FS7: Kessler Parallax?

L

LennyLevy

Veteran
A little off topic but I'm wondering if anyone has had experience with the Kessler Parallax. It sounds like a great idea but I've seen glowing reports and reports that moves can be jerky. Kessler rep says that if the center of gravity is too high or too much weight it can get rough. Load capacity is supposed to be 12lbs. I'd like t use it with FS7 or RED with DSLR lens maybe also a follow focus and just an old Manfrotto 503 head, but Kessler rep says even using a head on the dolly might make it too high. I've never used a slider without a head on it though they recommend a little ball head but that would still be fixed. I was thinking of getting with their Stealth slider.
Any experience out there?
Lenny Levy
 
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Not sure but I see Kessler just released a new motion control thingy that might be cheaper than Second Shooter and could do that same job with heavier cameras. Can't for the life of me remember the name.

The Parallax-type system I have on my Digislider II is not great with a loaded FS7. No idea how close to the original it is.
 
Last week I ordered the Second Shooter Plus Bundle, mostly for b-camera interview movement (stripped down FS7). What "new motion control thingy" are you referring to? Is it something different than the Second Shooter Plus Bundle I just ordered? Thanks.
 
Ben , Can you give more information about your experience with digislider II with & without parallax and whether parallax works better with lighter cameras - what are the problems etc. Do you use it with a fluid head on the slider ?
What do you mean by fully loaded FS7 , what type head etc. I'm thinking of buying just to try and return if it doesn't work, but if I hear bad things I just won't bother.

Lenny
 
Great for time lapse and should be marketed as just for that. Jerky for video either with ball head and A7 or fluid head and FS7. There is play in the carriage by design but it makes it unsuitable for use as a standard slider in my book.
 
It's built in to the DS2 and can't be removed and if it could, there would still be some play in the carriage unit. Basically it's not for video. You can buy mine if you like :)
 
LennyLevy said:
A little off topic but I'm wondering if anyone has had experience with the Kessler Parallax. It sounds like a great idea but I've seen glowing reports and reports that moves can be jerky. Kessler rep says that if the center of gravity is too high or too much weight it can get rough. Load capacity is supposed to be 12lbs. I'd like t use it with FS7 or RED with DSLR lens maybe also a follow focus and just an old Manfrotto 503 head, but Kessler rep says even using a head on the dolly might make it too high. I've never used a slider without a head on it though they recommend a little ball head but that would still be fixed. I was thinking of getting with their Stealth slider.
Any experience out there?
Lenny Levy
Click to expand...

I have the Stealth slider and second shooter which I use to do parallax type moves. I get smooth camera moves with it as long as I don't mount a lot of extra stuff on the camera. The pan motor can handle a lot of weight, it's the tilt motor that is limited to 12lbs. I even had a Zeus Otus 28mm on the FS7 which is a heavy lens, and it still worked.

I've seen the Parallax online but haven't used it. If you have the budget for the second shooter it's pretty awesome, but by the time you get everything you need including the slider and the quick release plate, prepare to spend quite a bit.

If you do get the slider note that the best way to mount it to your tripod is with the 100mm ball mount. At first I tried just putting the slider on top of my tripod head with a manfrotto plate and the tripod head caused the slider to dip when the camera was on either end of the slider.
 
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