I completed my first short project on the new Vinten Vision 3as and posted it to YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0dCzouIvss).

Coming from the Sachtler DV6SB-

-I like the stepless damping adjustment. The adjustment requires nothing to engage, it's always 'GO'.
-it's FOUR (4) pounds lighter! this is huge when it's on my back 6-8 hours a day at times.
-the blue level light is easy to read
-its super smooth

-the side loader takes some getting used to
-for balancing, there's no complete zero or disengagement, so for light camera rigs, it's tricky to find the center, but it didn't seem to matter much either.

I was shooting at around 30x zoom (10x optical | 1.7x digital on the Canon HFS100 | Raynox 2.2x adapter). Solid as a rock. Smooth panning would not be possible on a lesser head (I moved up from the Bogen 501, then 503, because of full zoom panning challenges).

The fun part of gear built at this level and above is it just disappears, so I find myself absorbed in the work, not the tool. And I still have progress to make in my technique :)

Great little short.

Good to hear (& see) the Vinten is doing it's job.

Tell me, were the deer on the road licking off de - icing salt? Can't think what else would attract them.

A minor suggestion for future reference. The vehicle obscuring shots at 3:37 and 4:15 would have been far more effective if both the aperture and shutter speed had been in manual, preventing them from "hunting" due to the sudden appearance then dissapearance of the intervening dark object.

As you can see, it creates a significant flash before returning to normal.

On my Canon XH A1 I have to lock the AF as well, otherwise the identical shot will snap to the passing car then takes it's sweet time to go back to the background.

Bloody good show.


CS

Yes, Chris, the antelope were getting chloride off the road, put down during a recent snowstorm. Not sure if they were quite near on empty or why they seemed to like it almost more than life itself. I believe it's liquid magnesium chloride, so maybe it super duper double better than old NaCl.

I realized afterward I should've locked the exposure (no full manual option on the HFS100).

That's a large purpose for these short pieces--learning.


In this price range, I don't see a better value than the Vision 3as, at least for the head by itself.

....and on a Fibertec tripod too i guess?

I recently got a 5AS for my PMW-350 and 3D EX rig. It really is super smooth, much nicer than the Vision 5 it replaces.