Motorized pan head with xl2

D

DeeJco1

Member
I found a motorized pan head online dirt cheap $120. The Bescor MP-101, however the specs say it supports up to a 6 pound camera. Has anyone ever tried using it with the xl2 with any success? Are there any other such pan heads, that are as inexpensive, that can hold the weight of the xl2? A $120 or even $300 would be pretty sweet for such an item.

Dave
 
motorized pan head

motorized pan head

Hey, Dave

I saw the same one on either EVS or B&H's site. I guess the real question is: how much noise and vibration does this sucker make?
The XL is right at if not over that weight limit (the XL2 is even slightly heavier than the previous versions). It seems unless you need it in some capacity where you will not be able to pan the camera yourself, an item like this seems fairly worthless.
I'm guessing motor noise and vibration could potentially screw with your sound, then there's the question of quality. Any backlash in the motor causing jerkiness and a ruined shot?
This is only food for thought, of course.
For a more detailed answer I would call either one of the above mentioned places and ask them.
Rush or Randy over at EVS are good guys to talk to. Just double check and make sure, naturally, that they carry the item in question.
Hope that helps.

Eric
:grin:
 
Hi folks, yeah the MP101 is a bit noisy, definitely for use on Remote or MOS shots only, and it doesn't "ramp" the movement of pans and tilts, meaning it doesn't smoothly roll off the stop, but just 'stops'. It also has a limited arc of movement, and does not increase speed with additional user pressure. That's why Varizoom's VZMC100 and Glidecam's Vista Head are prized items, because they move in full 180 deg tilt, and pan 360 deg, are noise free, and ramp the motion. They also have true speed-control joysticks, not push-buttons.

The MP101 is a great device for the money:) , but only for remote-cam applications (locked off cam that needs to be reset) like in sports, surveillance, weddings, etc. You can also use it if you will be dissolving in and out of shots, but you will not be able to use the start and stop. I know Rader Electronics used to make a modified version, 4x more money, that has a CMOS chip inside to ram the speeds. You could also buy a $900 controller for controlling pan tilt and zoom, but the noise was still there in the head.
 
Rush,

Do you know the name of the head which costs $900 and is it smooth and ramps the speed and so on?

Dave
 
Hi deeJco, it is made by Rader electronics, and I think I might have one left at the store. Email me at rush@evsonline.com and I will check. It is $1500 for the system with the controller, but I may have a demo unit left for $1100. I would link you their site but I have no idea what it is.

Yes the Varizoom VZ-MC100 is top of the line, and is the quietest hot-head for the money.
 
Anyone try mounting the XL2 on a plate, connected to a hefty DC motor, controlled by a linear-taper potentiometer?

It looks like there's no other really affordable option.
 
Dc Motor

Dc Motor

Sounds pretty good, but, I think (and I might be mistaken on this) that DC motors generate a magnetic field of some sort. The housing would have to be shielded I suppose as it seems it would screw with, to some degree, the xlr cables (or any other audio transfer cable). i.e. "noise interference".
Although XLR cables are suppose to be shielded from that type of thing I wonder how much trouble something like that would cause?
Then again, I'm nowhere near being an engineer and could be totally talking out my you-know-what on this point.
Interesting, though... :) :)

By the way, love the statement on the bottom of your posts. I am officially enlightened! Long live the XL!
 
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