C100: Looking for a stabilizer for the C100

control4userguy said:
I don't think an unboxing video is useful. Get it assembled, powered-up and let us know how long it takes to completely balance your rig. That's what's important in the field. Post the payload weight you use.
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True, but an un boxing video is much easier to do. However I'll consider that, it would be useful to see how long it takes me to balance it given I've never done it before..... A complete novice. It would have to be on my 5D3 cause I'm sending the C100 in for the auto focus upgrade next week.
 
^Easy to say. The tech required to do this (inclinometer?) is not present in the gimbals priced within reach. Software R&D to work with the inclinometer is into some huge manhours. Manually balancing is open-loop, auto is closed-loop. Try to imagine, with crappy software logic, what the unit could do to your rig in some oscillatory mode...
 
Lets get serious. Sure there are folks who spent $10/12K on a MoVI and those who actually spent $5/6K on a (cough) Ronin but I bet you those same pros wouldn't be happy with a sub-$2k Chinese take at all. Is this what you mean?

My opinion is anyone who tries to tech-shop a gimbal right now will notice that things are changing in the market. Only reason for any sales of these today is for immediate need, the budget and/or those who just plain don't care to follow engineering trends to that extent. Take a look at these Chinese companies- rigs that were rolled-out last year are done with production already and some new iteration is there on B&H this year. The move away from Alexmos hardware caused some of this. The folks on REDUSER (50 plus buyers) who are now taking delivery of their Tilta Gravitys are just now realizing that support stinks on these things, the balancing is only as good as the operator in terms of equipment selection and set-up and, I bet, a majority got in on the GB solely due to pricing.

I'm not saying that closed-loop, auto balance is bad. It's just tricky to pull-off on the consumer market. It does appear to be the next advance for gimbals along with heavier payloads and no non-sense rig inversion. It's not here now, not in form or within the budget for the indies.
 
control4userguy said:
Lets get serious. Sure there are folks who spent $10/12K on a MoVI and those who actually spent $5/6K on a (cough) Ronin but I bet you those same pros wouldn't be happy with a sub-$2k Chinese take at all. Is this what you mean?

My opinion is anyone who tries to tech-shop a gimbal right now will notice that things are changing in the market. Only reason for any sales of these today is for immediate need, the budget and/or those who just plain don't care to follow engineering trends to that extent. Take a look at these Chinese companies- rigs that were rolled-out last year are done with production already and some new iteration is there on B&H this year. The move away from Alexmos hardware caused some of this. The folks on REDUSER (50 plus buyers) who are now taking delivery of their Tilta Gravitys are just now realizing that support stinks on these things, the balancing is only as good as the operator in terms of equipment selection and set-up and, I bet, a majority got in on the GB solely due to pricing.

I'm not saying that closed-loop, auto balance is bad. It's just tricky to pull-off on the consumer market. It does appear to be the next advance for gimbals along with heavier payloads and no non-sense rig inversion. It's not here now, not in form or within the budget for the indies.
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I don't find it difficult to balance a Ronin. I found it to be much quicker than a Glidecam because it doesn't have to be exact to function. I also didn't find it underpowered or difficult to set-up. I feel like DJI has a fairly cost effective and developed product. Their customer service is atrocious, but their gimbal tech is as good as it gets for the price.
 
Hi everybody,
Is there anyone here that have experience with the Helix JR with some kind of a rig like Easy rig or better the Ready Rig GS!? i was thinking of getting a gimbal for my FS5/7Q+ combo and i like the Helix jr too but i like the idea to use it with a rig like the Ready Rig! anyone have experience with that!?
I see a lot of people out there using Ready Rig with a Ronin M or MX and heard positive reviews and great things about the RR plus Ronin but can't find anything with Helix! I can see it's more difficult to use RR with Helix for that doesn't have a top bar like the Ronin!
I do like the Helix more but for longer takes I'd like to have the Ready Rig,the RR will be offered also for renting so it's something i will get sooner or later but I hav'nt decide Helix or Ronin!
Thanks in advance
 
Got the Helix Jr. My first impressions are this thing is fantastic! It came in a beautiful box packed really nicely...... was a joy to behold. It was extremely easy to balance my 5D3 with a 24-105 lens, for someone like me who has no experience with balancing anything. I thought it was gonna be much harder. I did get it perfectly balanced only to turn it on and discover I put the camera on backwards, so I had to take it off and turn it around and rebalance it, but it was a breeze. After I got it balanced I turned it on and nothing happened after about 15 minutes of thinking I got a dud, I realized you have to plug the battery into the Helix...... LOL! I fired it up and walked around the house with it and it seemed very easy to control.

The woman at Letus recommended the standard base plate to accommodate both the C100 and the 5D3. The plate definitely works with both, but the Jr. base plate enables you to move the camera sides ways to balance it, the standard plate doesn't allow you to adjust the camera on the plate. The 5D3 is rather unbalanced and probably needs more balancing than the C100 which is more symmetrical. So, I had to put all 6 weights on one side of the CF mounts, which adds a lot of weight. I think if you have a 5D3 and C100 it's not a bad Idea to use the Jr. plate specifically for the 5D3 and similar DSLR's because it's smaller and lighter, and there's no need for the counter weights, which will make the whole thing lighter.

I'll probably end up ordering the monitor extension mount to use with both cameras, and I'll get the Jr. plate for the 5D3.

I'm a happy camper!
 
videoshot said:
Hi everybody,
Is there anyone here that have experience with the Helix JR with some kind of a rig like Easy rig or better the Ready Rig GS!? i was thinking of getting a gimbal for my FS5/7Q+ combo and i like the Helix jr too but i like the idea to use it with a rig like the Ready Rig! anyone have experience with that!?
I see a lot of people out there using Ready Rig with a Ronin M or MX and heard positive reviews and great things about the RR plus Ronin but can't find anything with Helix! I can see it's more difficult to use RR with Helix for that doesn't have a top bar like the Ronin!
I do like the Helix more but for longer takes I'd like to have the Ready Rig,the RR will be offered also for renting so it's something i will get sooner or later but I hav'nt decide Helix or Ronin!
Thanks in advance
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i read in the reviews of the Helix Jr. on Letus website, they recommend the Ready Rig for use with the Helix Jr.
 
puredrifting said:
Looking forward to seeing some C100 footage once you get some time in the pilot's seat Michael. Congrats!
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Thanks! I'll see what I can do. I'll try and make us C100 owners proud..... ha! The 10-18 lens came today...... never had a wide angle lens..... this thing is wild!
 
Hi Michael,i'm happy you like the Helix,i've red great things about it! could you please share the link where they talk about the Helix/Readyrig combo? i couldn't find it on letus website!
Thanks in advance
 
videoshot said:
Hi Michael,i'm happy you like the Helix,i've red great things about it! could you please share the link where they talk about the Helix/Readyrig combo? i couldn't find it on letus website!
Thanks in advance
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Hi Videoshot, I just spent 20 minutes looking through the Letus website and cant find it. I know I saw it there. I think I was reading through the tech support in some obscure place. Perhaps email Letus and ask them. Sorry.
 
If you go on Readyrig's web site it clearly indicates "fully tested to support" Letus Helix Sr. and Jr. Might want to contact them as they sell the vest/arm contraptions.

On a lighter note, how's it going with your new gimbal there? Got it balanced yet?
 
videoshot said:
Hi Michael,i'm happy you like the Helix,i've red great things about it! could you please share the link where they talk about the Helix/Readyrig combo? i couldn't find it on letus website!
Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
I have the Ready Rig and use it the with a Ronin and Cinemilled Pro Ring. The Ready rig just needs one or two contact points and uses a velcro strap as a connection point. There is no reason it couldn't be used with almost any camera or gimbal with a little work to find a way to connect the straps. My suggestion would be to also buy the cinemilled spindle mount and attach them to the handles just above the pilot point.
 
control4userguy said:
If you go on Readyrig's web site it clearly indicates "fully tested to support" Letus Helix Sr. and Jr. Might want to contact them as they sell the vest/arm contraptions.

On a lighter note, how's it going with your new gimbal there? Got it balanced yet?
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that must have been where I read that. Sorry for the confusion.

The Helix was very easy to balance, I have an instinctual fear of techniqual gadgets and was pleasantly surprised. I haven't balanced the C100 yet cause I was waiting for the grip extender and the 10-18 lens to arrive. I'm going to sent the c100 in this week for the auto focus upgrade. I have a commitment to film a couple of guys at a flamenco bar on Sept. 8 th so will post some footage of that .

BTW , so glad I got the 10-18 lens instead of the 11-22 that extra 1 mm really saves the day.
 
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