Steadicam - DSMC power from sled

[Edward Blythe]

Anybody got a hack for powering off the sled-mounted v-mount battery of a steadicam pilot?

I know the Zephyr has a lemo output, trying to figure out a lower-end solution to keep the weight under 10lbs...

 

[Jay Kim]

Discussed here.
http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?69668-RED-SCARLET-X-on-Steadicam-Zephyr-BTS

 

[Andrew Gentle]

I'm also very interested in the Steadicam Pilot and the solution to powering the camera from it.

If I had to do it today, I would buy the 30" XLR Power Cable from RED and modify it to suit the 2.1 mm power socket on the sled of the Pilot (which you can see on this PDF, page 2). I'm interested to hear of anyone else using DSMCs on the Pilot. I know that Joseph Hutson has a Pilot and also a bunch of EPICs.

Also, don't forget that the HDMI or SDI signal will have to be downsampled to SD if you want to use the Pilot's monitor.

 

[Edward Blythe]

Any HD options to replace the pilot's monitor...?

 

[Paramon Ivanovich]

Any Chinese $100 HD or SDI monitor is better than Pilot's SD screen, they larger, have the same mounting point and they good even for focusing, not just for framing;
as a power solution i cut and stripped this cable, for sure lemo-to-flying lead would be cheaper, but i wasnt sure on the polarity, so with lemo to XLR cable it's black and white to -, and red and green to +;
i ran the wire through the sled down to the V lock plate and now i can fly my scarlet without side handle, very easy to get dynamic balanse almost perfect shape ,
but even with just 5"touch and small lens it is very close if not over the pilot's capacity, i will probably upgrade, or at least get the sled that can handle a bit more weight.

 

[Nick Gardner]

I think powering off of an on board battery on the camera is the way to go for scarlet/epic steadicam. With all the weight out front, it will be much easier to dynamically balance with a battery on the back. With a little light camera body, with all of the mass centered over the post, it will be twitchy as hell.

Nick

 

[Edward Blythe]

Any Chinese $100 HD or SDI monitor is better than Pilot's SD screen, they larger, have the same mounting point and they good even for focusing, not just for framing;
as a power solution i cut and stripped this cable, for sure lemo-to-flying lead would be cheaper, but i wasnt sure on the polarity, so with lemo to XLR cable it's black and white to -, and red and green to +;
i ran the wire through the sled down to the V lock plate and now i can fly my scarlet without side handle, very easy to get dynamic balanse almost perfect shape ,
but even with just 5"touch and small lens it is very close if not over the pilot's capacity, i will probably upgrade, or at least get the sled that can handle a bit more weight.

Good call Paramon - thanks muchly

I think powering off of an on board battery on the camera is the way to go for scarlet/epic steadicam. With all the weight out front, it will be much easier to dynamically balance with a battery on the back. With a little light camera body, with all of the mass centered over the post, it will be twitchy as hell.

Nick

Agree on the dynamic balance but the pilot arm (10 lbs capacity) won't take the weight of two bricks + body + lens.... Maybe Redvolt with the side handle, but that'll throw the balance out.