Pegasus II mini DV seadicam + GH1

i'm more of a form vs function guy to an extent and for me it's not the nicest thing to look at to want to carry around. but thats just me.

have you guys seen the 912 steadicam clips on vimeo? now thats a nice looking rig. unfortunately not sure if it is still or ever was in production.
 
Fanny, I have looked at the Steadicam Merlin, Balvanz MiniDV Seadycam, Hague mini, MondoSteady, and a bunch of others on Vimeo. The Merlin is by far the best, but at $800 it's pretty pricy for a newby. The Pegasus appears to have all the appropriate adjusters and function. But I can't find a review or a forum entry from someone who has used it.
 
i would say that this 912 is just as good, looks just as good, and from posts of people who were lucky enough to get one on vimeo, it was alot cheaper than the merlin. $800US is too deep for my pocket here in australia...ha.
 
Sorry, I thought the 912 referred to the massive number of seadicam clips on Vimeo. I revisited Vimeo and found a thread started by Michael Tan who built a steadicam he called a “912 Tcam”. When asked where it could be purchased he said he had built it himself. Couldn't find any reference to it being sold. Do you have a link?
 
nah no link...just going on posts of clips of it being used by others and referral. It looks too well machined to be DIY with the curved arm and finished fasteners. Pitty he's not making them cause he would make a pretty penny...cause i'd definitely get one.
 
that setup has some definite presence i must say. what i like about the merlin and 912 is its sleek and quite ninja like so you don't draw too much attention.

so what are the main elements needed in setting up a steadicam? i might put my industrial design degree to some good use and try and knock something semi decent up.

from my understanding camera mounts on a floating frame that has a counter weight at the bottom that counteracts movement. it also needs some sort of floating giro type handle that disconnects your shaky hand movements from the camera. what are these handles generally called so i can try and source one. everything else seems like it can be laser cut/machined and balanced up.

am i missing anything important?
 
Martti, thanks for the reply. I had seen the vimeo clips on the MiniDv as well as several posts that said a system like the Merlin or Pegasus that had the handle directly beneath the camera were much easier and less fatiguing to hold than those like the MiniDv that have the hadle at an angle.

i, thanks for the link, I'll check it out.
 
i came across this gem of information whilst rechecking this good vimeo clip

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/s.haldane/stabiliser/index.html

http://vimeo.com/3822991

so now my understanding is the whole setup is called a gimbal and the handle link name that i was looking for is a hobby universal joint. now does one really need bearings in the handle for Z axis rotation? what movement does that counteract cause it seems like one more distraction if the camera starts to pan by itself.

a little bit more thinking says the bearings there more so to free up the universal joints z axis otherwise it will just bend in one direction?
 
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If it's balanced right, then it should just "float" in space, assuming you have zero drag on your gimbal. From there you guide the movement with a feather light touch from your finger tips.

I used to have a steadicam jr, and it worked great, but it was fatiguing having to hand hold it for more than 5 minutes.

-J
 
Hey guys!

I'm working with the manufactures in Hong Kong and they are sending me a Pegasus II for me to review with the GH1. When it arrives, I'll be doing some testing and posting footage for those interested stay tuned. :)
 
Gmoe, this is great. I've been emailing orpheus_c, the Ebay reseller, but still have some unanswered questions. Do you know yet if it comes with a gimbal or a ball joint??

It looks like a well engineered product that may work well for 1/3 the price of a Merlin. Keep me posted!!
 
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Pegasus II gimbal pics

Pegasus II gimbal pics

Hey guys,

I may need a third eye. Here are some pics that Wondland sent me. I'll be doing a review later this week and the Pegasus II unit should come to me today or tomorrow.

I believe they are using a type of gimbal system. Curious to know from the more engineering savvy people what they think.

Here are a few close up pics of the Pegasus II gimbal system.

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joint2%20%28Medium%29.JPG


joint3%20%28Medium%29.JPG
 
Is that a spring connecting the platform to the handle? Reminds me of another Chinese design, which I didn't buy due to its awfully cheap impression it left on me.
 
All right guys. The Pegasus II came in from Hong Kong via UPS today.

For the month of August there's a UPS special rate so they shipped out the Pegasus II on Saturday and it got to me today. Probably the fastest shipping time ever from China!!

I will be doing some preliminary tests this week and will post some footage as well. I was a little worried about the gimbal design but the material and quality seem to be well made. I'll put it through it's paces this week and post pics as wel as video.

So stay tuned!
 
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