C520 vs F1 vs Ultra

[Yasir Bhojani]

Hey guys and girls,I was wondering if any of you would prefer a C520 over Shotover F1 or Cineflex Ultra when using EPIC. Personally, I find F1 the best among the three because of the incredible look down and overall reliability. It's also the only 6-Axis among the three, so that's an added advantage. But I really have no idea about the potential of C520. Where I am from, (Dubai, United Arab Emirates), the GSS is pretty much non-existent here.Has anyone had bad experiences with GSS C520? Which one do you think is the best among the three?

 

[Aaron McLane]

6 Axis although nice is unnecessary unless you need to shoot yourself. Not sure how anyone could think the Shotover is reliable, it completely hosed the Bond crew shooting in Mexico City as they had to sit around while another one was shipped down there. Typically 1 GSS 520 is equal to 2 Shotover F1's according to the guys in NY

The ancient Cineflex is barely hanging in there and is not too bad (for ENG) but not as good as a F1 or GSS.

If the choice is between those 3 the GSS gets our vote. And we shoot aerials everyday on lots of different gimbals.

Just this week someone thought shooting stereo aerials was a good idea so we put a 250lbs Super G2 rig with 2 side by side Epic's and Fuji 19-90's on the nose of our helicopter.

We also shot the Jetpack guy flying around the Statue of Liberty this week with a Gyron loaded with a Epic.

Each gimbal is capable of getting great shots and has it's strength's. You need to know what the reality of working with them is, like which one holds up the best in shipping and which one needs maintenance every time it's shipped somewhere. Which one can balance the fastest with a new lens. How long does it take to swap a camera or a lens or a lens motor? Do you need to shut down the helicopter to do a swap of a 8R prime to a 24-290 zoom? Who has the best support? Lot's of things to compare......

 

[Ron Chapple]

Hello Yasir, Ron Chapple with Aerial Filmworks here. Most gimbals available all have about 80-90% of the same features, with about 10% differentiation. However you invest in the gimbal for not just the features, but the logistics, technician costs, service, and manufacturer strength. Your needs will vary based on the type of work you do. We own several Cineflex systems, and have worked with Cineflex systems for over 10 years now. I am just back from the remote rainforest jungles in Colombia with one of our Cineflex Ultra systems and the RED Dragon. The system works incredibly well in all temperature extremes... just this year we have filmed in Patagonia, the Arctic Circle, Malaysia, and Kuwait. The Cineflex is the lightest weight, lowest cost, and most easily shipped system of any gimbal on the market. The service teams are unbelievably responsive and supportive, and you have the financial strength of General Dynamics behind the warranty.

The newest modular system is fantastic, and we take delivery of a RED/ARRI unit in 2 weeks. Same lenses, just swap the camera per clients need. The swap will take about 15 minutes and no tricky balancing required.

Look down capability is easy with the Airfilm "wedge" adapter that allows you to pass from look-ahead to look-down without changing modes. No need for a more complicated system!

The Cineflex is the also the simplest system to tech. No extra technician required which saves the client on extra travel and personnel costs. The kit packs easily into 70 lb cases for shipping anywhere in the world. There are no ITAR restrictions on the CIneflex ELITE/RED Draon combo at all.

By the way, the Cineflex was selected to shoot all of the Abu Dhabi and Empty Quarter sequences for Fast & Furious 7. No issues at all working in 120 degree temperatures! This weekend, the Cineflex Ultra is the official race camera to film the rugged Baja 1000 race. You can't go wrong with the Cineflex ease of use, fast lens changes, best service, lowest operating cost, and strongest company.


Contact me direct for more info: ron@aerialfilmworks.com