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Professional advice is required on Zephyr vs other rigs


Sebastian Seth

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Hi
It may be a topic that has been asked before, but I hope to get an answer here anyway.

I have been working as a film photographer for 10+ years and have now decided to start my next chapter up, going into the Steadicam world. I have used Steadicam very limited before, but have an idea about it. I have the opportunity to attend the Gold workshop this summer, which I will do.

But I would also like to go out and invest in my own equipment. My question then is whether Steadicam Zephyr is a place to start, or whether it will limit me so much from the start that it's better to wait until the savings are big enough to go all-in?
There is, for me, a big difference between going out and buying a Zephyr for 12.000$, rather than an M2 for 47.000$. It would probably take me a year or two to get that money set aside at the moment and I would like to get started now.

I currently shoot a lot at Arri Amira, Arri Alexa Mini, various RED, Canon C500mkII etc. and that is one of the things that worries me about Zephyr. Is it a bad choice to start with if you know you want to fly movie cameras and not DSLR at all?
I am aware that there is a limit to the weight, but your experience says that it will be an eternal headache with a weight limit of 10.4 kg, or is your impression that the most cameras will gradually become so light that it can actually be done In most cases?

Zephyr is gradually becoming an older system, does anyone know if there is anything newer on the way in the same class that it makes more sense to wait for?

Here are a few of the perhaps stupider questions:

- When it says that Zephyr can carry 10.4 kg. So is it with everything that is on the pole? Camera with all accessories, monitor, batteries, etc. or is that what you put on top, ie camera with accessories?

- in several places there is disagreement about whether the cabling inside the pole is powerful enough to power cameras like Arri. Does anyone have a clear answer to that. If I buy extra battery mount so I have 2 batteries on each minimum 150Wh, is that possible or is there a limitation?

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summary, is Zephyr a good place to start for the above cameras and with limited experience with Steadicam, but in return for intending to use it professionally and eventually upgrade to a larger rig?

 

 

I hope you will take the time to answer my many questions, so I make a sensible choice and get started on this exciting world.

The best greetings
Sebastian

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