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How smooth Kessler REVOLUTION Pan and Tilt Head System?

T

Tyrel Stumpff

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How smooth is the REVOLUTION Pan and Tilt Head System on a cine slider? Just bought a cineslider now im thinking of buying the revolution head and oracle controller. How smooth is the pan and tilt function as the slider dollies?
 
Very smooth. If conrolling the movement with the joystick manually during a slider move, its as smooth as your able to control the stick. some dexterity is required. For slow moves, or fast, there is no visual steppiness.
 
It's very smooth. I use this setup all the time for 3-axis moves.

Two things to consider, though. I recently had Eric make a version of the Rev head with 1000:1 motors, rather than 500:1. I think this works out better for my style of shooting. I'm always struggling to do slower pans and tilts; I never find myself wanting more speed to do faster pans and tilts. Thus, the 1000:1 motors are working better for me. Second, Eric has built a lower-profile version of the Rev head, which might be better suited to operating off a CineSlider. It allows the camera to stay closer to the center of gravity on the slider.

e282


3-axis motorized with early low-profile prototype.

lowprorevhead.jpg


New low-pro Rev head.
 
To use live as a remote head or for timelapse? It can be smooth used correctly in timelapse, (or steppy and ugly used wrong). Live its smooth and doesn't have much hysteresis, but I find the controller somewhat awkward to fly the head accurately with. That might be me, but I'd advise you to try one out if you're looking to use it this way. FWIW I've a couple of other remote pan-tilt heads which I find plenty intuitive to use, and I've flown RC planes since forever, so I know my way around a joystick - the oracle one I just can't get comfortable with. Its the software not the hardware IMHO...
 
Im using this for live motion not time lapse. What gear ratio should I use for the epic? I want smooth slow to medium speed moves. Im considering getting a 200:1 motor. Can I order the low profile version?
 
Tyrel Stumpff said:
Im using this for live motion not time lapse. What gear ratio should I use for the epic? I want smooth slow to medium speed moves. Im considering getting a 200:1 motor. Can I order the low profile version?
Click to expand...

I use mine for mostly for live moves that I manually control with the joystick. It does take some practice, but after awhile and with some tweaking of the feather/linear settings, accurate moves are possible. 200:1 is the right motor for this use.
 
Tom can you oder the low-pro rev head now? I really don't wanna order the regular head because it sits to high. Is there another head that sits lower that will work with the Cineslider and Oracle?
 
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Tyrel Stumpff said:
Tom can you oder the low-pro rev head now? I really don't wanna order the regular head because it sits to high. Is there another head that sits lower that will work with the Cineslider and Oracle?
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Just talk to Chris Beller at Kessler and ask them when the low-pro Rev head will be ready. Also, I recommend 1000:1 motors for the Rev head, per my explanation above.
 
Tyrel Stumpff said:
Tom can you oder the low-pro rev head now? I really don't wanna order the regular head because it sits to high. Is there another head that sits lower that will work with the Cineslider and Oracle?
Click to expand...

http://kesslerfusion.com/modular-design/

Believe they have a new one pcitured above coming out..according to their timeline page..at end of the year.
 
Tom Lowe said:
That is FUSION, though. That is different. FUSION is a new keyframeable moco system with encoded motors. Different from Rev head and Oracle.
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Ok..thanks..But how different is it..?..can the FUSION head be operated manually with a joystick controller also like for regular live productions ?
 
Its likely to be significantly more expensive than the Revolution Head, which is an amazingly cool bit of kit for the price. If you are targeted mostly towards live shooting and not timelapse or MoCo shots, Revolution is still a good choice.
 
Tom Lowe said:
.... Also, I recommend 1000:1 motors for the Rev head, per my explanation above.
Click to expand...

I agree on the 1000:1 ... but you have to remember that the 1000:1 is a lot more noisy then the 500:1 with the same angle rate. I notice small surges at 24p using the 500:1 on smooth pans - I don't think the audience notices ... but is noticeable by the editor. If your NOT recording sound for sure go with the 1000:1 ... but the higher rpm heads are almost hopeless if your moving quickly and recording voice.
 
Steve Das said:
Ok..thanks..But how different is it..?..can the FUSION head be operated manually with a joystick controller also like for regular live productions ?
Click to expand...

I'm sure there will be a joystick for Fusion, though I am not sure when that will be ready.
 
Revolution head on 100K music videos = no problems, fantastic, just works. Tried Red One, Alexa and Epic. SUPER PERFECTLY SMOOTH.

Just some caveats:

With Alexa/Red One - Tape your battery some distance down the jib, and connect via wire to the V-Mount - keep you cameras as light as possible.

Head operation is an art - it's not easy and takes a lot of practice to become great.
 
Will the Kessler KC8/12 crane run a Scarlet-X (min. 10-11lb config) on the Revolution remote head?

The KC8/12 load capacity is 20lbs. The Rev. remote head is 8lbs, so that would leave 12lbs of weight for a camera at MAX. Anyone used this config for real-time (non Timelapse) shots with the Scarlet? I'm looking for a cheap (under $5k) solution for a crane/jib at 12'ish ft height that will carry a 12lb scarlet on a remote head.
 
On the KC8, you can get a cable like the kc12, I actually always run the kc8 with that extra cable to handle the weight of remote focus systems and rotation head ( the kc8 cable is a different size then the kc12 cable). I don't think the kc8 ships with the extra cable (you also need those two small risers that come with the kc12, to use the kc8 cable). [i don't run the kc12 over the stated limit ... it feels a bit too spungy when it's over limit]
 
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