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DSR-450 job coming up


Gordon Li-Ron

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Hello everyone,

 

 

I just got called about a job tommorow for a student film using a DSR-450. I've been doing some DVX jobs which I have a cage for but it seems this camera will be too big to fit inside the cage and without the cage it will be about 5 pounds to light for my 3A. Any suggestions to weight it down properly? I did a job with a similar camera and I remember the 1st rigged a lcd monitor on top of the hot shoe and the weight was so high, I couldn't balance it.

 

 

Also, is it possible to power a bartech and a modulus from the dsr-450 body? The only time I use these accessories are when I'm shooting s16 and in that situation...I have the camera power them on since I do not have the right cables yet for myj-box. I think it would just be easier to power these accesories via the camera since I have not tested powering up these units with my rig. ANy ideas would be greatly appreciated.

 

thanks so much

 

 

gordon

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Hello Gordon,

 

the 450 is the same housing as the DVCam 570. The differences are the placing of some external buttons, the 450 has the same menu as the XDCam series and the 450 also has progressive mode, which the 570 lacks.

 

This is a 2/3" camera, so the weight with viewfinder, lens, FF, Modulus and onboard battery (I suggest you use it, as I've found that most video cameraes are front heavy, specially when shooting with a lens like the J11), you should be up on the 11-12,5 kg scale. So you should be fine.

 

Yes, the 450 has a 12v D-power tap. It's located behing the viewfinder to the right. There's an on/off switch also for this button, as this was designed for onboard camera lights. It's on the opposite side of the D-tap. It's has 2 options; auto and manual. I think manual is when the D-tap is on all the time.

 

Haven't used the Modulus myself (I have the-boxx), but I've powered the-boxx and a BarTech via D-tap on 2/3" cams. If there's only one D-tap on the camera house (sometimes there's also a D-tap by the battery, but this depends on the type of battery mount on the camera) you can always get a hold of a powertap multi, which is a D-tap male which has 4 D-tap female attached to it.

 

PS! I seem to remember when using the D-tap, this actually draws battery power from the camera battery, not the rig, even if your rig is giving power to the camera. I might be wrong, but last time I used the Sony camera I think that happened. So you should bring extra onboard battery and charger for this camera.

 

Good luck

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PS! I seem to remember when using the D-tap, this actually draws battery power from the camera battery, not the rig, even if your rig is giving power to the camera. I might be wrong, but last time I used the Sony camera I think that happened. So you should bring extra onboard battery and charger for this camera.

 

Spot on as always, LE!

 

Hi Gordon,

 

Since you will probably keep the battery on the camera for extra weight, the rear D-Tap will work. Once you plug a 4-pin power XLR into the camera, the battery mount, including the D-Tap is disconnected, to stop the external power supply?in this case, the rig?from charging the camera battery.

 

If you have no battery on the camera, but want to use the battery-mount D-Tap, drill out the XLR on your spare power lead where it engages the retracting pin within the XLR socket on the camera. Now the battery mount will not be isolated from the external power supply. Mark the lead, so you know it in future.

 

All the best,

 

Chris

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dude, you won t be able to run an M-type motor and bartech from the d-tap (sony 450) on the top of the camera. The whole camera will fuse when u rack focus.

 

The sony 750 the M-motor is not smoothe at all when off the d-tap. There s obviously a power limiter.

 

I am looking to buy another motor to use for these applications. It s so neat having ff all built in to the camera whatever you do.

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Hey Lars, Chris, and Stephen,

 

 

thanks for all the info. So here is what happened...

 

 

We had to power the bartech with a battery belt so the ac was teathered to me. Also, I told production to rent a modulus and they didn't and the director insisted on seeing it at video village. Plus, sound guy showed up without wireless and began to plug in 4 cables!!! All of a sudden, I'm teathered to 6 cables and going to three places. After so many takes I made a fit and said screw sound and video village. I got it down to two cables and then I nailed the shot in 3 takes.

 

I'm guessing my 4pin 12v jack on my j-box is dead. I was wondering if anybody in san fernando area might have an extra IIIA j-box i could borrow for tomorrow. I would really appreciate it if somebody wouldn't mind letting me drive on over sometime this evening and pick it up. I could have it back to you tomorrow evening or the next day....whatever works with your schedule. Thanks

 

 

CHRIS....You would have been disapointed in my posture yesterday. I noticed myself hunched over a few times but refused to straighten up so I wouldn't screw up the shot :(

 

 

 

Gordon

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Thomas, thanks for that. You undoubtably saved me a fused camera somewhere somewhere in the near future.

 

All the best,

 

Chris

 

Don t worry it fuses in the way that you can wait a few seconds and turn everything back on again. Not sure about other cameras though (dsr570 s and xdcams) so just watch it.

 

My posture since getting back from a heavy hedonism holiday ain t the best either... Alexander technique classes here I come

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