s NEWS FOR OPERATORS AND OWNERS Volume 4, number 3 Oct 1994 Steadicam Master Series ™ Features and Specifications Three Master Series" Steadicams have just returned fr om their highly acclaimed European debut at the IBe show and the new Munich Show-Biz Expo. Along with six others, they will be put into the hands of operators for a 6-week "beta-test." The resulting f eedback will inform the changes to be incorporated into f inal production in Dec ember (and as retrofits fo r these fir st test units) . The Master Series™ program began eighteen months ago in orde r to provide a new generation Steadicam and to acco mplish the following objectives: 1. Improv e operator capability, stam ina, and ease of shooting. 2. Eliminate mechanical and electri cal anachronisms inherent in earlier designs. The Master Series includes both evolutionary and revoluti onary changes to the stage, post, gimbal, sled, arm, vest, battery, electronics, and monitor. It has been an enormous project, which, incidentally, has been accomplished by Cinema Products entirely on working capit al and without outside investment. Here are its top-to-bottom features, specifica­ tions, and materials. Stage/J-box: Patent-pending smooth manual and/or motori zed remotely controllable " x" and "y" trim durin g the shot. Criti cal camera tilt attitud e can be changed on-the-fly by either the operator via digital-wireless buttons on the gimbal or by the assistant via convent ional wireless at Master Series ™ sled with the battery and monitor extended for increased inertia. Converter dovetails to base at bottom front of "K section." Master Series continued on p. 4 Page 2 and for Steadicam operators which calculates and stores the correct Camera Dynamic dynamic balance values for various Steadicam configurations. cameraC9 Balance What is it for? J-box Once you have weighed all for components for your Steadi cam and balanced them to mark their indi­ vidual c.g.'s, you can enter the data, and the program will solve for the Works 3.0 fore/aft position of the battery, for example, which puts the entire rig into Now available on disk dynamic and static balance. You can also solve for the position of any individual component Electro Ics/battery if the other s are known, and you can 24 A new database program is I Q9 vcr available from the SOA to easily solve for the position of the marked ® calculate dynamic balance. You e.g. of a "Mega component" such as I @@ can keep track of various versions the Electroni cs/battery combination I ofyour rig, so you can instantly for the Model III or Pro - even as you center of post add or subtract other components dial in the correct trim change riding with it, such as transmitter, when you add accessories or receiver, converter, and/or VCR. currently only useful if you are level change fr om high to low -mode. It You can move or remo ve any fore-and-aft. If you are tilted 5°, as is is currently available for component, whether fixed or moving typical, being in dynamic balance will Microsoft Works 3.0 fo r the with the "sled," and see what effect it actually fight you when you pan. Macintosh. has on the fore/aft dynami c trim Ultimately , we hope to have the position. program also tell you how much to Although not necessarily as adjust for each 5" of down tilt you are PC versions and versions adapted precise as a spin-test, since it relies on carrying. When this is done the rig to other common database and the accuracy of your measurements, it will actually pan perfectl y on your spreadsheet programs will soon be is a much more versatile way to keep current tilted axis! in dynamic balance as you change and The program can be obtained by available. you are computer If move components around and go from calling or writing Kathy at the SOA. literate, the instru ctions for the high- to low-mode. At the least, it can For $40 (check or credit-card), she present version are probably all save an enormous amount of trial and will send you a Macintosh-format disk you need to enter the f ields and error, since you can be instantl y in the usable only with Microsoft Works 3.0. formulas on whatever databa se or ballpark or better. The disk contains the database and spreadsheet you already own . Experimenting on paper with comes with instructions which, different component positions helps incidentally, are detailed enough to you get a better handle on the conse­ guide the creation of your own What is it? quenc es of moving various items database, if you don't have Works 3.0, around and altering things such as or if you prefer another program. In Steadicam terms, dynamic your post length. You will quickly Additional versions will be balance means the position of the come to understand that certain announced as available . components which allows the rig to changes hardly affect balance, and spin (without wobble or precession) others make a big difference. Garrett Brown around the axis which passes up the Future versions of the software and Jerry Holway center of the post. Dynamic Balance will also deal with another interesting for Works 3.0 is a custom database by opportunity. Dynamic balance is Steadicam Wa La Ra Wb Lb Rb Wc Rc We Le Re LbM GB lilA 4.5 20 9.5 10 26 -2 .08 23 -0.45 26.32 GBllla test 4.5 20 9.5 10 26 -2.04 23 -0.45 0 .5 28 -3 26.00 SK new NP-1 4.096 19.27 7.75 4.031 27.7 -4.61 17 -0 .58 0.42 20.27 3.87 27.70 SK new Bauer 4.096 19.27 7.75 2.578 27 .7 -7 .20 17 -0 .58 0.42 20.27 3.87 27.70 A section of the new database illustrating weights and positions of elements on different Steadicams · Page 3 Brant's Battery Options Versatility, one of the major attributes of the Steadicam, is also a major requ irement of the accessor ies which support Steadicam activities. Following hand-in -hand is standard­ ization , specifically regarding a battery system. By using one battery syst em, location power requirements can be simpli fied. Since my original Model II sled conversion to the Anton/Bauer System , I have modified many of my Steadicam acce ssories to SnapOn Plates added to monitor and WRC 4 utlilize Anton/Bauer battery power. The first subsystem to switch pound s to the neck-supported unit but bound aries for customer service and over was my follow focus unit, a CP provides ove r 10 hours of continuou s support. For anyone interested in WRC-4 . The transmitter used to run service . modifying their accessori es, Chris and on those R/C hobby batteries, which Another subsystem to reap the Paul may be reached at Anton/Ba uer as we all know produced less than benefits is my video monitor/receiver. at 800 442-3473. stellar performances. An Anton/Bauer A full size QR Gold SnapOn Plate QR Compact" SnapOn Plate was was attached to the rear of the Brant Fagan attached to the rear of the transmitter monit or. Excellent run times of over and outputs power via a short cable to four hours are standard with a fulJ size an XLR input on the side of the unit. ProPac 13 volt battery. If the unit A Compact Magnum" adds 2.5 must be hand-held, I just use a Compact Magnum battery which weigh s a full two pounds less. For 16mm jobs with an Arriflex SR , a QR-ARRI adapter Next Issue allows using Compact Magnums as onbo ard A report on the the PRO from batteries instead of George Paddock. OEM batteries. The Jimmy Muro working with the Power Tap connector SK and the Robings camera for on top of the adapter lightweight, fast-paced shoot ing. provides video tap Shooting on the ice. power while keeping SuperSk yman and other flying the camera's Fische r delights. access ory port free for More on the Master Series, based other needs. on the beta testing. All these fantastic Part one of an inventory of mods wouldn 't have accessories. We'll need help on this been possible without one from CP, Seitz, DeRose, others, the support of the everyone. There are hundreds of items Anton/Bauer New out there that, quite frankly, only a Product team of few souls know exist (like a new, Chris Shurk and sturdy low-mode bracket for the Paul Dudeck. Moviecam Compact). Perhaps this Their continuing could be the beginning of a world­ ingenuity, dependabil­ wide database of acces sories and ~ ity, and accessab ility manufacturers that we could provide The ABC Plate on the back of a Model III expand the kno wn "on-line" to our memb ers. Page 4 Master Series continued from p. 1 Revolutionary on-screen displays Sled, a.k.a. "K-section": variou s agreed points during the shot mixed and fed as composite video Mechanical: Ultra-narrow - without touching the camera. from sled so monitor contrast doesn't revolutionary design improves (Previously we have been in the react to changes offrameline bright­ clearance, reduces fatigue, and puts analogous position of aircraft pilots ness. Monitor is replaceable without monitor and battery at the correct who must land the plane in order to loss of displ ay function.