Hi,
I have to buy a steady for my JVC GY HD 251 camera. I think that the camera with the matte box ,follow focus, wide angle and DR HD 100 is too heavy for the Steadicam's Flyer. Anyone tried Basson's Blackbee or any other system that match the JVC camera fully equipped.
Any opinion is welcome.
Thanks a lot,
Eugen

Hi,
I have to buy a steady for my JVC GY HD 251 camera. I think that the camera with the matte box ,follow focus, wide angle and DR HD 100 is too heavy for the Steadicam's Flyer.


Eugene, I used the Flier with the fully loaded HD100, without the hard disk and it was just fine. In fact I used the Flyer with the much bigger Sony XDCAM, althoug at the limit of the rig, and it worked.

15 lbs is the nominal top camera payload for the Steadicam Flyer.

Might as well leave off your follow focus, it's not going to be of any use onboard a Steadicam.

I've used my JVC HD101 very sucessfully on the Flyer. An article here http://www.steadi-onfilms.com.au/steadicam_flyer.html shows my rig equipped with the JVC HD100, a P & S Technic Mini 35, Chrosziel matte box, BFD follow focus, and DR HD100.
The rig works really well but it is very close to the weight limit for the arm. The trick was to put the DR HD100 at the bottom of the sled, evening out the weight distribution top to bottom and permiting a position for the gimbal further down the centre post. A little later in the shoot I ran a longer Firewire cable that permited routing it from the front of the top stage down past the monitor to the drive, this permits switches from missionary to Don Jaun position while operating. (Steadicam terminology for those not familiar).
I now am able to mount the DR HD100 infront of the centre post on the monitor support arm, this helps dynamic balance. I also have an adaptor that clips to V lock battery bracket and powers the camera from steadicam power which lightens the camera more.
I don't think any other manufacturer comes close to build quality of the Flyer in this class of steadicams and nobody gets anywhere near the performance of the arm. The Flyer is capable of doing anything with the HDV / Mini DV type cameras that I have done in over 20 years of operating big film rigs.

Thanks a lot Paolo.
You are right Charles I can leave off the follow focus.
Phil, your answer and link convinced me. I'll go for the Flyer.

Is it risky to buy a second hand Flyer? What is your advice?

Thank you all for your answers,
EUgen

There's little that can go wrong with a Flyer. The engineering is so simple.
Check the bearings in the arm, the newer models have a larger improved bearing. My bearings slipped out of their housings on a couple of the shafts, they were repaired very promptly and free of charge.
A guy down here in Australia bought a second hand rig out of the USA and had a spring in the arm shatter, this was also repaired without charge.
I've seen cracks appear in the waist level spar of the vest, again a minor problem.

Phil Balsdon
Sydney, Australia

Eugen, don't know where you are located but if in the USA, Peter Abraham from Tiffen often has demo rigs for sale. You will be assured of full-level factory support if you buy from him. Let him know I sent you.

pabraham@tiffen.com

Thanks for the info Phil. I am very new to steadycam usage and there is no steadycam dealer 1000 miles arround me. So I'd rather get a new one.

Charles, thank you very much for the tip. I am in Romania (Easten Europe) and the closest dealer is in Germany but do you think there is a problem to order one from Peter Abraham if I am not in the US?

Thank you all,
Eugen

I would check with him. If nothing else he might be able to point you towards a European version of himself!

Thank you very much Charles.
That would be great.

Eugen

I have a Steadicam SK 2 that I'm going to try with my HD200. I might add a Century zoom-through wide-eye and see if the extra weight makes the rig more managable.

Hi Eugen,
Try and get a copy of a steadicam instruction video. Tiffen has them for the Pro Vid but the Flyer is basically the same.
Good Steadicam operating takes a lot of practice and knowledge of how to properly set up and balance the rig is very important. Ideally a workshop is the best way to learn but you seem to be situated a long way from where this would be easily possible.
Go to the steadicam forum << http://new.steadicamforum.com/forums/ >> read and ask lots of questions, the steadicam community is very friendly and helpful, you will get a lot of help from some the world's best operators.
Peter Abrahams runs Flyer workshops in the USA << http://www.thesteadicamworkshops.com/ >> and I run them in Australia << http://www.steadi-onfilms.com.au/steadicam_workshops.html >> but these are a long way from you. I'm not sure if anyone is doing this style of workshop in Europe.

Phil Balsdon
http://www.steadi-onfilms.com.au

Anyone tried this system yet?
http://www.bassonsteady.com.ar/shop/productos.asp?oynprodid=22

Thank you very much Phil your very kind advices.
Can you recommend a DVD training or a video training for steadicam users. I would be very happy to buy one.

Thanks again for your words,
Eugen