FS5: Sony FS5 and Letus Helix Jr. - A Match Made in Heaven?

A

andykwilkinson

Well-known member
I've had my FS5 since the back end of November - but have only recently (this weekend!) had time to really set it up with my Letus Helix Jr. (Aluminium) 3-Axis brushless gimbal which I bought about the same time as it's likely long time companion.

I think I've got close now with some settings that work well. Below is a link to my current thoughts (which are still evolving!), firstly on the FS5 and in particular how I'm getting on with the Letus Helix Jr.

There are lots of photos and detail and lots of photos of my current Letus settings (Power, P.I.D etc.) to get good balance and nice stable flying. This is initially with the Sony G 18-105mm F4 kit lens (but they are close for the Metabones IV with Canon 10-22mm F3.5 EF-S too).

Soon, I hope to find time to work out settings for my Metabones IV and Canon 17-55mm F2.8 IS EF-S too.

http://www.shootingimage.co.uk/MoreInformation/SonyPXWFS5/LetusHelixJr.html

I hope this is useful!
 
Hi Andy,
Here is a video . We had just about an hour to do it and I'm new to it.
https://vimeo.com/151302878

I had just about the same setup . However my base plate was not that low and handles at 2.
I would use a BPU-30 and not a 60
 
Thank Andy to share your expériences! i have setup hélix standard with FS100 and FS7 that run perfectly (more than one year). I installed smallhd501 on camera and vmount battery on my belt for reducing at maximum weight. (vmount battery on belt powering everything).
But for some jobs, i need better autofocus, it is why i decided to buy an A7RII with batis 25mm@2.0 and what a combo! that run really really well. AF on A7RII is a killer but not A7SII...
What is your experience with AF and face detection with Fs5? Is it the same performance than FS700 (slow AF) ?
 
Sorry. Not tried face detection at all yet with the FS5 and kit lens. I start using FS5 on client work this week. When I get time I will try and to test this.
 
I should add, as I said in the "review" on my website linked earlier, that AF with the FS5 and the Sony G 18-105mm kit lens is much slower to lock on than say my C100 with DPAF and Canon lenses...but once it has locked on seems pretty accurate. It can look like good rack focussing if executed well. I have never shot with FS700 so no idea if its similar or not in terms of speed of autofocus.

That said, until DPAF came along with my C100, I almost never used any kind of autofocus on any of my cameras anyway, and only use it on the C100 in certain scenarios.

I have never had a camera with Face Detection before so will try it out and see if it is something I might use in the right circumstances - and for sure flying the FS5 on my Helix Jr could certainly fit into that category.
 
You are right, i think the best AF today is dual pixel from Canon. After testing AF on FS7 (i think it is the same on FS5 but they add face dection) i think it is to slow and there is nothing to setup it. AF is based on contraste detection on sony FS100 FS7 or FS5. In A7RII there is two parameters in menu to help you choose speed and tracking and several AF mode. I think A7RII is based on phase detection who is more powerful than contraste detection or A7RII have more points detection on sensor but i dont know exactly.
 
Does anyone of you Helix Jr owners know if it is possible to remove the right handle? I'm thinking it would be great to replace it with a rosette to mount the FS5 handle there with an extension cord. This would give you lots of control without the need to touch the camera.
 
AndersM,

The LEFT hand handle is easily removable. Someone would need to make a short wedge shaped aluminium bar (with rosette etc.) which could be slid into the Helix Jr upright and to which you could then attach the FS5 grip to via the Sony accessory rosette.

It of course means you would have to fly the set-up with the controlling Helix grip and motor on the LEFT hand side, not the normal right hand side - I have tried this and it works just fine.
 
I too have had great success with the Sony FS5 mounted onto the Letus Helix Jr over the past few months.

Although right now, it seems to have started acting up on me. Haven't changed the loadout, GUI or firmware, anything like that -- but when I power up the Letus Helix Jr, it starts erratically shaking as soon as I start to pan. Never did this before!

I've no idea why! Haven't changed anything I've done with it -- hopefully can resolve it soon with their tech support.
 
the Letus support is amazing. I'm sure they will help you to fix your problem.
I had a similar issue with the tilt motor. They sent me a new one and showed me how to replace the old motor step by step on Skype.
You get what you pay, I guess.
 
Yeah big fan of their support. They've been very helpful with any issues I've had with parts. I guess I should look into talking with them about a perfect profile with the fs5.
 
diegocervo said:
the Letus support is amazing. I'm sure they will help you to fix your problem.
I had a similar issue with the tilt motor. They sent me a new one and showed me how to replace the old motor step by step on Skype.
You get what you pay, I guess.
Click to expand...

I have yet to have my skype appointment with them, but looking at the underside of my helix this morning, I noticed that one of the wires, the gray one, appeared to have been severed.
I wonder if that could be causing the erratic panning.

When you had your tilt motor replaced, was your Helix still under the 1 year warranty? And was there additional cost involved for having them ship the new motor to you?
 
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