A jib for small spaces: quick to telescope, or shorter minimum length?

D

djhg

Member
Choosing a jib for my ultra low budget dramas in furniture-cramped spaces about 12' x 11', with 10' ceilings.

Will be operating from both the jib-tip and the tripod, tilting the camera (not just the arm) from the tripod, with camera placement varying between quite high and quite low.

Looks like there's a choice between either:

1) A jib with a minimum length of 3'-6," with quick-lock telescoping extensions infinitely varying the length up to 8'.

vs

2) A jib with a minimum length of 2' but requiring dissassembly, at the pivot point or mid-span, to adjust among 8 possible lengths: between 2' - 3.5', nothing in the mid-range, between 6.5 - 8'

Not possible to try either jib before ordering.

Opinions appreciated: For you, shooting in little spaces like this; would the ability to minimize length to 2' (compared to 3'-6") outweigh the ability to quickly change it?
 
For what it's worth, I have had several jibs, they all take time to set up. My 12 foot Kessler with PT20 head and massive Manfrotto travelled with me to the Carib. Not easy but great shots. I have a small one that was custom made to fit my lighting bag for a shoot in the arctic much like the EZ jib but it is more about the moves than height. But over the last year I have been working with a Konova jib and it is great, light assembles fast, packs very small gives me about 8 feet and has its own head and bowl mount. I chose not to use my Konova slider as part of the structure but ordered the bar part. Depending on what you are putting on the end of course you can use pop bottles for counter weight or gym weights. For a heavier camera I hang a camping shower full of water with a carabiner, adjust by opening the shower hose and letting out water then fine tuning. This is lighter than carrying weights and cuts down on my pop drinking.
If you are looking for more capacity the Kessler line is excellent as well as seven jib.
 
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I think the Porta-Jib Traveller offers the best in range, adjustability and compact packing for travel. It is also very well designed and constructed, which I do not feel about some of the competing products. I think that the ability to adjust the single unit is far more valuable than the ability to add extensions, which means more gear to carry and more setup time. At least this is true for shooting in the small spaces you describe. If I were going to use the jib primarily for exterior or large space work, I would go for a larger base sized jib and then add extensions to make it very large. For these I would suggest the original Porta-Jib or the Intel-A-Jib.
 
I really enjoy using the Kessler Pocket Jib Pro. Its built like a tank, sets up in minutes, and can easily integrate to the motorized tilt pan if you need it. Very affordable too.
 
Can I hijack this thread for a second and ask if anyone can recommend any jib arms I should look to renting to get 20 feet off the ground level? The shot needs to look straight down with other elements in the scene I need to make sure I can clear.

any tips would be great!
 
Since we a jib-ing. Any recommendation for decent sturdy tripod for any of the jibs above? Kessler K-pod seems to be the most affordable for heavy jib setups (with its unbelievably high 500lb payload). Any others - maybe something that can support 50-80lb?
 
OP here:

thanks for generous comments focused on choosing a jib to shoot no-budget(ish) drama in 12' x 11' furniture-crammed rooms with 10' celiings.

My guess is that adjusting length quickly anywhere between 3.5'- 8' will solve more problems than exchanging that versatility and ease (and the middle lengths) to be able to go down to 2' if and when I really have to.

So I'm leaning toward

Cobra Crane FotoCrane 2: telescopically-adjustable up to 8' (but won't go shorter than 3.5')

over

ProAm Orion: must disassemble to change length (which goes all the way down to 2' and up to 8' but excludes lengths between 3.5' to 6.5').

I've found no units other than those (including from among the suggestions above) which provide:

1) camera tilt (not just arm tilt) from the tripod
2) a total price in the 1100$ range including suitable tripod/stand and head.
3) payload capacity of at least 3.83 kg (FS100, 18-200 power zoom + 7" monitor & 501 head for operating at the head)
4) lengths adjustable between about 4' and 8'

Maybe I've missed a feature of some of those recommended.
I hope 2) isn't too low to get something good.
 
+1 for Glideshot!! They built my shorty jib for the Arctic. Regarding tripod Manfrotto 528XB is an alternative to the Kessler.
 
Can't beat the price on the Glideshot, Brian; but wouldn't you want to be able to tilt the camera mount from down below, with tripod and crane poked up til the Camera's at 10 feet?
 
When calculating how high you want to go don't forget to figure in the height of your tripod. IMO a 8 foot jib in a 12x10 room with a 10 foot ceiling room is going to be pretty tight.
 
Mark Williams said:
When calculating how high you want to go don't forget to figure in the height of your tripod. IMO a 8 foot jib in a 12x10 room with a 10 foot ceiling room is going to be pretty tight.
Click to expand...

Yes thanks Mark - that may be another reason to favour the Fotocrane which offers much more in the mid-length range over something like the Orion (which jumps from 3.5' To 6.5').

In these spaces I may almost never use anything beyond about 6.5' (for horizontal reach) but I haven't seen that length (as a max) to be available in the marketplace (just a max of either 4' or 8').

But maybe I'm overestimating the useful length and 4' would be enough. Tough without testing out first.
 
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On most shoots I didn't need that much height so my Glideshot was manageable. I think you are right looking at less length, long jibs mean setups are involved and so is moving it around. Having a big Kessler in Barbados was awesome for exteriors going from pools to balconys and such but each shot took lots of time and I used a PT20 head all of which has a serious learning curve.
Using a short Glideshot in galleries and interiors up north made me realize that the move and as mentioned the height of the sticks was plenty and rendered the desired effect. I went with a Konova because it breaks down to such a small package and works well with my Gitzo or Sachtler legs and my Video 14 75mm bowl head with a stripped down FS100. But I am sure you will find most good quality jibs will work for you depending on your budget and camera weight. Good luck and let us know what you go with!
 
After research and this discussion, at this point I've decided to order a Fotocrane 2.

In the cost/size/performance/capacity class I'm looking at, it's the only jib I can find which offers quick adjustment to an infinite variety of the lengths I most need (about 3.5' to 6' though it extends to 8') while offering tilt control from the base throughout that entire range.

Its unique feature is the rods which telescope between the entire length range, both as supporting jib and for tilt control.

(An unexpected bonus: it can very practically be bundled with a remote manual pan control also. Very happy to fluke onto that item and hopeful that it works well.)

I hope I don't discover I often need to go as short as 2'. But if so the Orion jr or one of those mentioned above might be a wise additional investment.

thankyou, posters.
 
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