Crane information
 

I am in the market for a crane. After some research I have come to the conclusion that a Kessler Crane is the best bang for the buck. The crane would be used for a wide variety of projects. I see it can come in ether 12ft or 8ft. What are some of the pros and cons of each length? What is a good all purpose length for a crane?

How does the crane mount on a tripod? I have a Manfrotto 475B tripod with the 501HDV head.

What are some of the recommended accessories? External camera controls and an external monitor are probably two of them. My camera is a Canon XH-A1s.

Any help would be appreciated.

I have an 8' Kessler Crane and they are a great product. I don't have the 12' so can't answer as to the differences other than to say you would need a pretty high ceiling or be outdoors to probably get the full benefit of the 12' version. Also keep in mind without a motorized pan and tilt head you probably will operate the crane from the front (with the camera mounted on a tripod head and you operating both the head and the movement of the crane) and this limits you to raising the crane as far as your hands will go.

As far as the tripod and head go I just know that you need a pretty heavy duty one to really be secure. By the time you add up the weight of the camera, accessories, monitor, weights, etc there is a decent load for the tripod and head to carry.You will be putting quite a bit of strain on a lightweight head trying to lock it flat in position with all of that weight.

I had a Bogen tripod and 503HDV head I could have used but went ahead and bit the bullet and got the Kpod system and Hercules head from Kessler. They are perfect for the crane as they are very heavy duty. The Kpod tripod supports 450 lbs and the Hercules head 150 lbs.

The only advice I can really give is just to buy the crane and Kpod system at the same time. I foolishly tried to use a 501 head to hold up a little jib with a remote head because the Kpod system was back-ordered at the time. This did not end well. The Kpod system may not seem cheap but its a much better alternative than breaking your camera or injuring someone.

Thanks for the info.

I'll probably buy one of the Complete Crane Systems. Would the "Basic Complete" be sufficient or should I look into one of the more expensive packages?

How is a tripod head mounted to the front of the crane? What kind of head would you recommend for that?

I'm now thinking about buying the package that includes the Pocket Dolly v2, Pocket Jib, K Pod tripod and the Hercules head. The package costs 2,449.95. I've head good things about the Pocket Dolly, but not so much about the Pocket Jib. Have any of you used the Pocket Jib or the Pocket Dolly?

Comments?

Thanks!