Edmond Fetue Posted November 29, 2007 Report Share Posted November 29, 2007 Hi there! I'm using a Steadicam Master with ENG Video Cameras and my question is: Should I buy a cage or a bracket system for LOW MODE? I'm more into cages. And still I have doubts on wich cage to buy! this one from TIFFEN: http://www.whitehousesteadisales.com/lowmodec.htm this one from GLIDECAM: http://www.duallcamera.com/store/shots/Gli...LowModeCage.jpg or this from Baer-Bel - "Suchi Server" : http://www.baer-bel.de Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Alfeo Dixon SOC Posted November 29, 2007 Premium Members Report Share Posted November 29, 2007 (edited) Should I buy a cage or a bracket system for LOW MODE? I'm more into cages. And still I have doubts on wich cage to buy! Sounds like you answered your question, unless your second guessing yourself. I hate cages and would always go with the bracket for more stability. They are more ridged, less obtrusive and usually less weight. I've only used the Tiffen style cage, which has the offset rods which I liked because it allowed for different widths of bodies. You could get in trouble with one if just that section of the camera is some fat belly monster that you cant reconfigure, is too wide just where you need the cage to fit. -Alfeo Edited November 29, 2007 by Alfeo Dixon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edmond Fetue Posted November 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2007 [quote]Sounds like you answered your question, unless your second guessing yourself. I hate cages and would always go with the bracket for more stability. They are more ridged, less obtrusive and usually less weight. [/quote] Are Brackets more stable? I thought cages have more stability. Is there an universal bracket for all broadcast video cameras? (Beta; Digital Beta; HD; DvcPro,etc) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Eric Fletcher S.O.C. Posted November 29, 2007 Premium Members Report Share Posted November 29, 2007 [quote]Sounds like you answered your question, unless your second guessing yourself. I hate cages and would always go with the bracket for more stability. They are more ridged, less obtrusive and usually less weight. [/quote] Are Brackets more stable? I thought cages have more stability. Is there an universal bracket for all broadcast video cameras? (Beta; Digital Beta; HD; DvcPro,etc) Brackets are more stable and do much better things for your center of gravity/center of mass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Charles Papert Posted November 29, 2007 Premium Members Report Share Posted November 29, 2007 Think about it Edmond (please add your last name); With a bracket, you are attaching the camera to the rig directly; with the cage, you are offsetting your attachment point by whatever the height of the cages is, which increases leverage (which will magnify or even create vibration). Unless you wedge the top of your camera to the top of the cage, there is potential for shimmy. Also consider that it will be knocking around your knees somewhere and the cage will be definition always be wider than the camera itself, which means you have to be extra careful with clearance. My cage lies rotting in storage, haven't used it in probably 15 years, and I think that is the case with just about every operator I know. Other than that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edmond Fetue Posted November 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2007 You have definetely convinced me into brackets. My question now is wich bracket to use? For what I've understand trought reading here in this forum is that not all brackets fit all cameras. Is this correct? If so wich bracket should I buy to use on professional video cameras with a Steadicam Master? Thank you all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Alfeo Dixon SOC Posted November 30, 2007 Premium Members Report Share Posted November 30, 2007 You have definetely convinced me into brackets. My question now is wich bracket to use? For what I've understand trought reading here in this forum is that not all brackets fit all cameras. Is this correct?If so wich bracket should I buy to use on professional video cameras with a Steadicam Master? Thank you all! A lot of the larger camera houses may have a handle/bracket for the video cameras. Almost all of them have a bracket for the film cameras. A lot of operators own their own brackets for different bodies that they may use. Or have the guts to tell the producer and the director that they can flip it in post... but be warned they just might not like that answer and not invite you back again. But flipping the rig is a common practice and a lot of them are savy about just flipping the rig because it saves about 5 more minutes. Infact my last job I was asked to go into low mode and the AD preferred me to 'flip the rig' but I wanted to do it the right way and use that darn plate I spent good money on... -Alfeo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edmond Fetue Posted November 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2007 But (once again) do anyone has any suggestion on wich model/brand to buy? (To use with the Master series on Video cameras). Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Afton Grant Posted November 30, 2007 Premium Members Report Share Posted November 30, 2007 But (once again) do anyone has any suggestion on wich model/brand to buy? (To use with the Master series on Video cameras). Thank you! Brant Fagan (www.brantsfagan.com) makes a rock solid low mode system for video cameras. It's the best I've seen so far. He also used to make (maybe still does) low mode "I" brackets. I suppose those would be the most "universal" since all you need is a handle to clamp onto, but they aren't nearly as solid of a solution as his newest product. Don't dismiss the "flip it in camera/post" solution either. It should be considered as much as any bracket, if possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Alfeo Dixon SOC Posted November 30, 2007 Premium Members Report Share Posted November 30, 2007 But (once again) do anyone has any suggestion on wich model/brand to buy? (To use with the Master series on Video cameras). Thank you! Do you have a particular camera that you will be using at least 50% of the time? If so then maybe you can get a handle bracket just for that camera. My preference would be the VGF heavy duty handles: http://www.vfgadgets.com/handles.htm -Alfeo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Brant S. Fagan SOC Posted December 1, 2007 Premium Members Report Share Posted December 1, 2007 Gents-- A bracket that is affixed to the entire chassis such as my VLS beats any cage or handle bracket. Period. No wiggle or shake. No depending on those little M3 screws which hold a plastic handle to the camera chassis. Check out my bracket below. Drop me a line if you want one. Best, Brant S. Fagan, SOC http://www.steadicamforum.com/forums/style...e_types/gif.gif Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Dave Isern Posted January 3, 2008 Premium Members Report Share Posted January 3, 2008 Brant's VLS bracket is rocksteady! It takes a lot less time to set up then I thought it would. Screws your plate directly to handle and then holds the camera with a swing-like bottom. It's very rigid. Question to Brant: Do you think it would work on Arri 435's? Maybe with longer screwbolts? I've got the Jerry Hill bracket but your VLS Bracket would be so much faster. Happy New Year, Dave Isern www.daveisern.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members luis castro Posted March 25, 2008 Premium Members Report Share Posted March 25, 2008 Are Brackets more stable , because move the stage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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