Waaayyyy off-topic. I'm throwing in the towel . . . I'M THROUGH WITH 1/3" CAMERAS!!!

I bet you that the 15 lbs. is at least one pund under what their testing showed as the maximum weight... and that they are giving themselves some help with returns and warranties and all that... (just a thought)

Hey, NBC, what if the HVX screen grabs come out and show a substantial improvement on noise handling...
 
Welcome to the 2/3 world! :)

Add an SDI board to the camera and you can capture uncompressed 4:2:2 footage straight off the camera head too.

These newer cameras are so noise free that upconverts, particularly from PAL, to 720p are very viable indeed. Their large size makes them a pain to carry around (especially with a tripod) when doing run and gun stuff, but the control over the image, ease of focus etc, means that unless it was absolutely neccesary I would not go back to a 1/3" ccd camera.

Regarding the Flyer, I read one test where a guy was using an SDX900 on it quite happily.
 
Simon:

Yeah, duhhh . . . my friend has TWO SDX900s just sitting in his office. I gotta get over there and try those out, ASAP!!!
 
NBC,

My experience with the Flyer (which I fly regularly) is that it will fly a 15Lbs Camera PLUS the required counter weights (batteries) to get the sled in ballance.

So the max of the arm is a sled with batteries to in ballance with a 15Lb camera. ..this of course is meanign that the gimble is as gigh as possible (so about ½ inch form the top so you still have space on the post to dock!

- Mikko
 
mikkowilson said:
My experience with the Flyer (which I fly regularly) is that it will fly a 15Lbs Camera PLUS the required counter weights (batteries) to get the sled in balance.
Click to expand...
Thanks! Yup, I just talked to the Steadicam sales manager and he said that the Flyer should be good for a 15lb. camera PLUS whatever brick you're using to power the sled (he said probably a Hytron 100 or two Hytron 50s for a camera that heavy). He mentioned a max arm capacity (less sled) should be about 19lbs!

So . . . again, the camera (Sony DSR450) without EVF weighs in at 8 lbs. 10oz. (or 8.625 lbs.). Add the 4 lbs. for the Canon wide-angle, and say, 1.5 lbs. for the VCT-U14 camera plate, and NOW I'm at . . . 14.125 lbs. camera weight! Perhaps enough margin to add a small obie light?

Two questions for you:

1. What brick are you using to power the sled on the Flyer you're using?
2. How does the rig handle with the gimble mounted so high on the post?

Thanks for your help!
 
STEADICAM FLYER WEIGHT CONSIDERATIONS II:

Okay, got some different figures from a Sony DSR450WSL brochure PDF.

DSR450WSL camera (including VF, mic, BP-GL65 battery, miniDV cassette, 17:1 VCL-917BY lens): 14 lb. 5 oz.

A Sony BP-GL65 battery weighs: 1 lb. 3 oz.

Since I'll be powering the sled/camera with Anton Bauer bricks instead of Sony V-mounts, I'll subtract the battery from the camera weight: 14 lb. 5 oz. - 1 lb. 3 oz. Leaving me with a net camera weight of: 13 lb. 2 oz. Now add, say, 1 lb. 8 oz. for the VCT-U14 camera plate, and you've now got a total of: 14 lb. 10 oz. Now, if I lose the EVF, I've take off an additional: 1 lb. 6 oz. So, 14 lb. 10 oz. - 1 lb. 6 oz. = 13 lb. 4 oz.

SONY DSR450WSL GROSS CAMERA WEIGHT W/OUT VF: 13 LB. 4 OZ.
 
You know NBC...with all due respect to the specs and features of this camera, the CINE Gamma of the panny would seem to me as far more superior. Then again, I really haven't had the chance to see the 24P gamma on this Sony.

Which leads to my question...how are the gamma curves on this SONY compared to the SDX?

Thanks
Pete
 
Shiloh Arts said:
You know NBC...with all due respect to the specs and features of this camera, the CINE Gamma of the panny would seem to me as far more superior. Then again, I really haven't had the chance to see the 24P gamma on this Sony.
Click to expand...
Well, I haven't seen the Sony either. Panasonic certainly may have the edge due to their gamma engineering experience with their Varicam and SDX900 cameras; however, at least according to the Sony PDF brochure they have several "film" gamma presets built into the new DSR450 as well, and I'm really looking forward to what Sony has come up with this time around. Also, according to Barry, the DSR450 doesn't do the "advanced" 2:3:3:2 pull-down that the Panasonic cameras do. Still, the DSR450 is ONLY $15K!

////////////////////EDIT////////////////////UPDATED INFORMATION:

According to the Sony Operating Manual for the DSR450, the camera DOES in fact support 2:3:3:2 pull-down, i.e., "24PA."
 
Thanks NBC.

I'll be adding to it as I find more information. Part of the reason I wrote it is because whenever I see filmlook discussed I rarely ever see anything related to sharpness settings or adjusting the camera for highlight handling.
 
You know NBC... you might be right about the camera...hopefully there's some fottage outhere to view, or at least a place you can go to test it before you invest in it.

Thanks for the article!

Pete
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top