I'm currently a Merlin user and love it - the shots you can get from these are amazing for the money spent.

Now i'm looking to upgrade and the Pilot and Flyer are the next ones up the scale as far as i can see.

I'd be interested in opinions from people who had used these for comparisons or pros/cons.

As far as i can see, they'll do a similar job, but the flyer can take heavier cameras - up to 15lbs instead of 10lbs. Which in terms of actual cameras, on the flyer i'd be able to use things like XD CAM and film cameras, but with the pilot i wouldn't....

Currently i only shoot on HDV cameras, but as my skills grow, i'd like to pimp myself out as a steadicam operator to other companies and feel that i ought to be able to cope with heavier cameras.

Anyhoo, opinions welcome please...

XDCAM on the Flyer just manageable, virtually no film cameras (maybe an SR2 with prime lens). If you are thinking about becoming a Steadicam operator for hire, you will need to start planning to spend more money to get more of a rig. Nothing wrong with starting slowly, but it won't take long to bump up against the ceiling of what the Flyer can offer you and then you are selling that rig to get a bigger one.

The Pilot is a great and inexpensive way to get your feet wet and be able to fly DV/HDV cameras. You can get good at the skills with that and down the road, if you think you are ready to start moving on to the "big boys", you can either invest in a new system. Staying in the Tiffen family, a Clipper2 is probably the next logical thing as that will handle most video cameras and all but the heaviest film cameras; there are plenty of used full-sized rigs floating around (no pun intended) that can take anything you throw at it. At that point you will want to get onto the Steadicam forum (steadicamforum.com) and start sniffing at the classifieds.

Thanks for your thoughts Charles.

Currently i work a lot in sport - mainly filming instructional and documentary style pieces. I've just finished a 5 week filming stint, for which i used my Z1/Merlin combination and got some really good shots - but the merlin is a bit heavy for a whole days shooting.
There are lots of production companies around my area who work in HDV, but also XD CAM, DV CAM, Beta SP style cameras, so my plans are that if i invested in the flyer, then i'd be able to offer my services out to these companies, whereas if i went for the pilot, i'd be restricted to HDV/DV type companies.

Would the flyer be able to take these kind of cameras?

And also, once becoming proficient on the flyer, is it simple enough to be able to hire a Clipper2 for the day and be able to operate that, or is there still a learning curve involved?
Or, is it possible to keep with the flyer vest and just purchase the clipper arm/sled?

I think that for me, film is a bit of a dream at the moment! And i don't have the contacts in the industry over here in the lil 'ol UK...

And before you say it....yes, i've enquired about the next Tiffen workshop. They're running the next one in November, so i'll take a trip down and get the experience and contacts there hopefully!

Any tips/pointers truly appreciated.

Cheers.

Rob.

Unfortunately, the answer to your capacity question is...maybe. The flyer, right up to its limit performs fantastically. In fact, I think it feels best when it's at about 14.5 out of its 15lb camera payload. Does that buy you most broadcast cameras? Depending on configuration, yes it does.

You'll likely have to strip the viewfinder and anything else that you can take off. You'll need the long baseplate for the Flyer, and have a case of different sized bolts and spacers handy because you'll need to screw directly into the camera. Most shoulder-mount cams have some sort of wedge/bridge plate that helps run and gun shooters go quickly from handheld to tripod. But, that plate weighs anywhere from 1.5-4lbs, depending on manufacturer. You CAN mount the camera directly to the steadicam baseplate - again, make sure you have a LOT of different types, sizes, metric and standard screws because you never know what hardware they'll have on the bottom of their cameras.

Also, you'll almost always have to power the camera from the sled...but this may make balancing the camera difficult, as depending on the lens, it may be front heavy. If the camera is light enough, a dionic on the back may help get it back into balance, but just be careful it doesn't put you over. This is a tough one to know ahead of time.

The lens......depending on what they have up front, you may squeek by. ENG-style lens? Most likely you should be fine. Cine-style zoom? No way. Cine-prime? Maybe. When you bid the job, make sure to spec EVERYTHING they want to use, and know ahead of time the shots they want to get. If the producer likes long-lens stuff with focus pulls,...well you may be out of luck, because with a focus system, you'll probably be over weight. For the most part, though, with broadcast cameras and ENG lenses, you'll be lucky enough to use the deep DOF of the video camera to your advantage and not need a focus system. Not always, but a lot of times.

What happens when the flyer is overloaded? Well, inside the arm, not a whole lot. The arm post does receive substantially more stress than it is built for, however, and in some instances, pins have bent or catastrophically failed under overload. Avoid the latter. In the sled, the stage is not meant to hold above its rated load, and it will slip subtly. If it slips fast enough, it too can fail catastrophically. Worst is, the gimbal itself can be destroyed by the load, an expensive repair. What is "overload"? Well, a 20lb payload up top would be awfully close to "very bad." Plus, you'd be supporting quite a bit of weight with your own right arm to hold the flyer arm up.

As for the sled/arm upgrade to a clipper, it will not work. The Flyer vest, as everything on the flyer, is designed for a total load of 25lbs. Past that, it's probably not very comfortable, but more importantly it's not particularly rigid past it's designed specs. Also, the Flyer arm uses a smaller pin assembly than the industry-standard "3A" style. The block itself mounts on industry-standard mounts, meaning that you could use a flyer system with an Ultra vest, if you swapped the blocks.

Not a lot of people will dry-hire a clipper or larger rig without knowing you or your experience. If you're getting to the point where you're always at the max of a Flyer, you should start making friends with someone who has a bigger rig, and show them you know what you're doing before asking to rent their kit. Its a trust thing, because many operators simply cant afford to have their primary rig go down and miss out on work.

As for the "what to buy" question - if you can wait till you've taken the workshop, it'll certainly give you a lot more insight into what's out there and what you actually need vs. what you want. Either of the rigs you mentioned will perform extremely well for what you're doing today, but the tricky part is getting something that can grow with you a bit without overbuying. That said, those rigs have great resale values, so if you use one now and grow out of it quickly, you should have no trouble making back the majority of your purchase.

Excellent answer Jaron, as always.

As you can see Rob, there are a lot of "ifs" involved in using the Flyer for beyond-1/3" cameras. You go into every job not knowing for sure if you will be able to handle the weight, because every camera might be configured differently. This means that you will have to call up before each job and find out what accessories may or may not be on that body, what lenses are in use, any special needs or configurations that might happen. Even with the best prep, things can come up on the shoot-- "we need to add this little fill light to the camera" or "we need to fly a wireless receiver". Even a 35mm adaptor setup can overload the Flyer.

What this adds up to is a lot of stress on you as the operator, not knowing if your kit will handle any given camera; and possible frustration on the part of production as your build time to and from Steadicam is extended due to having to strip down and add dovetails etc. Being quick and efficient and prepared is all part of the gig as a freelancer Steadicam operator, and the Flyer unfortunately may not be the best tool to achieve that with the class of cameras you describe.

That workshop will be very illuminating into many of these factors. Let us know what you end up deciding.

Thanks for the detailed responses - its these kinda things that i need to know....different camera mountings (which i'd never even thought of), lens weights, overloading rigs etc....good advice.

And i think you've hit it on the head Jason - its trying to future proof my work without over buying now.

I shall see if i can wait until November after the workshop before i make my purchase.....alternately.....anyone operators in the UK with a flyer they'd let me come have a play with?!?!? ;)

I shall let you guys know what i decide.

Cheers.

I spent an hour or so playing with a prototype Pilot with HVX200 on board this weekend. Didn't want to take it off. It's pretty astonishing how much it behaves like a full-size rig (yet weighs virtually nothing), even more so than the Flyer. Really smooth and a ton of fun.

Charles,
do you see any reason for the pilot over the flyer when using hdv cams in the 5-9lbs range?

I have a flyer now and love it. One of our shooters is looking at a used flyer or new pilot. Any thoughts?
patrick

I spent an hour or so playing with a prototype Pilot with HVX200 on board this weekend. Didn't want to take it off. It's pretty astonishing how much it behaves like a full-size rig (yet weighs virtually nothing), even more so than the Flyer. Really smooth and a ton of fun.

I just ordered one for my HVX today. Now you've got me *really* excited : )

Of course, I know I'm going to have to do some serious 'shedding on the thing before I get even halfway proficient at it...

Speaking of which, are there some good Steadicam training programs available here in NYC?

Patrick:

The arm is virtually the same performance-wise as the Flyer, but the sled has some great new features and is much more flexible in the way that components can be distributed. Suffice to say that when the next version of the Flyer comes out it will likely resemble the Pilot much more than its current form. I much prefer the design of the Pilot.

Just found out that an upgrade path for Merlin vest/arm owners to a Pilot sled will be available in 2008.

Hi All,

Does anyone own the Steadicam pilot as of today and can share some feedback? We are looking forward to be purchasing one in the very near future if available..

Thanks,
Walter

Walter:

The production model of the Pilot has not yet been released, but it is scheduled for just a few weeks away. I've spent about an hour with it and I can tell you that I am very impressed with it; I prefer the sled design on the Pilot to the Flyer. It is my belief that it is as capable as my full-size rig, which is saying a lot (considering the 15x price difference)!

Hi Charles,

Do you think it will be available in two weeks or released. I have the Panasonic HVX200 and would love to use the Pilot to fly at weddings... I have the Merlin and could not use it with the camcorder because of the weight... I'm going to PhotoEast on Friday and hoping the Tiffen booth will have a Pilot to see.

Thanks for your help..

Walter

Hi Charles,

Do you think it will be available in two weeks or released. I have the Panasonic HVX200 and would love to use the Pilot to fly at weddings... I have the Merlin and could not use it with the camcorder because of the weight... I'm going to PhotoEast on Friday and hoping the Tiffen booth will have a Pilot to see.

Thanks for your help..

Walter

I emailed Tiffen recently about my Pilot order, placed a month ago, for info on delivery dates and heard back on 10/15 that they are "telling the dealers" it will be 30-45 days, but also said (presumably to me individually) "hopefully by the end of [this] month". A bit wishy-washy with the language, what with "hopefully" being the official password of vaporware and all (not that I think by any means that the Pilot is vaporware). My personal hunch-o-meter tells me I'll see my Pilot by mid-Novemeber if I'm lucky, and mid-December if I'm less so...

My hunch-o-meter has been known to be off sometimes, of course... : )

We just pre-ordered the Pilot from B&H photo with the Anton battery system combo kit that includes two battery's and a charger. We can't wait to get the Pilot and learn how to use it during the winter..

Walter

We received the Pilot today. Pretty cool but, we have no idea how to use it.. They did send two vcr tapes which we thought was a little weird for not being dvd's. We can't wait to start flying with the Pilot. It comes in a pretty cool case..

Walter

congrats - I haven't handled one yet, but the rig seems to be a great step for lower-cost stabilizers... part of Garrett and Jerry's vision that all their stabilizers should be "fully featured." I'm sure you'll learn a lot and make some great stuff with it.

Off the bat I could offer a couple tips that may or may not be listed on the video (but WILL be mentioned at a workshop...which is the BEST investment you could possibly make as money relates to stabilizers).

1) Find and MARK the balance points of your camera (CG or center of gravity), fore-aft and side-side. do this BEFORE attaching the dovetail plate to the camera, but AFTER putting all accessories on the camera.

2) When you mount the camera, try to mount the dovetail as centered to your CG marks as possible. Then when you put the camera on the rig, start by placing your CG fore-aft mark about 3/4" behind the imaginary centerline of the post. It sounds counter-intuitive, but its generally a good place to start when trying to get the rig into dynamic balance.

3) When balancing, start with the most "off". If the rig is SUPER bottom heavy, start by moving the gimbal up and down till it feels like a drop time you like. A lot of people say there's a magic number, but that's basically a lie - there is no "answer" to drop time. I know guys that like really fast drops, I don't. Also, when balancing, don't just tweek, let go and wait. You can speed up the process by keeping your hand basically on the grip, let go gently as you make adjustments, and feel which direction it's going. Eventually this becomes so second nature, you hardly even look at it (and it takes hardly any time at all). Again, it's something you feel out, and don't assume you're stuck if it's a bit off. While you're wearing the rig, you can keep adjusting it. Have a whole shot looking up? Trim for it. Don't be afraid to balance your rig off-plumb - if it helps you get the shot better and with less effort, it's "correct."

4) Make the vest feel right! This is perhaps the single most important thing when it comes to ergonomics. If you're uncomfortable, your posture will suffer, and the whole experience will be miserable. I used to think 12lbs of camera weight was a lot (and I actually do have good posture in the rig). Then I got a better vest, and suddenly 30lbs of camera weight felt just fine (more tiring on my feet and muscles though). The amount of camera you can carry has nothing to do with machismo - one of my instructors weighed slightly over 100lbs, and she was probably about 5'53". Nothing like having her toss around the rig that made the rest of us pant and whine.

Take the vest apart and make it fit you, however many adjustments it takes. It's not a straight-jacket, but it should be snug. The more the vest moves, the less accurate you can be. And between shots, EASE the vest. No need to have it squeezing you all the time.

5) You're never too good to "walk the line." Make lines on your floor, walls, and +'s on the walls at various levels and locations. Practice walking straight down the line while pointing at a + on the wall directly ahead. Then make up drills for yourself like walking the line while pointing at + on the wall next to you. Practice stepping up on things while aiming at a line on the wall next to you. Practice following people as they sit down and stand up. Practice!

6) Watch your left hand! When learning the technicalities of Steadicam, most mistakes relate to the left hand (when operating normal). This hand should be perfectly relaxed, using only minimal fingertip force at most times to control the sled. Don't use this hand to position the sled in space. This hand does pans, tilts, and the pinky helps keep the whole thing from tilting on starts and stops. If possible, when you're recording on your practice sessions, have someone videotape your left hand. Watch the footage back from your practice, and identify moments that weren't perfect. Chances are, if you look at the tape of your left hand, you'll get a pretty good idea of why things happened the way they did.

7) With respect to Peter Abraham (instructor of Flyer workshops), practice your Don Juan! (walking forwards while aiming backwards). Its a skill that many people either never learn or never practice. In many instances, it can save your butt, and can also be a lot safer. If you can get comfortable getting in, shooting, and getting out of "DJ," when the time comes that you need to use it, you won't think twice and the shot will likely be a lot easier.

8) Be safe! Don't forget that Steadicam can potentially be very dangerous. It physically moves your own center of gravity, so even the most sure-footed individual can be toppled with minimal effort. Always always always walk your shot WITHOUT the rig before getting into it. This could save your butt! Look for absolutely ANYTHING that you could trip over and anything that could be a potential hazard. Also look for things that could get into your shot unintentionally. It's a LOT easier to deal with these things before you get into the vest, instead of waiting around in the gear. Also - if you're not shooting, dock the rig! No need to put more hours of load on your body than necessary. It just makes you tired, and it's really not impressive looking when you're too tired to do a shot because you sat around in the rig too long.

9) Enjoy it, and never stop enjoying it. There were rumors long ago about the money to be made in Steadicam. The truth is, if you don't love it, it's not worth it. It's a never-ending investment, so don't expect quick returns. Also don't be unrealistic with your expectations. While the physical ability to put on the equipment, balance, and shoot is something to be learned in a day or two, the mastery of it is a lifelong process. Enjoy the learning process, enjoy the technicalities of it, and when you stop thinking about the mechanics of doing things "right," start enjoying the creative palette that Steadicam opens up.

there's a forum dedicated to steadicam...the aptly named

http://www.steadicamforum.com

check it out, there's a library of information on there, some of which I've mentioned here. It's a lively discussion at times, but if you read for information, there's certainly lot to be learned. The best resource would certainly be a workshop though. No matter how expensive it looks, good habits from the get-go can save you lots of money, pain, and disappointment down the road. I have no affiliation with any of the workshops, I just know from experience the wealth of knowledge to be gained from them. I've also seen first-hand what someone's skills look like after years of professional use without any training.........

Welcome to the fam, good luck and congrats on your purchase.

What Jaron said. Nice post brother.

I don't have much to add, only to stress one of his points--the skill doesn't come fast, but it does come in direct proportion to the time you put into it. Steadicam is a disappointment to those who don't have the patience or time to learn it right. And it's one of those skills that is always a challenge. 22 years in, I can still find a challenge in each and every shot (if I choose to...!)

Good points Jaron. It also takes a few minutes of operating to get the feel of different cameras. Due to their differing mass distribution, video cameras "feel" different to film cameras.

Charles, you must have done your Maine workshop a couple of years before me.

Spring '85.

True point Brian, although one that I would consider more of a subtlety for a new operator. Certainly with this weight class of stabilizer, differences in the weight of the camera is more apparent than the distribution of mass. A 4lb camera will "feel" noticeably different than an 8 lb camera in terms of handling, stability, inertia etc. while I think it might be harder to pinpoint the difference between an XLH1 and an Aaton Minima that have the same weight.

And of course video cameras are emerging from their tall skinny Betacam phase and resembling the mass of film cameras at last--the Genesis or F23 with onboard flash mag should theoretically resemble the mass profile of a similar weight film camera pretty neatly (don't think anyone's going to put one of those on a Pilot or Flyer though!)

And when someone does, I want pictures!

I did it in 1987.

Yes, there wouldn't not much difference on the smaller cameras. The only one I could possibly see that might feel slightly different would be the JVC HD 200/250 series with a battery on the back and good quality HD lens or their Cine adapter on the front.

Not quite a Genesis on a Flyer--but theoretically, the same general camera to sled ratio...

(I'll make no further comments about this picture just yet)

2 words - low mode!

and I'd imagine that the side-side balance is easy to maintain with those mags!

and I'd imagine that the side-side balance is easy to maintain with those mags!

Hmmm... makes me glad that IMAX job I was called about a few years ago didn't happen.

LOL Need to trim during the shot as well!!

when did chimera get into the matte box bidness? hehe.

Thank you Jaron for your very helpful suggestions. I'm located in CT and would love to go to a workshop. Does anyone know of one in New England coming up soon?

Walter

http://steadicamworkshop.com/
These are 2-day flyer workshops, but if you bring the pilot, I'm sure they'll teach you too!