Is this a good jib/crane? Very cheap!

J

Jackson Miller

Well-known member
So I have been eying this crane for a while:

http://www.bargain-camera.com/store/product.php?productid=16277&cat=275&page=1

I like it because of the price, which for the package with everything included (crane. LCD + cords, stand, bag, 4 ft extension, auto tilt/pan head, and zoom controller etc) comes out to just over a grand. Thant is extremely cheap considering it goes up to 12 feet and comes with EVERYTHING.

So, is this to good to be true? Is it a scam? The site seems reputable. So the next question is how crappy is the quality. I don't need or expect top quality stuff at this price. It would just be something to add to my equipment to add in creative and artistic shots here and there.

But frankly, the capabilities the site claims seem up to par with systems I have seen selling for 3 times this price. So what is the deal? Has anyone dealt with this company? Who is the manufacturer of the jibs.

Thanks a million.
 
What doesn't look great about it? I mean what makes the kessler better? Is it just sturdier or is it smoothness? Is it ease of operation? I just think by the time you added electronic heads, monitors etc, the kessler would cost at least 1500 ish which I do have but I was going to buy a glidecam 4000 with that extra 500 bucks.

Could you show me exactly what kit and accessories I would get? I you are not too busy that is haha.
 
The Kessler is a dual-rail design - much more sturdy and you don't get sway like you can with the single rail models. I had a Camcrane 200 and it was notorious for swaying back and forth (bending) while taking it side to side. You get what you pay for. The Kessler (don't own one, only have rented) is, for the money, the best bargain out there. If you can, try to rent or borrow a few cranes before buying. You'll be glad you did.

cheno
 
i have a dvc200 i bought from these guys. it does what i want and it's way cheap. i actually bought it used through dvxuser, found out the company is located in my home town, took it to them to get new tripod-mounting brackets installed, and they just swapped it out for a whole new crane. i'd certainly recommend it if you're just looking for something cheap to do crane shots.
 
Looks like a pretty good deal to me. I have a Cobra Crane, which I love, and it was $400. This looks like a pretty good crane PLUS the monitor and remote. I'd say go for it.
 
I bought their 12 foot version with the stand, and love it. I'm no pro though, and have very basic needs, but I am happy. My only thing with it, is controlling the tilt feature. Maybe I need more practice, but I find it jerky and hard to control. And outside with any wind is hopeless, but I imagine that would be true of any crane. Beyond that, I love it!
 
It's all just a bit cheesy. One caption reads: " View live footage as it is being recorded..." in reference to the 7" monitor. Uh, no that's actually for the operator to watch as he operates the jib. And they should have gotten a pro jib op. Or actually you can't tell if the jib is bad or just the operator.


I'd stay away.
 
Well to be honest, I have no crane experience. A 12 foot one sounds good though. I know bigger isn't always better but the bigger the crane, the more epic the shots will be. I want to be able to use this tool to its full capabilities. 8 feet seems a little too short.
 
Check out the Trovato Cam jib. I have a four footer. You'd be surprised at what you can do with one. 8 or 12 feet is great but if you have a small budget you go with what's accessible and use it creatively.
 
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