SR3 tips please.

[David Hughes]

Hi Guys

First time SR3 user here, any hints tips or knowledge anyone might wish to share would be greatly appreciated I have heard nothing but positive things about flying this camera so I am looking forward to it but if there are any little nuances anyone thinks might save me a headache then please chime in.

I flew an SR2 last year using the on board ARRI batt with no hassle (except for the arri focus dying).

It is a 24v camera, can I use the same fischer 24v cable that I used on a Panivised moviecam SL I used last year or would it be different? If not I will just fly with the ARRI batts but it would be nice to loose some weight for comfort I guess and in case they have me walking up and down hills all day.

How many amps does it pull? My 4 1/2 year old PAG L75s are a bit long in the tooth but they handled the SL well, I presume an SR3 should draw less current and all should be peachy keen.

One more thing If am flying without the camera batt will the ARRI focus still power through the camera or will I need to power it from my sled?

Thanks again for your input.

Dave.

[Alec Jarnagin SOC]

David,

 

SR3 is a nice weight. I usually keep the onbaord battery on the camera to keep a little more weight on and to extend the cameras length a bit (both of these make the camera "feel" a bit more like a 35mm camera). Doing this means I skip the base plate and 19mm rod system an attach my dove-tail plate directly to the camera body. I mount 15mm rods off the top using Jerry Hill's low mode bracket, but if you don't have these, Arri makes 15mm light weight rods that attach to a shoe on the front of the camera body (just like those on the SR1 &2). Don't forget a clip-on Matte box of course.

 

If you do want to power the camera off the sled, it uses the same fisher cable that all the 24 Volt Arris use. Not sure what you guys across the pond are using on your Moviecams, but here most of them use 4-pin XLRs (Pin 1 = ground; pin 2 = 24+), but they are not all the same here so I won't comment about yours.

 

The Arri wireless system should function fine regardless of how the camera is powered.

 

As far as AMPs? Arris are typically more power hungry that Moviecams, but I don't recall the SR3 being a big deal. If you have concerns over your batteries, use the onboards.

 

Good luck & have fun.

[Louis Puli SOC]

Hi Dave

I always try and get to the rental house and do a hour or so prep before any shoot regardless of what camera I am going to use.

Talking with the DP is always a great start as they would have some idea as to what they need to shoot but I would also cover yourself and have everything there Just in case they change there minds .(how many times has that happened )

 

I would agree with every thing that Alex has said but I would also have a 2 in 1 and a rosesett mount (Jerry Hill) and a Arri sr3 Low mode bracket as well .The 15mm rails for me are not firm enough when using preston motors so I would use other brackets to mount my motors to .

The Arri sr3 handle is a swing away handle so as the assistant can remove the mag I would make shore that all of the screws are tight before putting on the LMB. Also the rental house camera may have upgraded the SR2's to 3's and the video split may not be integrated in to the body like a real SR3 .In Australia Panavision made there own video splits for there SR2 and upgraded them to fit there SR3 removing and changing the handle and changing the width of the camera as well.I had to machine out Jerrys bracket so as it would now mount on there cameras handle for low mode .

Never take anything for granted test everything.

Good luck

Louis Puli from down under B)