Kessler Crane

A

Alyosha33

Member
I wasn't exactly sure what section to post this under but I figure Cinematography is my best bet. I was wondering if people could give me some feedback on the Kessler Cranes. In particular:

How well does it work with the HVX in regards to focus on movements for 35mm blow up?

With all of the weight of the 12ft crane, plus the camera what is the best fluid head to use (not the complete tripod system but just the fluid head)? (I'm looking in the $500- $1,000 range)

How well does the PT-20 Motorized Turret work with the crane?

Any other feedback on this crane would be appreciated. My main concern is keeping sharp focus for blowup.
 
The tilting action of the Kessler crane is poor.

Its really hard to control the movement with the small handle and flimsy control rod provided. The stock control rod is really flimsy at the connection point ( I reinforced mine) and there should really be two contol rods for a camera like the HVX.

They actually offer a "upgrade" for the control rods on their website, a feature that should come stock with the crane. Also, even with two control rods moving the tilt, the handle should be redesigned into a "bar" on top and the bottom for easier control of the tilting. I plan to modify my crane to get a better level of control.

With that said, the quality of the build is great and if you don't plan on doing any tilting, its a great crane for the price.
 
I echo all of those comment. Great quality for the price. Certainly the most stable design among the sub-$500 cranes. However, the tilt is difficult to control in general. It is better if you carefully adjust the tension on certain bolt points. Also, the two-section design of the crane can cause little wobble at the joint, even when well connected. I agree, a two-sided bar design would be awesome, and should be standard. It would add to the already heavy weight (at least when properly counterbalanced).

I use the crane with the DVX on a Bogen 501 head. Totally not rated for the much weight and one of these days it'll probably explode.
 
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