Well i finally picked up my Steadicam Pilot from DHL after getting it through customs yesterday afternoon.

All up it cost me Just under 5k usd including GST (tax) to bring the VL system and a steadi stand in. Not to bad really considering the current exchange rates.

Got it home and opened it up like a kid at christmas, did the usual throw everything on without a camera and have a walk around for the hell of it thing.

Then went attached my HVX and started trying to get static balance, took me about half an hour at first but finally got it. Didnt even try achieve dynamic blance, knew it would be far to hard. Took Charles' advice and put the rig on to get a feel. Had some fun and then put it away and went to bed.

Have spent the morning playing again. Achived static balance in about 10 minutes this morning and also managed to get it close to dynamic balance as well.

Have been flying it weightless with my HVX and a manfrotto QR plate on the top and then just the LCD and battery unit with a Sony BPL-60 - Man these batteries last for ages just running the LCD.

Feels pretty good but almost seems to need some weights on the bottom. So im going to go have a play with that now and put probably 2 middle weights and an end weight at each end on the bottom.

The vest is great, the velcro is nice and easy to work with and adjust and as long as you take care of it it should last a long awhile. The adjustment of the vest is very easy to use, fitting was a breeze.

The arm is amazing, i havent got much to compare it with.. but yea, amazing.

Dave - how many weights are you flying on the bottom of your sled again?

Also, to anyone, how exactly should the arm be sitting when loaded? horizontal? not sure how much arm adjustment to add.

Will post some pics and vid when i feel confident enough.. heh

Dave - how many weights are you flying on the bottom of your sled again?
I use two middle weights and one end weight on each end of the bottom crossbar. If you are not using the Pilot AA battery system, the battery mount may weight more, so you could use just 2 middle weights on each end on the bottom. I also use middle weights at the top, depending on how much stuff I have on the HVX. If you haven't already, I highly suggest buying a scale and additional middle weights.
Product: USPS 10lb Digital Scale (http://shop.usps.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10152&storeId=10001&categoryId=11823&productId=11049&langId=-1)
Steadicam | 801-7920-05 Middle Balance Weight with | 801-7920-05 (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/552728-REG/Steadicam_801_7920_05_801_7920_05_Middle_Balance_Weight.html)
I try to keep the weight at the top just under 8 pounds, and the weight at the bottom (screw-on weights and battery) up around 2 pounds. If you use screw-on weights on the bottom and the top is too light, then you'll end up moving the stage away from the gimbal to get the proper drop time. If the the stage is further away from the gimbal, any small movements in the sled will be amplified more at the lens.

Also, to anyone, how exactly should the arm be sitting when loaded? horizontal? not sure how much arm adjustment to add.
It's supposed to be level, so start practicing like that. In reality though, it depends on what you are shooting and how high you want the lens for the specific shot.

Cheers dave, yup i've ordered more weights but they are on back order.

The best set up i found today for me was 2 middle weights on each end on the bottom and 2 end weights on each end of the stage (all the weights i've got haha).

I had my post extended to around 15 cm's longer than normal and had a drop time of around 2-2.5 seconds. Any longer and i just kept having the lens dip when i accelerated. This config was close to being dynamically balanced i thought..

Heres a quick video of some walk and talk.

Steadicam Pilot Day 1 on Vimeo (http://www.vimeo.com/1928230)

Im going to get in contact with a seasoned operator sometime next week who said i could come round to his place and he'd give me some tips when i got the rig. Will hopefully be able to help me achieve dynamic balance.

Oh and yes i need to buy a scale.. i have no idea what the thing weighs.

Hey Joe,

Looking good for day 1!

Note that extending the post also moves the lens up away from the gimbal, which amplifies any sled movement at the lens, but it does add inertia, so this is a trade off as well. If it matters, I usually extend the post around 8 cm (just over 3 inches). I measure this as four fingers when I'm setting up. But this is all personal preference.

As for dynamic balance, I've found the best way is to put the battery and monitor pretty much all the way out (for maximum inertia), and then just move the whole bottom crossbar forward or backward using the hex nut in the middle. Note that other Steadicam designs don't have one lower crossbar that can be moved forward or backward like the Pilot, so a seasoned operator might not think to do it like this.

This method also makes it easy to re-balance after packing and unpacking. You just put the battery all the way out, tilt the monitor down, maybe trim the stage a little, and it's still in dynamic balance. In other words, if you keep the
• battery position,
• monitor position,
• post length,
• screw-on weights,
• camera, and
• camera accessories
all the same, then dynamic balance will be the same, so you may not have to do it that often. Just check it to make sure it's still in.

Note that the Monitor position is not quite all the way out, since the screw-on weights limit that, but this is OK since you don't have to move the monitor position on the lower crossbar to pack it up. Just tilt the monitor up for packing. You do have to move the battery in to pack it up, but that's not an issue since moving it out all the way is very reproducible.

If you use a tripod adapter and sliding plate, like the Manfrotto 577, make sure you line it up the same way every time, or it will affect dynamic balance.

Thanks dave,

Will keep playing with post lengths and see what i come up with,

Cheers for the setup tip as well, i can see it saving a lot of time when balancing.

Joe

Well after a few more days things are slowly making sense.

I've achieved dynamic balance through daves method of extended the lcd and battery all the way out and adjusting the cross bar only, works great and if you are flying the same camera all the time its very easy to set up next time.

Have also discovered reading threads like this - http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/stabilizers-steadicam-etc/129251-if-can-go-wrong-will-go-wrong-pilot-error.html is really handy once you've actually got the rig, because i found a lot of it didnt make sense until i actually had the pilot. Now it does. So much info on this forum its great.

The only problem im having now is the lens of the camera tilting up and down on acceleration and deceleration when walking. You can control it a bit by just handling the sled carefully but i think its mainly due to there being to much weight on the cross bar and not enough on the stage, is this correct? Need to play with moving weights more, am still being limited weight wise with the weights i got with the pilot and BH are still on backorder with the ones i've ordered.

Also need to buy myself a scale.. however havent found any as cheap as the one Dave has been suggesting, have found a nice one but its slightly pricey and am currently waiting on a few invoices to be paid.. but will get it asap.

The only problem I'm having now is the lens of the camera tilting up and down on acceleration and deceleration when walking. You can control it a bit by just handling the sled carefully but i think its mainly due to there being to much weight on the cross bar and not enough on the stage, is this correct?
It probably has more to do with your drop time and how you feather out starts and stops.

Drop time is a subjective thing. A short drop time, like 1.5 seconds, makes the rig a lot more stable when you're not moving. Holding horizon becomes a little easier, and wind is less of an issue. But a short drop time also makes the tilting pendulum problem you describe a lot more pronounced. So expert operators that run low drop times are really good at feathering out starts and stops with their left hand. For example, if the operator knows they are speeding up, they will apply a slight pressure with their little finger to the back of the sled to compensate for the bottom wanting to swing back.

With a longer drop time, like 3 seconds, you will have much less pendulum effect, so feathering out starts and stops is less of an issue, but it's also easier to tilt or roll the lens inadvertently.

Peter taught this really well in the 2-day workshop. If it makes any difference, I'm currently running around a 2.5 second drop time.

Also, as for the weights, this just has to do with a trade-off between pan inertia and getting the lens closer to the gimbal. Also, adding weight in general makes things more stable, so I tend to always fly close to the 10 lb limit. But moving the weights between the top and bottom and then moving the gimbal to keep the same drop time shouldn't affect the start/stop pendulum issue too much.

Do you have a shotgun mic or wireless audio receiver? If so, you can use this to increase the weight of the HVX. If not, I would split the stock weights between top and bottom for now, like Garrett does here:
YouTube - Steadicam Pilot with Garrett Brown (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2shQVbvVwQ)

I've been running about a 2 second drop time, any longer and i dont feel i've got enough weight on the sled to keep things nice and stable (not sure if thats how you'd describe it but you know what i mean)

Yea i've got a G2 Receiver i've been meaning to add to the shoe of the HVX, will put it on next time i fly.

Invoices paid - time to buy that scale.

I've been running about a 2 second drop time, any longer and i don't feel I've got enough weight on the sled to keep things nice and stable (not sure if thats how you'd describe it but you know what i mean)
Yep, 2 seconds is short. You'll definitely have pendulum tilt issues with a 2 second drop time as you speed up, slow down, or change directions. You can compensate for this with your left hand, but that will take a while to learn.

The G2 receiver & 2 AA batteries weigh about 1/2 pound, so when you add that, try all 4 big weights on the bottom, all 4 little weights on top, and a drop time of 2.5 to 3 seconds. The extra weight will make it more stable, and the slower drop time will make it have less pendulum tilt when you start/stop.

By the way, what kind of sticks do you use? If you use Bogen/Manfrotto, you might want to buy a tripod adapter like this:
Amazon.com: Manfrotto 577 Rapid Connect Adapter w/Sliding Mounting Plate (3433PL): Electronics (http://www.amazon.com/Manfrotto-577-Connect-Adapter-Mounting/dp/B00009XV3M/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1224189103&sr=8-1)
This makes it super easy to change between sticks and steadicam. It also adds another 1/2 pound or so up top.

Im running miller sticks however i bought the 577 when i got the pilot and have been using it since i started it. Its much easier to unscrew a tripod plate off than taking the whole top plate off the stage.

Will try your suggestion.

One thing about drop time: over the years I have seen quite a variation in what people call "one second" when measuring drop time, with the result that one person's idea of a 2 second drop is quite different from the next. Remember to start your count as you let go of the rig at dead horizontal and stop it as it hits dead vertical during its swing; also remember that counting "one-one-thousand-two" doesn't mean a two second drop, that's barely above a one second drop. A three second drop is actually quite slow when it comes down to it. I call mine a 2.5 second drop for most applications, going to a 3+ for hardmount vehicle work or shots that require various tilts that have to be held for extended periods, and may shorten to a 2 second drop for very deliberate, slow moving shots that don't involve much acceleration or tilting.

So.. shall i start using a stop watch? heh.

I've been doing the old one one thousand but definitely getting all the way too two one thousand..

Hone you counting skills here:
DIGITAL STOPWATCH (http://www.math.wpi.edu/Course_Materials/SAS/stopwatch.html)

I love the internet.

I bought one of those post office scales a couple years ago when I needed one to ship things. There are cheaper alternatives.

Also, Sam's Club sells one with a remote readout and you can put lots more weight on it, more money but maybe more useful overall.

As far as the pilot goes, I've been considering one to use with my XH-A1. Do you all feel it was a good investment?

Dave, what is the difference between the one you mention and the 3273?

Dave, what is the difference between the one you mention and the 3273?

Looks like the 3273 has a longer plate with the same tripod adapter:
Amazon.com: Manfrotto 3273 Rapid Connect Adapter w/Sliding Mounting Plate (3272): Electronics (http://www.amazon.com/Manfrotto-3273-Connect-Adapter-Mounting/dp/B00009R6H6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1224738781&sr=1-1)
Amazon.com: Manfrotto 577 Rapid Connect Adapter w/Sliding Mounting Plate (3433PL): Camera & Photo (http://www.amazon.com/Manfrotto-577-Connect-Adapter-Mounting/dp/B00009XV3M/ref=dp_cp_ob_e_image_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1224738781&sr=1-1)
but that's just looking at the pictures, so I can't be sure.

As far as the pilot goes, I've been considering one to use with my XH-A1. Do you all feel it was a good investment?
I don't want to scare anyone off, but I think it's more of an investment in time than most people realize. If you buy a new camera, it may take a week or two to get to know all of the features, but you can usually start shooting basic stuff right away and get good results. Steadicam usually takes weeks or months of practice to get good shots, but the process of learning is enjoyable.

It's kind of like buying a pair of snow skis, and then learning how to ski. I wouldn't call it difficult, but it takes some time to get good, and it's fun. You don't have to be really strong, especially it you have good form and balance, but strength doesn't hurt either. You breathe a little heavy sometimes, but you usually have a smile on your face. Skiing is a good analogy.

If you are on the fence, spend $500 and take the Steadicam 2-day workshop before you buy a steadicam. They provide the steadicams for you to learn on at the workshop. If you take the workshop, and then decide you want to go for it, the stuff you learned at the workshop will put you way ahead of the game. If you take the workshop and then decide it's not for you, then you've only invested $500 and you know a lot more about it if you ever want to hire a steadicam operator.

I don't want to scare anyone off, but I think it's more of an investment in time than most people realize. If you buy a new camera, it may take a week or two to get to know all of the features, but you can usually start shooting basic stuff right away and get good results. Steadicam usually takes weeks or months of practice to get good shots, but the process of learning is enjoyable.

I agree. Steadicam is not a "works-right-out-of-the-box" type of device. There is a pretty high learning curve but it's a heckuva ton of fun!

Right out of the box, it will still be better than handheld but if you look at a lot of the "first-time-flying-with-my-new-stabilizer" footage, you will notice a lot of bobbing, side-to-side movement, and rolling in the footage.

There is a lot of studying, learning, and getting a feel for how it all works until you get useable and satisfactory footage. As far as learning goes, do a search for all of Charles Papert's posts (http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/search.php?do=finduser&u=614) and you will find a wealth of information and lots of golden nuggets of wisdom and tidbits.

Looks like the 3273 has a longer plate with the same tripod adapter:
Amazon.com: Manfrotto 3273 Rapid Connect Adapter w/Sliding Mounting Plate (3272): Electronics (http://www.amazon.com/Manfrotto-3273-Connect-Adapter-Mounting/dp/B00009R6H6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1224738781&sr=1-1)
Amazon.com: Manfrotto 577 Rapid Connect Adapter w/Sliding Mounting Plate (3433PL): Camera & Photo (http://www.amazon.com/Manfrotto-577-Connect-Adapter-Mounting/dp/B00009XV3M/ref=dp_cp_ob_e_image_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1224738781&sr=1-1)
but that's just looking at the pictures, so I can't be sure.

Can anyone verify whether these two quick release adapters are interchangeable?

I have and use the 577 but the 3273 looks longer and costs less(!)

Huh actually i've just released i've got the 3273 and not the 577.. didnt notice the difference in length on the plate. Guess that adds a tiny bit more weight to the top of the sled.

Joe, what tripod are you interchanging with your 3273 plate?

Im not, im using Miller Tripods, i bought the 3273 just as a quick way of getting the camera off the sled. Its much easier than taking off the top plate.

So your camera is dedicated for use only on your Pilot?

Also, when you pack the sled away in the backpack, do you take off the top plate or how are you fitting it back in the case? I'm thinking about cutting some of the foam out so that my quick release adapter with top plate can fit in the backpack.

No its not dedicated at all.. if im bringing my pilot onto a set than people know there is going to be set rig and derig time.

And even then, once you dock the pilot to the stand, slide the camera off, unscrew 1 screw.. screw in the other adapter with 1 screw im only down 1 minute.. Sounds like we shoot different things.

Yea i got a blade and cut out part of the foam in the bag so i could fit the sled in with the QR plate on.

Also, when you pack the sled away in the backpack, do you take off the top plate or how are you fitting it back in the case? I'm thinking about cutting some of the foam out so that my quick release adapter with top plate can fit in the backpack.
Yea i got a blade and cut out part of the foam in the bag so i could fit the sled in with the QR plate on.
Yes, I also got a sharp knife and cut out the foam insert of the backpack to fit the tripod adapter.

Huh actually I've just released I've got the 3273 and not the 577.. didn't notice the difference in length on the plate. Guess that adds a tiny bit more weight to the top of the sled.
If it makes any difference, you can get the smaller plate for $20.
Amazon.com: Manfrotto 3433PL Quick Release Mounting Plate for 501 & 503 Pro Video Heads: Electronics (http://www.amazon.com/Manfrotto-3433PL-Quick-Release-Mounting/dp/B0000AE66D/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1224799997&sr=8-9)
I'm not sure the weight would make a difference, but it's nice that the 577 has the QR adapter and plate the same length, so you can accurately line them up. This places the mass of the camera on the stage the same way every time, which makes it easier to balance when you unpack the rig.

If it makes any difference, you can get the smaller plate for $20.
Amazon.com: Manfrotto 3433PL Quick Release Mounting Plate for 501 & 503 Pro Video Heads: Electronics (http://www.amazon.com/Manfrotto-3433PL-Quick-Release-Mounting/dp/B0000AE66D/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1224799997&sr=8-9)
I'm not sure the weight would make a difference, but it's nice that the 577 has the QR adapter and plate the same length, so you can accurately line them up. This places the mass of the camera on the stage the same way every time, which makes it easier to balance when you unpack the rig.

Dave, do you know for sure whether the 3433PL plate is compatible with the 3273 QR adapter?

For those interested, i also just found a down converter made by frezzi that takes 12v down to 7.2v. My local camera store had one in stock out the back by chance. Going to buy the right sized plug for my HVX and then a 2.1mm plug for the top of the pilot.

Should work, but will take my pilot in when we make the cable to make sure everything is sweet. The downconverter is about the size of a standard 12v car plug with 2 cables coming out each end, so it doesnt weigh to much and will hopefully tuck nicely under the sled with some gaff.

Can anyone verify whether these two quick release adapters are interchangeable?

I have and use the 577 but the 3273 looks longer and costs less(!)

Peter,

I have the 357PL which is the new version of the 3273 and the plates are not interchangeable, its too wide.

Bogen / Manfrotto | 357 Pro Quick Release Adapter with | 357 (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/554151-REG/Bogen_Manfrotto_357_357_Pro_Quick_Release.html)