Letus Gimbal

[scott devitte]

Great work! Weight is one thing . . . ergonomics to carry that weight is another. I find the carry height, short frame depth (unlike yoke designs) and shoulder width hand position of the Helix makes it feel much lighter than the numbers suggest. You really have to demo the Helix against the common yoke design to have that "ahhhh" moment. You can lock in your elbows to your body making it very stable and easier on the back. That and you can remove any axis you don't need. I plan to use it as a 1 axis at times on my Raptor arm just to take out hip swing.

The GH4 on Helix is a all day shooting remote location doc beast! Pack the 3 zooms: 7-14mm, 12-35mm and 35-100mm and maybe a Voit 25mm F-.95 and you have a lightweight kit that, while no Dragon, gets it done for Vimeo delivered projects. I'm working with Hein on a sexy mount for the SmallHD / Rode mic that should allow it to all be balanced with no counter weights.

Cheers!

Interesting your take on the GH4, I plan on using it in a very similar manner, with those exact lenses. It is limited in low light though and I see you have the Voit 25/.95 for that. But that lens when wide open produces bad, real bad haloing around street lights. Last month when scouting in Havana I had the GH4 with the Voit at night. The haloing killed the usefulness of the footage. Havana is magical at night with light pools from doorways, windows and street lights and the ever present old Chebies.

I can't wait to get the Helix with the 1D C, which is a lowlight monster, together with my CN E 24mm T1.5. The 1.3 4k crop on the 1D C gives a 31/32 focal length. Perfect for Havana walk around at night. Much heavier rig though, but that is the beauty of the Helix, I think it will ultimately, when we all get it figured out be able to quickly accommodate a wide range of gear.

 

[Zeb B]

Interesting your take on the GH4, I plan on using it in a very similar manner, with those exact lenses. It is limited in low light though and I see you have the Voit 25/.95 for that. But that lens when wide open produces bad, real bad hallowing around street lights. Last month when scouting in Havana I had the GH4 with the Voit at night. The hallowing killed the usefulness of the footage. Havana is magical at night with light pools from doorways, windows and street lights and the ever present old Chebies.

I can't wait to get the Helix with the 1D C, which is a lowlight monster, together with my CN E 24mm T1.5. The 1.3 4k crop on the 1D C gives a 31/32 focal length. Perfect for Havana walk around at night. Much heavier rig though, but that is the beauty of the Helix, I think it will ultimately, when we all get it figured out be able to quickly accommodate a wide range of gear.

The 1Dc sits real pretty on the Helix since it puts the weight all the way to the back. Funny though - you think the 1Dc is way lighter than a Dragon - not so - you have to include the battery in the 1Dc whereas the Dragon runs off the Helix power.

Those three cameras with Helix and you have every situation covered.

ps: get the Leica Noc F.95 . . . no nasty halos with that beauty ;-)

 

[scott devitte]

ps: get the Leica Noc F.95 . . . no nasty halos with that beauty ;-)

ohh that would be sweet...

 

[Peter Majtan]

I purchased a Helix at full group buy price. I support Letus because they are small, family owned, Portland USA based company that is very in tuned with my personal business ethics and needs. They are 1% the size of DJI yet are very much in the game because they are Innovators - not reverse engineering copycats. I find that very cool, appealing and similar to RED. Hein and his family represent The American Dream story which I also find very compelling.

Zeb - that's all god and nothing wrong with it. I also like Letus from the days back when I used their adapters on my Canon XL1 (and XL2) - waaay before RED. I also admire such a small companies who are surviving or even thriving in this tough economy. Letus has all my respect...
But you are not doing them any favours by constantly bashing their competition and calling names...

I get it that DJI hooked you up with a free beta unit with the understanding that you will post positive feedback and be an exclusive brand advocate. I chose not to take that deal.

I gave you a friendly waring about making assumptions - clearly you have not listened. Be careful accusing people based on how much your socks stink ('cause clearly you are not basing them on any credible info).
Your above statement is complete false and can't be further from the truth. Yes - I did not pay for the beta unit I am testing - but it is not mine to keep. If I decide I want to keep it once I have completed my review - I have to purchase it just like anyone else. Or I can just buy a new unit from the respective dealer at the same GB price as anyone else.
Just because you have demanded free unit and didn't get it - don't assume anyone else is getting free units, cause nobody is...

And if you are assuming I only provide "positive" feedback in my reviews (and I am not talking just about the Ronin) - that is yet another wrong assumption you are making.
You clearly have no experience with beta-testing and development process. So do yourself a favour and wait for my actual review...

Do your job but let's not camp out on the Letus thread picking fights and parsing words.

My presence on this thread was nothing but respectful to Letus. I am (as I have stated number of times) also interested in the Helix and will be for sure buying at least the 1-axis version for my Steadicam work.
It was you that turned this into a "fight" - again not doing any favours or giving any respect to the company you seem to admire so much...
Also it is you posting s*** on other threads - do show me any negative comments I have made about the Helix anywhere - let alone in this thread.

Remember, I started the Ronin Group Buy that you, Ketch and RU's are enjoying the fruits of. Your welcome ;-)

As I have told you in PM - yes, you have singlehandedly started what could have been one of the biggest and more successful GB on RU. But you have also singlehandedly destroyed it. Perhaps this was because you did not get what you were demanding (contrary to your statements) - but your handling of that GB will most likely go down on RU as the "best" example of how not to do a GB...
And what you are doing now after "jumping ships" with the constant name calling and bashing of competition is only solidifying this further.
People keep prising how much you have done with that GB - but I beg to differ. You have done very little and (especially in the later stage of the GB) what you did do was actually destroying the GB, not making it work.
So keep your rotten fruits for yourself - I don't ask for free stuff and like to enjoy fruits of my own labor...

Keep it classy

If you could only heed your own advice...

------------------------

Out of respect for Letus this is the last you will hear from me on this subject and my presence on this thread will remain what it always was - genuine interest in the Helix and constructive comparison of the various designs and solutions to the many issues associated with 3-axis gimbal stabilisation...

:sifone: Peter

 

[Zeb B]

Peter, I'm not going to personally engage you and get this productive thread shut down. I will only say that it seems you have been given some bad information about my "private" conversations with DJI.

Good luck with your new Ronin. It seems like a great piece of gear

 

[Zeb B]

I would advise my Helix friends not to take the bait from forum trolls who would love to see the Mods shut this amazing thread down. Just ignore the rants and provocations. A gimbal is a piece of gear - not a religion.

 

[bongobongo]

How do you get an HDMI signal (from e.g. 1D C, MK II, etc.) to an external monitor on the Helix?
AFAIK there is only a HD-SDI connection through the slip ring.
Have looked at some HDMI - HD-SDI converters but they all seem pretty bulky (relatively).

Is the only option here to use a cable directly from the camera to the external monitor?
If that is the case, then it will not be possible to rotate camera on the gimbal (not a big consern of mine though),
and the cable will probably affect the balancing of the camera (a little more work from the gimbal)...
Then it will probably be a good thing to use a super thin and flexible HDMI cable...

Would be good to hear some information on how to best do this...

Have emailed Letus about this, but do not get an answer (have even put in a deposit for the 3-axis Letus - Batch #2)... but they are
probably busy building and shipping.....

Tore B. Krudtaa

 

[Peter Majtan]

Here are the weights- all axis separate, my 2/3 axis includes the battery cage. 4th axis does not include handle as I didn't receive one and does not include Steadicam or Devitte mount ( I love saying that in the same sentence with Steadicam). Lipo battery separate. All weights in lbs.

1 axis 3.01
2/3 axis 3.53
4 axis 1.80

Lipo 1.01

So lightest 3 axis weight is 6.54. A little heavier than hoped for but doesn't feel heavy.

I have not yet mounted an Epic- that won't happen till next week.

I fiddled but just a bit with GH4, 1D C, and C500/Od7q.

The GH4 and 1D C require counter weights. GH4 very light, but not the camera that the 1D C is.

The C500 though heavier, because of the way it is almost square, and balances by sliding the Od7q side to side, feels the most natural and doesn't need the counter weights.

All of this very preliminary but I do have a list of questions for Hi.

I feel that this is evolving into the ultimate bespoke platform where you will be able to tailor it to the nth degree.

Thanks Scott for the detailed info - much appreciated...

Given that the battery cage is on the 2 / 3 axis - do you know how the power solution works for when only the 1-axis is used?
What would be the actual weight of fully working 1-axis design including the battery and its respective mounting HW?

Cheers

:sifone: Peter

 

[Zeb B]

Thanks Scott for the detailed info - much appreciated...

Given that the battery cage is on the 2 / 3 axis - do you know how the power solution works for when only the 1-axis is used?
What would be the actual weight of fully working 1-axis design including the battery and its respective mounting HW?

Cheers

:sifone: Peter

Wondering why you need such specific information? Are you in the market to purchase a Helix? If so I'll be glad to demo it for you

 

[Andy Roberts]

Wondering why you need such specific information? Are you in the market to purchase a Helix? If so I'll be glad to demo it for you

Yes, Peter is in the market for Helix

I am (as I have stated number of times) also interested in the Helix and will be for sure buying at least the 1-axis version for my Steadicam work.

 

[Peter Majtan]

Zeb - could you do me a favor and dispense with your BS conspiracies?
I can't count the number of times I have specifically mentioned that I want to get the 1-axis version for my Steadicam work...
If you don't mind hopping on a plane and fly it over here to Tokyo - I would love to see a demo and try it first-hand with a Steadicam...
Other then that you could just answer my simple questions without trying to look for "alternative" motives... ;o)

As you say - keep it classy - and more importantly - productive...

:sifone: Peter

PS: Thanks Andy...

 

[Matt Huesmann]

Thanks everyone for including me in your responses. My comment was not a complaint! HA! It was a ..do you all know where there is footage and I am missing it.. You all seem to know a lot more than me or a lot of you are in the west coast near the events. Thanks for your inputs. I really appreciate them. Cant wait to get my unit at some point.

 

[Adam Eden]

Peter I am a Steadicam op/ dp when I get my full helix kit which I have paid for in full I will write a review here. I have a Steadicam archer 2se with g50 arm. Even though I bought the 4 axis, I really want to go from low mode to normal in the same shot so I think the single axis will work fine. I have. Great relationship with tiffen and I will be sharing the results there also . So hang tight and I'll let you know when I get my kit and when it is set up

 

[hienle]

Peter,

Zeb was mad that our competitor took our design of the front rod down to the screw. I am cool with it (because this is not the first time our designs are copied by a Chinese company, so I kinda get used to it) , but Zeb with full RED and All American mentality couldn't take it.

Zeb - could you do me a favor and dispense with your BS conspiracies?
I can't count the number of times I have specifically mentioned that I want to get the 1-axis version for my Steadicam work...
If you don't mind hopping on a plane and fly it over here to Tokyo - I would love to see a demo and try it first-hand with a Steadicam...
Other then that you could just answer my simple questions without trying to look for "alternative" motives... ;o)

As you say - keep it classy - and more importantly - productive...

:sifone: Peter

PS: Thanks Andy...

 

[PC Greene]

Hello all,

Does anyone know what the diameter is on the Proline Raven steadicam for 4th axis connection to Helix?

Thank you,

 

[Samir Patel]

@hienle can you tell us that ordered very early in batch 2 how long realistically it will take you to get through batch 1 and begin shipping batch 2? I didn't follow along during batch 1 and not sure if we are talking 50 orders, 100 orders several orders etc. Would greatly help out so I can sort out which expenses over the next few months are better dealt with first. Thanks

 

[PC Greene]

Anyone know more about the Helix 2nd Power Box option? Where is it mounted and what are the pros and cons of going with it?

Thank you,

 

[hienle]

We want to start off with smaller batch of 200 units. Then it would ramp up to a much bigger number as we apparently see the demand for it. Batch 2 production is well under way. It should be around 5 weeks to completion.

@hienle can you tell us that ordered very early in batch 2 how long realistically it will take you to get through batch 1 and begin shipping batch 2? I didn't follow along during batch 1 and not sure if we are talking 50 orders, 100 orders several orders etc. Would greatly help out so I can sort out which expenses over the next few months are better dealt with first. Thanks

 

[hienle]

Paul,
The second power box is symmetrical to the first one, just pointing down.

Anyone know more about the Helix 2nd Power Box option? Where is it mounted and what are the pros and cons of going with it?

Thank you,

 

[Zeb B]

If anyone in the Portland, Seattle, Denver or San Diego area wants a demo please email me: zebtao@ gmail dot com

Glad to share what little I know and to learn from my fellow REDies