Current status on well made Jib / cranes??

you'll also want to get a tripod dolly if youre using a jib. if not, every time you have to move it you'll have to either take the jib off the head or get two people to carry the whole assembly end to end dangling the tripod below it.
 
wgzn said:
i've had my 8' kessler for man, nearly 10 years now. and its never let me down. i put it on manfrotto 3193 legs and a 510 head. solid as a brick shitter.

i keep each section in a pelican rifle case and have "cable drop" guides attached and velcro ties in place to make wiring faster. one case also accomodates the two counterweight plates and the others the cables and tools. so it's really as turn-key as it possibly could be
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Hm, in that case I reckon my Manfrotto 545 legs would be ok as well?
 
I usually do not have the legs extended. However, I can see where the problems might arise were I to do that. I haven't had any stability issues with the jib or tripod in the current setup, even when the legs are extended 1 section. The only thing I worry about is that I have to tighten the tripod tilt, else the head will, well, tilt forward, and I don't want that to be damaged by too much pressure. For now, I cannot afford a stronger tripod, so will just have to be careful with it and keep the legs shortened. This is just for student films, so will definitely upgrade (the entire setup and jib) when I begin more professional work.

Thanks for your comments, guys!
 
rob norton said:
Let me know how you go - I'm pretty close to buying one too.
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So the Pocket Jib Pro finally got here. Obviously I haven't had a chance to test it yet, but out of the box, it feels pretty damn well machined. The Hercules 2.0 head is by no means a top of the line pro video head as you know it, but I'm amazed by the build quality and smoothness of it.

The jib literally is as fast to set up as the in the video the Kessler guys made themselves. The tool free screws really make a difference because there is no fidgeting with allen keys and so on.

The build itself is solid. It feels rugged in my hands, even when extended.

The transport case is made for this thing. Some brands (at least the iFootage one I had before) just make a general soft bag or case and hope the thing will fit inside. The Jib Pro really does fit in the case, though it's not immediately travel friendly with its 120cm length and decent weight. But in and out of the back of a car, this will be nice to work with.

So pretty happy so far.

It's sitting on my semi-pro Manfrotto 545 legs and they feel like they can handle it, but I think I'm going to end up getting the K-Pod for maximum stability. I feel like the jib deserves it hahaha.

Disclaimer: This is purely my first hand impression, neither Kessler nor the retailer has endorsed me in any way. But I just like writing positive stuff now and again, instead of warning about bad stuff :)
 
And now I'm sure I'll need better sticks.

The locking mechanism of the Manfrotto 545 are too weak to carry just the jib, 5d, 502ah head and the cineslider. I didn't even have any counter weight at the moment to put on, but upon extending the legs some 15cm or so, they will slide back down to the starting position.
Quite disappointing considering that Manfrotto themselves specify that the 545 should be able to handle 55 pounds.
 
I doubt any tripod's spec is for weight spread over the length of a jib. It's more weight right on top of the legs.
 
Seriously? I can't believe my tripod is still holding out then. The legs have never slid at all.
 
Ive used lots of jibs over the years. Kessler pocket jib with her head and kpod has been the easiest and most reliable thus far.
 
I use the K Pod with an EZJib. It's rock solid. I recommend the 6" wheels. It makes moving it around loaded a breeze and those wheels lock nicely.
 
Just sprang for the K-Pod at the local importer.... I gotta say, this thing is solid. The Manfrotto setup with the 545 I will never use again!

Only thing that surprised me now is how much counter weight I need to keep it balanced with even a small load. Right now I just have the 5D3 sitting on it with a Manf 509 head and 15kg is just a tad light when fully extended. But of course this has nothing to do with Kesslers product but more my sense of physics :)

Just some more praise.... the K-Pod is so incredibly easy to work with. The legs un-tighten easily and I adore those recessed tool less screws, no slipping there! And to be honest, I thought the K-Pod had only two settings (fully up or down) but as it turns out it has 10 or so settings which put it up at 160cm at its tallest, getting the jib head up to almost 3 metres fully extended.
 
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