Animagique

Simon Andrew · April 1st, 2005, 07:39 PM

Does anybody know if Animagique are away?

I have a Magicam on order and was expecting to hear from them around 10 days ago.

I have emailed them, and also sent them a message via Ebay where they have their items on right now, but no response.....

Don't really want to spend a fortune phoning the States.....

Charles King · April 2nd, 2005, 12:05 AM

Maybe Ed can help. Have you gotten any e-mail from them Ed?

Rachel Oliver · April 2nd, 2005, 04:03 AM

Hi;

Simon, I can't really help but I'm keeping an eye on this thread because I have also purchased a Magicam and also am UK based, I think because they are a small business things take longer.... Just a thought, look out for any contact from UK customs, it's possible it's with them and they are working out how much money to take away from you ha! Good luck, mines supposed to turn up next week......

Olly

Simon Andrew · April 2nd, 2005, 06:18 AM

Hi Olly,

No, mine is not built yet........

I spoke to customs before I ordered it to get the tarrif rating - which for your information, if you do not have it, should be 3.7% as it is classed as camera support equipment - (the commodity code is 9007910000) - that is charged on the cost of the item, PLUS the shipping cost - then VAT @ 17.5% is charged on the sub total.

Ed Liew · April 2nd, 2005, 08:11 AM

hi charles,
no news from john or their customer service so far;o( i'm not counting on them to help on my problem anymore. as you know, i'm trying my hand on getting the gimbal fix myself.

simon, i would not stress myself so much if i were you. get use to it. this is just the begin of alot of thing to come. as you are not base in the states you don't get all the after sales which were promised. anyway, the rig will come, one day (my unit arrived 11 weeks after money were tranfer). not worth the stress. it will come.

also, john do check into this forum but he said he don't post reply here. from record, he do reply when he see magiqcam posting here.

good luck.

ed

Simon Andrew · April 2nd, 2005, 08:31 AM

Hi Ed

Thanks for your input - at the end of last year, I was following a thread you had started about the problems you had with your Magicam and the broken part - would I be right to say that was still an ongoing issue?

By the way - great part of the world Malaysia - we were out in Sarawak this time last year filming - and diving.... - great memories!

Ed Liew · April 2nd, 2005, 08:47 AM

hi simon,
still have problem with the gimbal. instead of waiting for john to reply, i'm gathering info on how to make a new gimbal with the help of ck and folks at hbs. should drop by there, lots of great info.

glad that you enjoy your visit to one of the best part of the country. and we do have many beautiful diving site.

ed

Simon Andrew · April 5th, 2005, 03:55 AM

All is well with the world!

Kelly has been in touch to say she has been away, and that John can not use a computer! LOL

Back on schedule! :)

Ed Liew · April 5th, 2005, 06:26 AM

hi simon,
what camera are you going to fly the rig with?

ed

Simon Andrew · April 5th, 2005, 06:37 AM

Hi Ed,

Sony DSR-250

I used it on the shoot in Malaysia and got nice results - had shot in Egypt before with my Beta SP and its SO much nicer to run around the heat and humidity with a smaller camera! - and batteries :)

Richard Lewis · April 5th, 2005, 07:09 AM

Hey Ed, I am by no means affiliated with

this item, but I just thought it may be an easy solution to your gimbal problem if you’ve got a 1.5" post, then this would be ideal. It's only cheap too. However I can't find anyone who has had experiences with pro gear and their website is...unhelpful.

Ed Liew · April 5th, 2005, 10:22 AM

hi simon,
dsr250 is pretty light, i don't think you will have any problem with the rig. good luck.

hi richard,
yeah, it would be great to own one of those but i've decided to go ahead and have one made instead. almost a similiar design, i hope. anyway, thanks for the note:o)

ed

Simon Andrew · April 5th, 2005, 11:00 AM

Well Ed, I have to say I am impressed by the image quality from the 250 - I hate the PD150 and 170! - could not afford the 570 though, much as I would have liked to use external glass.....

At least gone are the days of analogue edits!

I used to edit on 1" in the early days!! - oh how I loved those PAL framing errors!!!

Jim Morton · December 1st, 2005, 05:51 AM

I'm also having a problem with Animagique - I won the IIa on Ebay in September. Since I didn't have the $1550.00 at the time, the auction said that the IIa can be paid in monthly installments. John Gardner who's the owner of animagique said I can pay in three monthy installments which I just made my last payment on Nov. 25th. Now I've been trying to contact them by email and phone and never get a response. Their Ebay feedback ratings are now marked private so no one can see their negative feedback. The feedback wasn't that bad in September and I researched and read some good things about them and their stabilizer, that's the main reason I decided to go with the IIa. I've sent several emails and tried calling to them from the phone number on their website, but there's a recording saying "no one is available, try your call again later" well I've been trying and don't get through. Now I'm getting nervous because I paid big bucks and they never respond to emails. Trying to get a hold of them is ridiculous. I would say beware of this company because now I have to try to get my money back....

Simon Andrew · December 1st, 2005, 07:18 AM

Jim, I am in the UK, and all I can say is that I too bought my rig in the same way as you did - in installments, and after a few problems, they were sorted very well - even to the point where John designed and built a larger low mode arm to fit my camera at no extra charge and ship it out here to the UK within two weeks of me telling me that the original low mode was too small.

I am very pleased with my unit, but did make some observations to John on things as he appreciates feedback - how else can products be improved unless customers give feedback?

He is hard to get hold of and, if it was not for the fact that I have a voice over IP application that lets me get cheap phone calls to the US, would have been spending a lot of money on phone calls - although again to be fair to John, he did call me back on his dime a number of times to go through things.

Do you have his cell number? - it might be worth calling that....

I would not give up on him just yet - it is worrying when you have laid out money for something and its hard to contact people, but I think he is a genuine guy, but just has trouble keeping up!

Keep us informed of things.

Regards

April 1st, 2005, 07:39 PM	#1
Simon Andrew New Boot Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Lincolnshire UK Posts: 11	Animagique - are they away? Does anybody know if Animagique are away? I have a Magicam on order and was expecting to hear from them around 10 days ago. I have emailed them, and also sent them a message via Ebay where they have their items on right now, but no response..... Don't really want to spend a fortune phoning the States.....

April 2nd, 2005, 12:05 AM	#2
Charles King Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: sweden Posts: 795	Maybe Ed can help. Have you gotten any e-mail from them Ed? __________________ Charles 'What we perceive to be may not be what we believe to be.'

April 5th, 2005, 07:09 AM	#11
Richard Lewis Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Manchester and Kent, UK Posts: 256	Hey Ed, I am by no means affiliated with this item, but I just thought it may be an easy solution to your gimbal problem if you’ve got a 1.5" post, then this would be ideal. It's only cheap too. However I can't find anyone who has had experiences with pro gear and their website is...unhelpful. __________________ Richard Lewis. Steadicam Owner / Operator

December 1st, 2005, 05:51 AM	#14
Jim Morton New Boot Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bergenfield NJ Posts: 9	Magiqcam I'm also having a problem with Animagique - I won the IIa on Ebay in September. Since I didn't have the $1550.00 at the time, the auction said that the IIa can be paid in monthly installments. John Gardner who's the owner of animagique said I can pay in three monthy installments which I just made my last payment on Nov. 25th. Now I've been trying to contact them by email and phone and never get a response. Their Ebay feedback ratings are now marked private so no one can see their negative feedback. The feedback wasn't that bad in September and I researched and read some good things about them and their stabilizer, that's the main reason I decided to go with the IIa. I've sent several emails and tried calling to them from the phone number on their website, but there's a recording saying "no one is available, try your call again later" well I've been trying and don't get through. Now I'm getting nervous because I paid big bucks and they never respond to emails. Trying to get a hold of them is ridiculous. I would say beware of this company because now I have to try to get my money back....

April 2nd, 2005, 04:03 AM	#3
Rachel Oliver Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: London United Kingdom Posts: 31	Hi; Simon, I can't really help but I'm keeping an eye on this thread because I have also purchased a Magicam and also am UK based, I think because they are a small business things take longer.... Just a thought, look out for any contact from UK customs, it's possible it's with them and they are working out how much money to take away from you ha! Good luck, mines supposed to turn up next week...... Olly

April 2nd, 2005, 06:18 AM	#4
Simon Andrew New Boot Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Lincolnshire UK Posts: 11	Hi Olly, No, mine is not built yet........ I spoke to customs before I ordered it to get the tarrif rating - which for your information, if you do not have it, should be 3.7% as it is classed as camera support equipment - (the commodity code is 9007910000) - that is charged on the cost of the item, PLUS the shipping cost - then VAT @ 17.5% is charged on the sub total.

April 2nd, 2005, 08:11 AM	#5
Ed Liew Major Player Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Malaysia Posts: 226	hi charles, no news from john or their customer service so far;o( i'm not counting on them to help on my problem anymore. as you know, i'm trying my hand on getting the gimbal fix myself. simon, i would not stress myself so much if i were you. get use to it. this is just the begin of alot of thing to come. as you are not base in the states you don't get all the after sales which were promised. anyway, the rig will come, one day (my unit arrived 11 weeks after money were tranfer). not worth the stress. it will come. also, john do check into this forum but he said he don't post reply here. from record, he do reply when he see magiqcam posting here. good luck. ed

April 2nd, 2005, 08:31 AM	#6
Simon Andrew New Boot Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Lincolnshire UK Posts: 11	Hi Ed Thanks for your input - at the end of last year, I was following a thread you had started about the problems you had with your Magicam and the broken part - would I be right to say that was still an ongoing issue? By the way - great part of the world Malaysia - we were out in Sarawak this time last year filming - and diving.... - great memories!

April 2nd, 2005, 08:47 AM	#7
Ed Liew Major Player Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Malaysia Posts: 226	hi simon, still have problem with the gimbal. instead of waiting for john to reply, i'm gathering info on how to make a new gimbal with the help of ck and folks at hbs. should drop by there, lots of great info. glad that you enjoy your visit to one of the best part of the country. and we do have many beautiful diving site. ed

April 5th, 2005, 03:55 AM	#8
Simon Andrew New Boot Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Lincolnshire UK Posts: 11	All is well with the world! Kelly has been in touch to say she has been away, and that John can not use a computer! LOL Back on schedule! :)

April 5th, 2005, 06:26 AM	#9
Ed Liew Major Player Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Malaysia Posts: 226	hi simon, what camera are you going to fly the rig with? ed

April 5th, 2005, 06:37 AM	#10
Simon Andrew New Boot Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Lincolnshire UK Posts: 11	Hi Ed, Sony DSR-250 I used it on the shoot in Malaysia and got nice results - had shot in Egypt before with my Beta SP and its SO much nicer to run around the heat and humidity with a smaller camera! - and batteries :)

April 5th, 2005, 10:22 AM	#12
Ed Liew Major Player Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Malaysia Posts: 226	hi simon, dsr250 is pretty light, i don't think you will have any problem with the rig. good luck. hi richard, yeah, it would be great to own one of those but i've decided to go ahead and have one made instead. almost a similiar design, i hope. anyway, thanks for the note:o) ed

April 5th, 2005, 11:00 AM	#13
Simon Andrew New Boot Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Lincolnshire UK Posts: 11	Well Ed, I have to say I am impressed by the image quality from the 250 - I hate the PD150 and 170! - could not afford the 570 though, much as I would have liked to use external glass..... At least gone are the days of analogue edits! I used to edit on 1" in the early days!! - oh how I loved those PAL framing errors!!!

December 1st, 2005, 07:18 AM	#15
Simon Andrew New Boot Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Lincolnshire UK Posts: 11	Jim, I am in the UK, and all I can say is that I too bought my rig in the same way as you did - in installments, and after a few problems, they were sorted very well - even to the point where John designed and built a larger low mode arm to fit my camera at no extra charge and ship it out here to the UK within two weeks of me telling me that the original low mode was too small. I am very pleased with my unit, but did make some observations to John on things as he appreciates feedback - how else can products be improved unless customers give feedback? He is hard to get hold of and, if it was not for the fact that I have a voice over IP application that lets me get cheap phone calls to the US, would have been spending a lot of money on phone calls - although again to be fair to John, he did call me back on his dime a number of times to go through things. Do you have his cell number? - it might be worth calling that.... I would not give up on him just yet - it is worrying when you have laid out money for something and its hard to contact people, but I think he is a genuine guy, but just has trouble keeping up! Keep us informed of things. Regards