I had a qualified person do it for me.

Now that I've gotten the weight up to 10 lbs, I'm getting the exact same sound from my Pilot arm as well. Which hinges are squeaking? I'll try some white grease on them and let you know how it works.



Hey Dave,

I finally gave up on the noise and sent mine back to California. They found several issues with the arm which is causing the noise. One issue they found was the arm was 'tweaked', which means it was out of alignment. For being only 4 months old and used once, I was a little concerned. But the guys at Steadicam are great and I expect my arm to ship back to me this week.

does anyone have photos of the rig in the included bag?

Tis a nice bag.

Hey Dave,

I finally gave up on the noise and sent mine back to California. They found several issues with the arm which is causing the noise. One issue they found was the arm was 'tweaked', which means it was out of alignment. For being only 4 months old and used once, I was a little concerned. But the guys at Steadicam are great and I expect my arm to ship back to me this week.
Let me know how it works when you get it back and what it looks like they did. Mine seems to be working without any noise at the moment using the white grease, but if there is a factory mod that eliminates this issue altogether, then I'm interested.

does anyone have photos of the rig in the included bag?
Here's some more pictures of the backpack. By the way, it's worth mentioning again that the case is much bigger than it looks in the pictures.

1st picture - backpack closed. There's a front pouch for carrying accessories. There's a clear plastic window for your name label. I keep extra name labels in there to hand out to people in lieu of business cards. Also, I've tie-wrapped the SteadiStand cloth bag strap to the top of the backpack so there's 1 less thing to carry in my hands.

2nd & 5th pictures - I've mounted my two 8xAA fast chargers on a piece of 3/8" plywood so that it fits easily in the front pouch along with an AC extension cord and an AC splitter.

3rd picture - when you open the case, the vest is on top of a 1" foam divider.

4th picture - after removing the vest and foam, you see the sled mounted in the foam cutouts. The top foam cutout layer is more rigid for structure and durability. Lower layers are soft foam for padding. There's also a cutout for the docking plate. The yellow-handled hex wrench sort of fits in there also. Another cutout is for the Merlin, which I don't have, so I use that for small tools, supplies, and extra pre-loaded 10xAA battery packs. At the bottom, there are 3 small circular cutouts for the weights. I ordered extra weights, so I needed to add 2 more circular cut-outs just left of the dock plate cutout. This was pretty simple to do just turning a hole saw with my hand (no drill involved). On the upper left and right, there are 2 velcro cloth compartments that hold the Arm sections. There's also some additional room between the foam and cloth compartments to hold more small tools, supplies, and a baseball hat for working in the sun.

Hope this helps.

thks for the photos.. i read that the size is HUGE :) Btw, I thought I didnt see the arms anywhere... is it me or ..??? Where r they supposed to go. Is it at the 2 sides pouches?

thks for the photos.. i read that the size is HUGE :)
Yes, the case is very large, but you can wear it as a backpack, which leaves 2 hands free for carrying your camera case and other stuff. Ends up saving a lot of time when you're lugging things around.

Btw, I thought I didnt see the arms anywhere... is it me or ..??? Where r they supposed to go. Is it at the 2 sides pouches?
On the upper left and right, there are 2 velcro cloth compartments that hold the Arm sections. There's also some additional room between the foam and cloth compartments to hold more small tools, supplies, and a baseball hat for working in the sun.

ah i see.. thanks! BTW, can the pilot arms mount the merlin? I noticed in some photos that the merlin mount on the arm seems like 45 deg but the pilot has a short stud on the arm. Is there a need to get a interface or something?

BTW, can the pilot arms mount the merlin? I noticed in some photos that the merlin mount on the arm seems like 45 deg but the pilot has a short stud on the arm. Is there a need to get a interface or something?
I think the Pilot and Merlin share the same arm & vest, although I haven't seen the Merlin arm. By your question, I'm guessing that you might want to buy the Merlin and later upgrade to the Pilot? The problem here is that Steadicam doesn't sell the Pilot sled seperately. The Merlin is quicker to grab, but one you have to deal with the arm & vest, you might as well use the Pilot sled.

I was watching a webcast on MacVideo ( http://www.macvideo.tv/camera-technology/interviews/index.cfm?articleid=100761 ) where Garrett Brown is being interviewed and he talkes about new accessories for the Pilot such as LANC control @ 7:26 in the clip. Any one heard anything else about this or other accessories?

I was thinkin if buying the Pilot first followed by the other way may be an issue too if the arm doesnt fit. I noticed the Pilot arm has a short stud while the Merlin arm seem to have a longer and bent stud.

Let me know how it works when you get it back and what it looks like they did. Mine seems to be working without any noise at the moment using the white grease, but if there is a factory mod that eliminates this issue altogether, then I'm interested.

Dave, it seems to be better, I don't hear the noise. When they got it from me, they said, it was tweaked and they replaced some of the hardware.

I was supposed to get an email regarding what they did exactly, but I haven't gotten it. Either way, there was something or somethings wrong with it. I had about a two week turnaround.

I was thinkin if buying the Pilot first followed by the other way may be an issue too if the arm doesnt fit. I noticed the Pilot arm has a short stud while the Merlin arm seem to have a longer and bent stud.
You can buy the Merlin arm post here:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/552484-REG/Steadicam_801_7290_801_7290_Merlin_Arm_Post.html

You can also buy the Pilot arm stud here:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/552486-REG/Steadicam_801_7291_801_7291_Pilot_Arm_Post.html

So whatever one you buy, you can switch to the other one for less than $50.

Ah thanks for the info!

what a great thread...

I've been looking for quality information on the pilot, and I think I hit the motherload.

Has anybody here used both a steadicam and a glidecam in the same weight class? I'm looking to use several different cameras around 2-5 pound range.

Any comments on pros/cons between the two rigs?

Thanks

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?p=887833#post887833

(also try searching under "pilot"--your mother lode will further reveal itself!)

Charles,

Thanks for replying so fast. I have been looking in these forums for quite a while now, and I realize most of the information has come from you directly.

You say that the steadicam uses iso-elastics instead of springs for tension. Is there ever a benefit to using springs?

Uh...I did??! Please link to thread where I suggested that so I can correct it!

The Pilot (and all models above it) use springs in the arm to achieve iso-elasticity, which essentially means that the tension is uniform throughout the boom range (or as close to it as possible). Many of the competitive units out there have much less uniformity, resulting in a bouncier arm that requires more force to raise or lower.

http://dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=117900&highlight=pilot
post #8

"The arm is pretty sleek looking but functionally it is not different than their previous arms, or the Indicam arm; a single set of springs attached to a fixed point in each section. This design is economical but it only creates the appropriate tension at the center point of its travel; once you boom up and down it "wants" to return to the center point, adding a certain amount of bounciness to the shot. This can be overcome by the operator but it is a whole different animal than the iso-elastic designs being used by the Tiffen Steadicams or the canister system used by GPI, which demonstrate the same lift characteristic throughout their range."



It is very possible I am just confused.

Thanks Tyler, I've reworded that post slightly.

Confusion is perfectly acceptable; my understanding of the engineering behind the various models of stabilizer arms is rudimentary at best. Basically enough to get by as an operator...! I just know a good arm when I use it (and conversely, a bad one). Some 12 years ago I attended the unveiling of the PRO arm which was really the first one that demonstrated truly smooth operation, and I was ready to write a check ($22K!) right then and there. The Pilot arm, like it's big brothers, has a very similar feel and for a fraction of the cost, and capacity, of course.

Thanks for clearing that up.

I guess my question needs rephrasing as well. I have seen the difference between the "springs only" models and the "springs with iso-elastic technology." The ones with iso-elastic seem to stay where they are put when boomed up and down. From what I have read, they are much easier to boom, and cause less strain on the wrist.

So, what I was trying to ask was, when would the "non-iso-elastic" apparatuses be beneficial? (besides the cost)

Charles,

Do you ever work on the East coast? Do you need a PA?

The ones with iso-elastic seem to stay where they are put when boomed up and down. Not really. The Steadicam brand arms just boom very smoothly.

EX1 RCA Cable Question.. I like to know how u guys with the EX1 connect the LCD screen to the EX1. I noticed the connector is not the same as the Z1. Its some special conn. DO u buy the original n cut it short? Or is the conn available out there?

I thought this questions was answered for you already in the ex-1 thread.... buying a sony proprietary mini d-sub to composite/svid cable is the only option. Only takes about 15 mins to cut, solder, shrink tube.

btw... this cable is the same as the one for the HC1 and other sony HDV handicams.

ooh ok. I was hoping there was any chance that someone has access to the connector alone. Thks..

Would the IDX E-7S batteries which come with the Pilot VLB also power a Firestore FS-C? The specs on the FS-C says it requires "15V", which I suspect is probably more like 14.4V, the operating voltage of the IDX battery. Has anyone tried this combination?

I'm still trying to decide which Pilot system would be best for me -- The AA battery system would be cheaper overall and the batteries both the cheapest and easiest to replace at their end of life. But, f I could power the monitor and an FS-C using one set of batteries, that would be excellent.

BTW, I just got back from a 2.5 week trip to England and France. There were so many places where I would have loved to use a Steadicam!

Would the IDX E-7S batteries which come with the Pilot VLB also power a Firestore FS-C? The specs on the FS-C says it requires "15V", which I suspect is probably more like 14.4V, the operating voltage of the IDX battery. Has anyone tried this combination?

I'm still trying to decide which Pilot system would be best for me -- The AA battery system would be cheaper overall and the batteries both the cheapest and easiest to replace at their end of life. But, f I could power the monitor and an FS-C using one set of batteries, that would be excellent.

BTW, I just got back from a 2.5 week trip to England and France. There were so many places where I would have loved to use a Steadicam!


Hey Julian,

I went through the same question before I bought my steadicam. I ended up having to relay specs back and forth between Frezzi and Steadicam, because I wanted to know if I could power my light off the plug that runs up the neck of the sled. I don't play around with electricity, so I had to call.

I'm still trying to decide which Pilot system would be best for me -- The AA battery system would be cheaper overall and the batteries both the cheapest and easiest to replace at their end of life. But, if I could power the monitor and an FS-C using one set of batteries, that would be excellent.
Note that the Pilot VLB has a "special" charger. I've heard this special charger takes a long time to charge, perhaps overnight. So you may end up spending a lot more for a fast VL charger. If slow charging times are an issue, you might want to check this out.

Hope this helps,
Dave

But, f I could power the monitor and an FS-C using one set of batteries, that would be excellent.
By the way, the FS-C is rated at 7.5 watts. If the FS-C can run off of 12 volts, then the Pilot-AA batteries could power the widescreen monitor and the FS-C for about 2 hours. The fast chargers I mention at the beginning of the thread recharge in 1 hour. So if you call Focus Enhancements, you may want to ask about the FS-C running on 12 volts...

So if you call Focus Enhancements, you may want to ask about the FS-C running on 12 volts...

No dice... I already asked them... they say it requires 15V, and I tested it with 12V myself. No go. :-( Your other point about the fast charger is also a good one.

Steven, yes, I know what you mean about not wanting to play with electricity. I've found that many manufacturers don't want to be too specific because they want you to buy their product, not that of a competitor.

BTW, the Pilot (VLB) got the following review on the B & H website:


Cons:
Not durable, Weak Construction

Bottom Line:
No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Too many plastic parts in high traffic places.
I would have paid extra for a better thought process on durability issues. You have to be very careful with this unit. But does the job.

Anyone agree/disagree with the review, above?

Anyone agree/disagree with the review, above?
Yeah, I saw this review as well, and I have no idea what they mean. The Pilot is mostly aluminum and carbon fiber, very little plastic. The wing screws, thumb screws, and post expansion lever are partially plastic, particularly where you touch them, but this seems to be designed for comfort, and it doesn't look like these parts would wear out quickly.

One thing that probably will wear out over time is the Velcro straps on the vest. I'm pretty sure you can order replacement straps, but I'll have to check on that. To be clear, the Velcro that's sewn into the vest (hook side) will probably last a long time, but the removable Velcro straps (loop side) seem like they might wear out sooner.

But overall, the Pilot seems extremely well designed and put together, so I have no idea why the reviewer on the BH VLB page thinks it will wear out quickly.

Looking at purchasing a pilot system with either ABs or VL batteries.

I currently do not own either system as am only shooting on an HVX.

Are there any advantages to buying either batteries when it comes to the pilot (im doubting it). But i thought i'd ask.

Am currently looking more towards AB's as im a bit of a panasonic fan boy and all their big cameras use AB's so might be the right battery system to invest in.

That review is way too harsh. Of course you will have to be careful with it. I handle all my gear like a baby anyway. Joe I use the Swit 8080s batteries for my Pilot with a single charger (VL). Why? cheaper.

Yea, im going to go in and get some prices on swit systems today, ive got a couple of their little batt's for my HVX and they last a long time.

No dice... I already asked them... they say it requires 15V, and I tested it with 12V myself. No go. :-( Your other point about the fast charger is also a good one.



I got a reply from Focus Enhancements about the FS-C and it's power requirements. They said they cannot recommend any power source, other than those listed on their web site, but gave me the following information, which included everything I needed:

-- Begin Quote --

The FS products have the following DC power requirements for the DC port on the bottom.

--12V DC min to 20V DC max = Voltage Range
--12V DC = Voltage will run the FS
--14V DC = will charge the battery as well as power. (So it is preferred)
--The input DC connector is Tip Positive.
--2.5MM size

-- End Quote --

So, it would seem a pretty trivial task to make up a fused power cable from the IDX battery to the FS-C and have the battery run both the monitor and the FS-C. This seems like a good solution. I'd expect to get several hours out of the the IDX batteries while running the FS-C and the Pilot's monitor, and you get 2 IDX batteries with the Pilot.

Excellent review of the Steadicam Pilot here:
http://www.dvinfo.net/articles/camsupport/steadicampilot1.php

Excellent review indeed. Thanks for posting the link, I've been waiting (impatiently) for it!

One thing that probably will wear out over time is the Velcro straps on the vest. I'm pretty sure you can order replacement straps, but I'll have to check on that. To be clear, the Velcro that's sewn into the vest (hook side) will probably last a long time, but the removable Velcro straps (loop side) seem like they might wear out sooner.
Right. On my last shoot the right middle velcro strap (just under the chest) started coming off the front plastic part of the vest. I fixed it by rotating the strap 180 degrees. In other words, I put the worn out part on the back of the vest and the fresh part facing the front. The left strap did the same thing a month or two ago, and rotating the strap 180 degrees fixed that for the time being.

But it's obvious that taking the middle straps on and off a lot wears out the Velcro, so I ordered 2 extra straps as backup. These are Tiffen part # 801-7812, $32 each (22"x2" Velcro straps for middle chest area of Pilot/Merlin vest).

Hope this helps.

I know that guys have been trying to power f.store from VL battery power, but I wonder if anybody tried to power the camera from the pilot battery, I have VL (IDX) version, and one battery is good for powering just a monitor for about 6 hours, I'd be happy if I could power EX1 from the same battery, even if it'll be just a couple hours, but the thing is E-7S batteries are 14.4v and the EX1 takes 12v, does that make it too complicated?
any thoughts would be really helpful.

The standard Sony BP-U30 and U60 batteries for the EX1 are nominally 14.4 just like the E-7S. You should have no problem powering the EX1 from that battery.

Thanks to the push-on power connectors on both the Pilot and the EX1, this would be a very simple cable to connect the two. I'm not sure if anyone is making them yet (Tiffen should be) but if you had access to a half-decent electronics store that has a variety of those connectors, it would be an easy home-build cable if you have the inclination.

wow, that would be awesome, thank you Charles,
I'm not a very handy man, so probably I will get a professional help,
will post the results :)

...home-build...


Love the use of those two words, CP ;) HA HA

Any Steadicam newbies looking to pair up with another Steadicam newbie for a practice partner, see here:
SteadicamForum.com - A Community of Motion Picture Camera Stabilization Specialists (http://www.steadicamforum.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=8427&st=0)

Thanks to the push-on power connectors on both the Pilot and the EX1, this would be a very simple cable to connect the two. ...
Charles , thanks again
wasn't too complicated and it works great, got the sony 12v power adapter from ebay, cut the connector, soldered with the one that came with the pilot,
wow I am a handy man :)
Sunday have to shoot, will check for how long EX1 and the monitor will run on fully charged E-7S

got the sony 12v power adapter from ebay
Can you give a link for the ebay page? Do you know if the same 12v power connector works on the EX3? I might have to make me one of these also...

Can you give a link for the ebay page? Do you know if the same 12v power connector works on the EX3? I might have to make me one of these also...

Hey Dave,
sent you an email with the link,
I don't have EX3, but I'm 99% sure it has the same as EX1 power connector,
did some shooting today, powered EX1 and the pilot monitor from the same E-7S,
after 3 hrs non sop, battery still shows like 60%, (two lights out of three)
not too bad :)

The photos on Charles Papert's review of the Steadicam Pilot appear to show the BNC connector on the XH-A1 connected to the Pilot's monitor input. Is this how everyone else connects up the monitor, or do you go via the video-out plug on the back of the camera? Is there a benefit to using one over the other? Is the BNC wired the same as the video-out plug (basically tip to tip, ring to ring)?

bump..........