is there any flaws on that new system?

Thanks about your review.

 

Does anybody else has something to share about that rig?

[Amando Crespo]

Yes. I´m happy. I´ve just to do my first work with a new gear. A new steadicam ULTRA2. I can´t said how many speriences get with it, and I don´t want (now) make comparations with PRO. At future, I´ll said you the sense and the way workining with that gear. Boys, let me, at first, be like a child with new shoes. After, i´ll splaind you the sensations.... Thanks.

Es un pepinazo de equpo de la leche....

Best dreams.

PD. Thanks, Mr. Thaites(Tiffen) for your professionality. :D

[Amando Crespo]

......Aps.... I forget. I used the antlers for a shot in low mode.... COMFORTABLE.... .Comfortable at inertial´s and the smeal. The new arm G-70 and his trims... makes you the work most easy. But you needs to try and experiment with the new concept. In 2-3 hours, you´ll be an expert.

Best dreams. :rolleyes:

[Alfeo Dixon SOC]

I've only been flying it for 3 weeks now and just happened to be a HiDef feature... Panavized Sony F900. New rig, no backups the prior rig I flew was someone else's Cine Ultra (actually the prototype to the Ultra line.)

 

I've been very pleased with it, although being new to it and not even having an owners manual (still in the works) to figure it out... good thing I was already use to the Ultra line, eh!?!

 

Lets just say the first flight was totally embarrasing. Now lets set the scene:

 

Shoot - lowbudget in Atlanta 20 days

Prep - Panavision Orlando, done by someone in Orlando... not anyone on the crew.

Suto Prep - Actually loading the camera truck... didn't know about it.

Camera - Will it even work on the sled? Answered this on day two with the producer hovering over shoulder with the 'get off my clock look' so we never tried to balance nor completely mount the rig my first mistake... should have forced the issue more, but atleast we did find out we needed to get some screws from the local hardware store.

Follow Focus - hmmmmm... we don't have a cable that will work with out using the D-tap power along with the Aaton Baurer batt also (just incase you didn't know that)

Lens - "what do mean I have to fly the 6-27mm zoom?!? And where's the clipon matte box?!?"

Steadi-mode - The only thing I could take off was the eye piece and the on board monitor... how heavy is that???

Rig Config - Low mode... well now, i did manage to get everything mounted on the rig and balanced with a three second droptime... NICE!!!

Result - Being that the first shot was to be low mode, we never tried to mount the camera in regular mode... that would have raised the flag that never flew. Sooooo... first shot up in the day is this one. Damn, this is when I learned all the info about what can and cannot be lost on this camera in 'Steadi-mode' tell the truth, it looked like we added more crap to the beast!

 

Wish I had the time to think about why all my post were at ends length and I still got a three second drop time. <_<

 

Lets just say it was a good thing I'm the A Cam-op or I'm SURE the invitation to come back wouldn't be in the mail.

 

BTW... I did redeem myself. I've used just about all the features of this rig and its hot!

 

[i'm sure this is not the right place for this amusement, but just wanted to share about my Ultra 2]

[Brad Grimmett]

I'm confused. Did you have problems with the rig, or were you just not familiar with it?

[Alfeo Dixon SOC]

I'm confused. Did you have problems with the rig, or were you just not familiar with it?

 

Brother... I just had problems! Just an amusing story (in my mind... but not at the time of course) But more so my stubbornness to fly a camera too heavy... oh yeah, forgot to mention that by the time I did mount up, I had successfully maxed out the G70 arm (ding, ding, ding... another flag ignored).

 

I was having a glitch with the HD/SDI feed to the monitor but that is being looked at and dealt with as we type. Tiffen sent me a replacement monitor and is taking a look at mine now. Trouble shooting all possibilities.

[Erwin Landau]

So what you are saying is, that you are an experienced operator that used to fly an Ultra but that you just bought an Ultra 2 as your first rig right? And you got surprised and steamrolled by production...

 

Then again... I can't stress enough for people, no matter how much experience they have or not, if you have a new piece of equipment that you are not familiar with, either the Camera or the rig, go to a Rental house and put it up and try it out... before you show up on set.

 

That will give you the knowledge to tell the UPM or the Line Producer what you need to get your job done right. So you can say that you can't fly a certain Lens easily or that you need a clip on matt box or that you need a dedicated Low-mode bracket, 100% video or Steadimags... etc.

 

There is no excuse for: Oh I never used that before... Be prepared. That's a part of your job description.

 

 

Enjoy your Ultra 2 and fly safe.

 

 

Erwin

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

I'm confused. Did you have problems with the rig, or were you just not familiar with it?

 

Brother... I just had problems! Just an amusing story (in my mind... but not at the time of course) But more so my stubbornness to fly a camera too heavy... oh yeah, forgot to mention that by the time I did mount up, I had successfully maxed out the G70 arm (ding, ding, ding... another flag ignored).

 

 

Hold on, Time out, Back up.

 

the 900 is NOT too heavy to fly. It's heavy but lot's of us fly them day in and day and yes WITH the 6-27mm zoom. Infact on the show I'm doing now (Dexter) that is my normal lens.

 

If you had the 900 configured correctly you should not be maxing out a G70 arm. I use 2 light spring's and 2 heavy's in my PRO arm and have plenty of excess lift available.

 

I also agree with Erwin 1000% the reality of you situation is that nothing of it is funny.

[Amando Crespo]

Right now!. Mr. Alfeo...you´ve reason.... The Ultra2.....

Well, when I tryed it... That gear was my owner decision. I worked with it at Swiss.... Garret Brown, Jerry Holloway,.... and moore Top Teen steadicam operators teachs me... But... but..but.... The rig gets the best performances... the gimbal is espectacular flying , the G-70 arm...is the best choice to work....But... But... I don´t know what to said.... I´ve just to start a movie... And I´m working with my Master film.... Why?... I don´t know...but I´m moore comfortable, the electronic buble... Only I change the arm and the vest... but the sleed...I´m workinkg with the master film..... And I don´t know why..

See you boys..... :unsure: :unsure: :unsure:

[Afton Grant]

Infact on the show I'm doing now (Dexter) that is my normal lens.

 

Hey Eric,

 

Did you do the first season of the show too? Do they shoot in Miami or LA? I was wondering what it was shot on. Are you saying you use the F900, or just the same lens you mentioned? Great F-ing show, by the way. Great look and great story. Definitely my favorite of the HBO/SHO series shows since Six Feet Under (also starring Michael Hall coincidentally).