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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Travelling Oconnor...

Hi Dylan

Dial pan and tilt down to zero and counter-balance to zero (counter-balance is not as critical to dial down as pan/tilt). Then make sure that it is supported snuggly by the foam in the case, if not socks and underwear help. (On a side note if you have ever had customs search your camera package cases they always seem to make a huge mess of everything and waste a lot of time. I have discovered that A camera package that is snugly packed with multiple pairs of underwear gets quite a different reaction. Customs opens the case takes a quick glance at all the gear and underwear and everytime so far have said "Are those underwear? Ahhhh, that looks fine." and close up the case. No one wants to dig through underwear. I actually have a bunch of underwear that I use just for packing gear.)
 
And another good tip is to open the iris up to widest stop and put the zoom all the way to the shortest focale length and the focus at infinity. On your lenses that is. lol
 
Finner knows Best

Finner can you make any specific recommendations with regard to the optimum condition of the underwear?
 
For the last eight years as an AC/operator in Hollywood:

UNLOCKED in the ATA case. Pan and tilt are only locked once the camera is mounted to the head.

EDIT: Also, have never adjusted the counter balances to travel/pack/etc. Have always left them set as they are.
 
chuck colburn said:
And another good tip is to open the iris up to widest stop and put the zoom all the way to the shortest focale length and the focus at infinity. On your lenses that is. lol
Click to expand...

Usually it's the opposite with the iris... we close it down. Most 1st AC's that I have worked with rotate all 3 rings together when they pass off the lens.
 
When the iris is open all the way it overlaps the leaves more completly resulting in less chance of damage from shock. Since most iris controls turn oppisite (this is relative) to the focus or zoom rings, if you turn all three at once it is going to close the iris down. I was taught to always open the iris up when transporting.
 
I always set the pan and tilt to zero on my Sachtler and then lock it. I've traveled extensively with it without a problem. I do know of people who have traveled without setting the gears to zero and have had problems with locked up gears...which turns into an expensive repair.
 
boxers or briefs? What provides the best support?

Sorry, I guess that was too obvious, no?

Thanks for the real world advice.
 
Don't lock your head. That is incorrect. The point is, if it takes a whack, it can move. If it's locked down, thing break.

Nick
 
50/50...

50/50...

Seems we are split?

Keeping unlocked, for a little bit of flex if something gets bumped, seems to make sense.

It will be in a soft case, within a hard case so the likely hood of any "jarring" is, well, unlikely.

To lock or not lock...discuss.

Dylan Macleod
Cinematographer
Toronto, Canada
www.dylanmacleod.com
 
Don't Lock! Keep them all off. Loose is good!

You want everything on the head to be free wheeling and loose. The reason for this is if anything is on and it takes a big fall or hit it can develop a "flat spot" or a bump in its movement which causes big problems. You want to make sure that the head is snuggly supported by the cases foam and if not add underwear (The Banana Hammock is my weapon of choice for this.)

I also travel lenses with the iris open, zoom shortest focale length and focas at infinity like Chuck mentions. Although the main key with this is that The lenses are at least set at one end or the other of its travel to keep from taking a hit and developing a "flat spot" in the middle of its travel.
 
Morning Daren,

Why I said the wide end or the zoom was that in days of yore the internal zoomy groups were spring loaded and tended to creep from long to wide angle so it was best to park it at the wide end. So far as focus went the least amount of extension (infinity) that the focus threads were at meant the most overlap of those threads and the best shock protection. Now adays with internal focusing and ball bearing cam riders in the variator and compensator groups it's not quite so critical. But as you say the point was to prevent dings in the adjustment range of the zoom which can result in image jump during zooming. But be that as it may it's still good to put the travels at one end or the other. Old habit would have me putting them at open iris, short focale length and infinity focus.

Banana Hammock?
Is it something to do with the extreme cold in Canada, or were you hit upside the head with a hockey stick when younger? LOL
 
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