would it be a waste of money?

[gabriele gallareto]

HI!!!!!!!!

my first post.

please forgive my horrible english! i'm italian mother tongue, french fluent and piedmontese speaker :-)

 

I found a bargain on a basson silver arrow for 1400 euros, I know everybody says it's a piece of crap but at this price i hope it will let me do the first step in the steady operation world and i hope i can use it on low budget sport productions, real estate videos and first of all to train myself for a real rig.

What do you think? just trowing 1400 euros or a really cheap stabilizer that of course don't compete with real steady but it's the best avaible for under 2000 euros?

 

Ciao

 

Gabriele

 

PS I did a lot of video work and some film as a assistant, WILLING TO LEARN SO IF INTERSHIP, WORK FOR LEARNING OR JUST BRINGING COFEE AND DO SOME STILL PICTURE, I'LL VOULUNTEER

[JobScholtze]

i hope i can use it on low budget sport productions,

 

Sure, you can use it for sports. Just make sure not to run with it. Otherwise you will lose bits and pieces from the rig. Dont use heavy camera's eighter or the arm will snap. Dynamic balance wont be there, and the quality is crap. The best way to use this rig is to stand still, dont walk, dont run, just stand still. Oh wait, you could use sticks.

 

Just kidding. There are some people who use the basson. But the have modified it. You get what you payd for. Meaning, i would rather use my money for something decent.

[Norbert von der Heidt]

HI!!!!!!!!

my first post.

please forgive my horrible english! i'm italian mother tongue, french fluent and piedmontese speaker :-)

 

I found a bargain on a basson silver arrow for 1400 euros, I know everybody says it's a piece of crap but at this price i hope it will let me do the first step in the steady operation world and i hope i can use it on low budget sport productions, real estate videos and first of all to train myself for a real rig.

What do you think? just trowing 1400 euros or a really cheap stabilizer that of course don't compete with real steady but it's the best avaible for under 2000 euros?

 

Ciao

 

Gabriele

 

PS I did a lot of video work and some film as a assistant, WILLING TO LEARN SO IF INTERSHIP, WORK FOR LEARNING OR JUST BRINGING COFEE AND DO SOME STILL PICTURE, I'LL VOULUNTEER

 

 

Hi Gabriele

 

My first rig was a Basson BSN800 and yeh, it was terrible but being a handy guy, I made many mechanical modifications; both by me and by my local machine shop and I upgraded the 12V power to 14.2 with double IDX NP-1 batt holders. It took some time and many frustrating trials and errors but I was finally able to make it fly a DigiBeta with dynamic balance. Is it worth the trouble... only you can decide that but all I know is that it gave me a way in at a price I could live with. When I moved up two years later, I was able to sell it on eBay for 70% of the price I paid for it, which was better than I expected.

 

If you decide to go that route let me know, I'll send you pics and info as to the mods I did that worked for me.

 

Cheers

Norbert

[Erwin Landau]

I have this strange notion... That when I buy something, I shouldn't have to take it apart the moment I come home and have to spend hours in the machine shop, before I can use it...

 

Maybe it's just me, or I just grew out of it... I guess.

 

 

Erwin

[Charles Papert]

How quickly they forget--c'mon now Erwin! You were swapping out bits and pieces like crazy for the first couple years. The difference is that we are talking about new gear and having to immediately modify it to make it work on a basic level, which does seem a tad meshugah.

 

Along these lines and perhaps a better solution is to think about buying an elderly rig that is compatible with many of the industry standards (1.5" post, top stage mount etc) so that you can start working right away and then replace components as you are able to. I don't know the Basson well enough to say whether it is compatible or not, perhaps someone else can indicate this.

[Norbert von der Heidt]

Hi Charles

 

I became quite familiar with the inner workings of the basson and nothing is industry compatible. It lives entirely in a world of it's own but the good part of that is; some common sense, a hacksaw, drill, a screwdriver and a few spare bucks (to buy ebay bits) are all that's needed for the most part, to radically change this machine for the better. Just don't ask too much from it, and for the newbie, that may not be such a bad deal after all.

 

By the way, I sent pics and details of all my mods to the head honch at Basson recommending these changes to his product. He replied that it would price the unit out of it's intended market. Seems a strange answer for a company that is currently advertising it's products in American Cinematographer. I'm sure someone at the AC ad sales department must have gotten a chuckle over that one.

 

cheers

Norbert

[JobScholtze]

Norbert, Just a quik note of topic. I see you show your email adres in your signature. Beware of the spam robots.

[Gus Trivino]

Gabriele:

 

Basson is made here in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and I n-e-v-e-r saw a Basson working here.

Nobody has this equipment.

In my opinion, wait a little more and buy an used SK.

Best to all,

 

Gus

 

PS: Maybe I¨ll go to Torino.

If this happens, I´ll contact you.

 

PS: Job said:

"...Sure, you can use it for sports. Just make sure not to run with it. Otherwise you will lose bits and pieces from the rig. Dont use heavy camera's eighter or the arm will snap. Dynamic balance wont be there, and the quality is crap. The best way to use this rig is to stand still, dont walk, dont run, just stand still. Oh wait, you could use sticks.."

 

hahaahahahahauhuuuhhuhuuhahahaha!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Great advice Job.

Did you see "Julia´s Tango"?

The Holland crew will come to Buenos Aires again to shot the 2nd season.

[JobScholtze]

Gabriele:

 

Basson is made here in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and I n-e-v-e-r saw a Basson working here.

Nobody has this equipment.

In my opinion, wait a little more and buy an used SK.

Best to all,

 

Gus

 

PS: Maybe I¨ll go to Torino.

If this happens, I´ll contact you.

 

PS: Job said:

"...Sure, you can use it for sports. Just make sure not to run with it. Otherwise you will lose bits and pieces from the rig. Dont use heavy camera's eighter or the arm will snap. Dynamic balance wont be there, and the quality is crap. The best way to use this rig is to stand still, dont walk, dont run, just stand still. Oh wait, you could use sticks.."

 

hahaahahahahauhuuuhhuhuuhahahaha!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Great advice Job.

Did you see "Julia´s Tango"?

The Holland crew will come to Buenos Aires again to shot the 2nd season.

Yes i did see it, and the where very happy with it. Dang it, i rather shot it for them overthere, Stop taking my exotic jobs man, lol

 

Have fun, perhaps we meet some day overthere or here