Budget "Transformer" Tripod>Crane>Dolly?

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Dean Papoutsis

Member
Hi All,

Posted this on the official Tripod section of this site and its fallen into a black hole for three weeks. Hopefully I won't be arrested for asking for advice from the more active AG-HMC150 fans . . . :evil: I don't own a real video tripod yet, just got my AG-HMC150 and my SmallHD monitor and I am a novice indie video maker planning my first project.

Is there really a quality/budget tripod that can be "transformed" into a Crane and also a dolly? Ideally with bendable tracks for the dolly? I've seen a couple websites with stuff like this and some seems even economical, but do they really work? Would they really be smooth?

Plan to have the HMC150, SmallHD monitor, 35mm DOF adapter on the tripod so it might reach (guessing) around 10-15 pounds?

www.cobracraneusa.com this is a site with this type of equipment although their dolly seems to be on fixed PVC pipe (and would work if I had to).

www.kesslercrane.com seems to have some high quality hardware like this.

On a budget, I thought it might be most wise to buy a tripod designed and manufactured by one of these-type outfits (or one recommended by them) so that when I am ready to spend the bucks, I can just buy some attachments (crane/dolly) and everything will be totally compatible and work well together.

Is this a wise thing to do for a tripod, then other goodies (crane, dolly) later or are those tripods really not ideal/optimized for the main function--so you trade off smoothness/quality for just routine shooting for the fewer times I might be using the crane/dolly.

I'll pay what it takes, but would prefer the entire setup to be below $2,000 if possible.

Thanks a bunch,
Dean
 
Im in the same boat as you Dean looking to purchase either one of these cranes.
The backpacker from cobracrane does look intresting for quick outdoors stuff.

The thing with me is I would not be using a jib for every other project but I would like to invest in something that wont let me down in the coming years.
 
Answering My Own Question

Answering My Own Question

Hi All,

ok since no one answered my question, I'll let you know what I plan to do about this.

Discovered the Pocket Jib/Pocket Dolly from Kessler Crane. This thing is a work of genius. According to Chris at Kessler Crane:

We hope to have the Pocket Jib available by the end of September. The machine shop is currently working on it, but we do not have a firm release date yet.

The bundle price for the Pocket Jib / Pocket Dolly bundle is going to be $1349.95.
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My plan is to buy their heavy duty tripod setup, so I can use this standalone with their Hercules head, then use the Pocket Jib/Pocket Dolly when required for shooting in my small living room/"set" and eventually buying the trucks/wheels that go on their flexible track for more complex dolly shots. The tripod that works for the system, will be my first video tripod and should work for the whole package. Their stuff seems very high quality from what I've read.

Here is the mind blowing sneak preview video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oe7Fg7dIylc

What do you guys think about this strategy/these products?

Thanks,
Dean
 
Hey Dean,

Just watched the video, it looks pretty awesome.

I'm sort of in the same situation as you. I'm getting my Panasonic HMC150 soon and I'd like to get a decent tripod setup with the possibility of upgrading to some more dynamic setups. I was highly considering the Manfrotto 503HDV, but now you got me thinking! I wonder if anyone else has experience with the Hercules 2.0 head and how it compares to the more popular fluid heads.

The Jib/Dolly bundle sounds like a decent package for $1349.95.
 
Hi Everts and Brentium,

Thanks for the input. I like the idea that the Kessler Crane "Pocket" setup can be very compact/portable, that their tripod looks like its built like a tank and for the specific functions they are delivering. My vision is to turn my small living room into a microstudio. I also have a small townhouse so multifunction, compact stuff is easier to store and transport. And their system seems to allow you to grow into it when your ready to spend the cash. The $1,349 bundle does not include the tripod and head, so the price gets up their for a "past time." But the value seems to be there.

Dean
 
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