F330 on a Steadicam Flyer? at DVinfo.net

Joachim Ljungquist · January 28th, 2010, 11:09 AM

Earlier I've been using the Glidecam V8 for my Canon XHA1 - and really like "steadycam" work. Now I'm about to take the next step and was thinking about the Steadicam Flyer.

But would the Flyer really stand up for the weight of the F330. I think that the info about the flyer says about 8 kgs - but sometimes stabilizer manufacturers talk about total weight for the arm - which would mean camera + sled...

Has anyone some experience of the Flyer with a F330 (or F350/335/355)?

How did you manage the focus?

Simon Wyndham · January 28th, 2010, 05:07 PM

Flyer should cope with the 330 with no problems. At least the current Flyer LE. You'd power the camera off the sled. It would cope with the 510 easily, and that's slightly heavier than the 330.

Dana Love · January 28th, 2010, 06:39 PM

You can manage focus with a remote or gimbal mounted focus system. Hocus Focus makes a great and inexpensive one, and Bartech Engineering makes a great and somewhat more expensive one, and Preston makes a great and significantly more expensive one. There are others still.

You may also need to worry about remote viewing, depending on the conditions of your shoot. A wireless video system is much preferable to hauling around cable, and allows for greater artistic freedom.

The Flyer's a great product, and it stands directly in front of a huge price increase for the larger Steadicam systems. The 19 pound weight range for the Flyer LE is limiting, though. It's tough to fly a RED, for instance, and any of the bigger Sony's let alone the bigger film cameras are out of range.

There's always rental of a bigger system if you get one of those jobs, though!

Joachim Ljungquist · January 29th, 2010, 12:36 AM

Thanks guys,

Dana: Yes, a remote follow focus would do the job - in combination with remote viewing. BUT - this would increase the weight a bit. And definetly the costs...

Anyway - what are the focusing options? Is the only wide open aperture and keeping the same distance to the subject?

(In May this year I'm actually taking a one week class with Garrett Brown - and Jerry - here in Sweden).

January 28th, 2010, 11:09 AM	#1
Joachim Ljungquist Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Umeå, Sweden Posts: 84	F330 on a Steadicam Flyer? Earlier I've been using the Glidecam V8 for my Canon XHA1 - and really like "steadycam" work. Now I'm about to take the next step and was thinking about the Steadicam Flyer. But would the Flyer really stand up for the weight of the F330. I think that the info about the flyer says about 8 kgs - but sometimes stabilizer manufacturers talk about total weight for the arm - which would mean camera + sled... Has anyone some experience of the Flyer with a F330 (or F350/335/355)? How did you manage the focus?

January 28th, 2010, 05:07 PM	#2
Simon Wyndham Trustee Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Malvern UK Posts: 1,931	Flyer should cope with the 330 with no problems. At least the current Flyer LE. You'd power the camera off the sled. It would cope with the 510 easily, and that's slightly heavier than the 330.

January 28th, 2010, 06:39 PM	#3
Dana Love Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Chesterfield, VA Posts: 63	You can manage focus with a remote or gimbal mounted focus system. Hocus Focus makes a great and inexpensive one, and Bartech Engineering makes a great and somewhat more expensive one, and Preston makes a great and significantly more expensive one. There are others still. You may also need to worry about remote viewing, depending on the conditions of your shoot. A wireless video system is much preferable to hauling around cable, and allows for greater artistic freedom. The Flyer's a great product, and it stands directly in front of a huge price increase for the larger Steadicam systems. The 19 pound weight range for the Flyer LE is limiting, though. It's tough to fly a RED, for instance, and any of the bigger Sony's let alone the bigger film cameras are out of range. There's always rental of a bigger system if you get one of those jobs, though!

January 29th, 2010, 12:36 AM	#4
Joachim Ljungquist Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Umeå, Sweden Posts: 84	Thanks guys, Dana: Yes, a remote follow focus would do the job - in combination with remote viewing. BUT - this would increase the weight a bit. And definetly the costs... Anyway - what are the focusing options? Is the only wide open aperture and keeping the same distance to the subject? (In May this year I'm actually taking a one week class with Garrett Brown - and Jerry - here in Sweden).