Jib Styles

I don't have a jib, but isn't the "underslung" link you show just a motorized pan/tilt head? You can hang it either way it just gives you more control over camera movement. The other style can tilt up and down (by pulling the cable) but cannot pan and isn't motorized. Sorry if that's not what you're asking but that would be awesome if you figured out how to make your own motorized head. Might be better to go with a cheaper version of the motorized head, but I guess your movement is more limited than the example you showed. There was a thread about this Pan/Tilt Head a while ago. And now I just realized that it was you that posted that. :huh: Now I'm just confused.......sorry for being no help :undecided

-Ryan
 
That Studio1 jib mounted to the tripod head like that looks like a good way to trash your tilthead on your tripod...
That beeing said, I occasioanly run my Jib mounted at 90* to a big tilthead and use that same trick with the (really light) camera at 90* on the end of the arm to tilt that way. I guess if the system is in banace it doesn't acutally matter that much how you are mounted to the head. Either way you can trash it with too mcuh weight - esp if the jib is not in balance.

- Mikko.
 
I have porta-jib traveler which is great and I often use the Vista remote pan and tilt head in that second link, which I own and love. I've used it both ways, underslung and over depending on the height I need.

important to note that the comparison is no comparison at all since the first link is for a chepo ultra lightweight jib and the other is for professional work and cost quite a bit. I have close to 6 grand invested in my setup, and that's the low end cost for professional rigs
 
They were just style examples. :) In either case, I'm going to build my own.

Well, anyway, I'm going with the underslung style. Figure I'll make it modular, so I can use the camera mount as a low mount for the SteadyTrack, too.
 
Just don't make it with pulleys. They are not very smooth most of the time.

I like the lever/bushing style much better, since you have complete control over the entire path of the platform tilt.

You should build it so it's convertible, above or hanging below, so you can experiment more.
 
IMO, having the crane attach to your video head is just cheap way to make a crane. Even my comptetely aluminum rig weighs in at 50lbs + with camera and counter balance weights. Keep in mind that a crane is typically not a static load, but a very dynamic one so the head may see twice that weight effectively from time to time.

For another 40 bucks you can make yourself a ball bearing swivel head with a 1000lb (more than you'll ever need) weight capacity. I used a very heavy duty swivel castor with about a 1 inch metal stub. If you remove the wheel, tighten up the swivel bearing (might have to cut off stamped bolt end), chop, drill and thread the swivel's stub (3/8") you've got a very heavy duty swivel. I used a 1/2" bolt and flanged bearings where the wheel axel used to go to mount the crane to it.

It's cheap, bulletproof, has close to zero flex, and is smooth like butta with ball bearings at every moving point. This design also removes axial torque on your tripod by having the crane directly over it...IMO the only way it should be mounted.
 
Not attaching it to my camera tripod...I've got a big moosey surveyor's thing I'll be using, once I build the mount for it.
 
Hey GenJerDan,
will you build it all by yourself or get some parts fabricated?
If you have a good design and it would get cheaper for you to build two jibs/cranes - maybe we could join in...?
That´s if you´re really in Germany...
 
I'll be doing it myself. Just grabbing some rectangular aluminum pieces from Toom, and doing the pulley-type control. I think I'll be making it in 1 meter sections, so I can change the length easily (that's why the pulleys, rather than the parallelogram type.)
 
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