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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 :)

Letus Gimbal

I've been looking for the same answers. I've mentioned in some thread - could even be this one - that using the Helix as a remote head would be my primary application.

Another important consideration here is how to provide remote power to all the electronics. When operating as a remote head, you can't crawl around truss during a live event to change out batteries. Or affixed to a jib or crane. Or _____ (name your shot)

That said, the basic design of the Helix looks like it could be adapted to fit this need.

Don't mind waiting for a specific model if it means a better product tweaked for the application - could be the Helix-RH version.



Jack Lam said:
I posted here last week to ask about the potential of using the Helix as a compact stabilized remote head, and there hasn't been much response.

http://www.hurlbutvisuals.com/blog/2014/04/kitting-out-your-movi/

I came across this article by Shane Hurlbut on his Movi setup. In the second half of his article he explains how the Movi works great as a remote head when mounted on a dolly. Freefly makes a special "ninja star plate" that takes the place of the handlebar and allows easy mounting of the Movi on the Mitchell base recepticle of a dolly.

So my question is, how about the Helix when it comes to mounting as remote head? What kind of special thoughts has Letus put into the design of the Helix to help facilitate this type of remote operation? I'd imagine the 4th axis and both tilt handles may limit the range of panning. So is it advisable to mount/hang the Helix in "suite case mode" if the shot requires more than 180 degree of panning? How does the Helix compare to other gyro gimbal designs when it comes to mounted remote head use?

I think using the Helix as a mounted remote head is going to be almost as important as using it as handheld stabilizer. Along with the Hurricane remote control wheels, it will bring a lot of versatility and control to the cameraman.

Hein & Letus, please shed some light on this topic. This is one huge factor in my buying decision.
Click to expand...
 
Brian and Jack, like you, use of the Helix as a remote pan/tilt head is a major part of my intended use. Needed assistance and weather have not cooperated with shooting plans for this weekend (it's clearing now but it's also after 4 PM so not sure I will get out today but am still considering). For sure I will shoot something in the next couple of days, even if it has to be inside, and that will be handheld. Once I do any necessary fine tuning of the software based on that experience, I will be ready to tackle mating the Helix to the Spektrum RC controller I bought. But I will definitely have to wait for next weekend to try it on a crane when I will have some shooting help available, and I also will likely purchase a compatible plate with the "Devitte" mount that shipped with my 4th axis for mounting (quick release) on a crane. I will definitely give a full report here of my experiences.

Nikhil Kamkolkar said:
Hi Elizabeth, when you have some time, would you mind sharing some photos a list of the small equipment pieces you needed to outfit the Helix and some idea of the additional cost you incurred? I'm trying to get a sense of what all is needed. I do realize it'll differ based on needs, but a starter list even would be great.
Click to expand...

Will do, hopefully by tonight, tomorrow at the latest.
 
3 axis Helix from day one has the ability to work as remote head. It can be either on the tripod or under slung. It even can be clipped into O'Connor 1030 just as the touch and go for the head or it can be used as touch and go plate for our TAG receiver. All you do is to remove the handle on tilt motor side and mount that piece in its place.
 
hienle said:
3 axis Helix from day one has the ability to work as remote head. It can be either on the tripod or under slung. It even can be clipped into O'Connor 1030 just as the touch and go for the head or it can be used as touch and go plate for our TAG receiver. All you do is to remove the handle on tilt motor side and mount that piece in its place.
Click to expand...

Just to clarify, the 4th axis is solely for attaching to a steadicam arm then? We won't need it for a tripod or anything of that nature?
 
BrendanLeahy said:
Just to clarify, the 4th axis is solely for attaching to a steadicam arm then? We won't need it for a tripod or anything of that nature?
Click to expand...

hienle said:
Yes.
Click to expand...

Though I've not tried it yet, I feel like the 4th axis could have other important uses. If nothing else, it provides a support base for resting the Helix which doesn't bind up the tilt axis and which can be tripod mounted and leveled easily. And it can be kept in a mode of quick release for attachment to other support systems without the necessity of removing the tilt motor handle and reattaching a plate interface with 4 screws each way. I'm even thinking of using it on a slider since it will proved a very balanced way to keep the weight centered over the slider without adding the high profile and heft of a conventional fluid head. And because it can be controlled remotely, you won't have to manage the tricky coordination of simultaneous slide with a pan and/or tilt. One person can just be in charge of the slide while the other uses the RC to time the pan/tilt. I think it would be great in combo with my Kessler Shuttle Pod, for example, or even (possibly) my Edelkrone V2 slider (though weight could be a problem there.) Don't sell your 4th axis short, Hien!:-)
 
I think we are unnecessarily complicating by thinking of using a three axis gimbal with a slider. Unless you are doing a timelapse like extreme slow movement, the three axis gimbal should be able to do it. I think if a slider requires a three axis gimbal to stabilise, then it should be sent to ebay asap.

if you want pan, tilt, slide etc then get this one: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1051846-REG/cinetics_cinetics_3_axis360_pro.html

I was under the impression that a three axis gimbal is to make things simpler. It has got its own strengths and it should be used for its strengths alone.
 
Okay, for those that asked for pictures and a list of the hardware I'm using with my Helix, here it is. But first some clarification of my philosophy in settling on a hardware scheme. In rough order of priority, these are the sometimes conflicting factors I was weighing:


  1. Adjust camera platform height to align optical center as closely as possible with the center of the roll axis motor. For a camera like the Epic, that means the camera platform has to be pretty low. In fact, since I use WC Easy Riser on the bottom of my Epic (to be replaced any day by a Quick Riser two-piece set), the bottom of my camera falls a hair below the 100mm mark on the Helix vertical scale, which is the last printed mark.:-)
  2. Use as much functional weight as possible on top of the Epic to raise its naturally low center of gravity. This is especially important IMO since the camera platform is so low to start with in order to maintain OC.
  3. Make the setup as simple, consistent, and repeatable as possible using quick release hardware schemes. For example, as a one-person show most of the time, I will undoubtedly need audio on camera at times. I have an old Audio Technica UHF system that I've literally never used for an actual shoot. Been sitting a long time. But mounting the receiver on the dumb side of the camera just under a top side rail helps balance the naturally heavier left camera side (assuming no side handle), raises camera COG, and gives me the option for on camera audio anytime I need it without having to take the time to do a new balance. And the receiver isn't as heavy as it looks, though I do wish it were smaller. Since the audio quality of the system is barely adequate, a new, better quality, much more compact wireless audio system is on the wishlist but well behind a couple of other items. So the AT unit will have to do for a while.
  4. Make sure the RED 5" touch is as high as possible (to help with COG) but low and forward enough to clear the front plate when upside down on 360 degree rolls (and I prefer it to clear a table on which the Helix is resting also.) Thank you Paul Kalbach for talking some sense into me when I had tentatively decided to shift my monitor to the back of the camera because I felt it was putting too much weight forward.:-) Much rather have the freedom to do a full roll, even though I think I won't use it often. The main thing is I won't have to re-balance the camera on those occasions when I want to do it. I have always mounted my monitor using a 7" Israeli arm attached to a nato clamp, which allows both versatile, rigid positioning of the monitor and quick release from the RED top mount with integrated nato rail. The added benefit of this arrangement for the Helix is that I can get rough balance by using the arm and then fine tune left/right weight adjustments attributable to the monitor by sliding the nato clamp the tiny increments (sometimes fractions of a mm) necessary to achieve good balance.
  5. Since I don't yet have a Lemo 5V solution for powering wireless video transmitter from the Helix, I needed a small USB battery in a form factor compatible with the Nyrius wireless HDMI transmitter so they could be clamped together up high to further aid raising the COG. I actually may skip the Lemo entirely for this since I realized I will need one of the two available auxiliary power ports on the Helix for wireless FF when I get a solution for that (possibly Jacek's Optitron 2) and another for the AT audio receiver, for which I will also need a custom Lemo cable not yet ordered.
  6. Use antenna weights to finish off balance.



With those considerations in mind, below is a list of the mounting hardware/accessories I'm using along with some cellphone photos:





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Sabyasachi Patra said:
I think we are unnecessarily complicating by thinking of using a three axis gimbal with a slider. Unless you are doing a timelapse like extreme slow movement, the three axis gimbal should be able to do it. I think if a slider requires a three axis gimbal to stabilise, then it should be sent to ebay asap.

if you want pan, tilt, slide etc then get this one: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1051846-REG/cinetics_cinetics_3_axis360_pro.html

I was under the impression that a three axis gimbal is to make things simpler. It has got its own strengths and it should be used for its strengths alone.
Click to expand...

I understand what you're saying, Sabyasachi, but I do feel that compound moves on a slider (or a dolly for that matter) are difficult to do without automation or a second operator. (I have a Kesller Cinedrive, but it's big and bulky, and not the easiest thing to set up, and I'd welcome alternatives that allow me to multipurpose other gear.) For me, the real down side of putting a conventional head on a slider is that you raise the profile way too high for the width of the base and risk introducing a lot of bumping and unsteady glitches from that high leverage. Of course you could use a low profile static ball head to just change the tilt of the camera, but that gives you no control over COG relative to the slider and still limits you to a static angle. I don't know because I haven't tried it, but I suspect because of the careful balancing about COG that is performed on the Helix, and because the camera will actually sit lower or closer to the mounting surface even with the 4th axis than it will with most heads, you have the possibility of integrating an RC motorized head with a slider to give you the best of both worlds. I'm not saying it's a setup I'd use often, but I definitely will try it and believe it has potential.
 
Do any of you who have taken possession of a Helix think it's possible to balance an Epic with a RPP mount in front.
I'm pretty sure I can keep the weight under the limits but, the lens will make it very front heavy so I'm unsure of the balance of the tilt axis.
Is it possible you think? Thanks for the insight
 
Contacting someone about a possible focusing solution that won't break the bank. Also will post some footage later today.
 
Eli Jarra said:
Do any of you who have taken possession of a Helix think it's possible to balance an Epic with a RPP mount in front.
I'm pretty sure I can keep the weight under the limits but, the lens will make it very front heavy so I'm unsure of the balance of the tilt axis.
Is it possible you think? Thanks for the insight
Click to expand...
I balance my Epic Dragon on my Helix with a Red 18-50mm Zoom which weighs 2.5 pounds .
 
Good to know the 18-50 works okay, I think the RPP's are a couple pounds heavier than that... Do you the extra weight in the front will be a problem?
Thanks Paul


Paul Kalbach said:
I balance my Epic Dragon on my Helix with a Red 18-50mm Zoom which weighs 2.5 pounds .
Click to expand...
 
Here's some FS700 footage at 240fps with the Letus Helix.
Just need a focus system now.
All of it is on the gimbal including the opening shot


 
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Note Suwanchote said:
Here's some FS700 footage at 240fps with the Letus Helix.
Just need a focus system now.
All of it is on the gimbal including the opening shot
Click to expand...

Loving it, Note, especially the second clip!

I shot my first footage on Sunday evening and it looked pretty darn good from a stabilizing standpoint, though I still have a minor amount of tilt motor vibration that I'm going to try to remove when I find the time this week (so busy!) to play around with the software. The one aspect that I definitely want to tweak in software is the speed of the pans. They're a little fast for me even in the slow follow mode. But I was truly jazzed that, with the exception of a few bumpy footsteps in the thick sand of a playground, I got footage that had that "floating" or flying quality normally associated with steadicams. And I am please to report that even though the rig I was carrying was right at 20 lbs (including Helix and onboard battery), I was able to do takes as long as 3 minutes without debilitating fatigue. So I'm optimistic that 2 minutes will be a breeze as I get more and more practice. And the ability to squeeze through these tight spaces, like you did in your second clip and like I was doing on the playground, is one area where these gimbals especially shine.
 
Elizabeth Lowrey said:
Loving it, Note, especially the second clip!

I shot my first footage on Sunday evening and it looked pretty darn good from a stabilizing standpoint, though I still have a minor amount of tilt motor vibration that I'm going to try to remove when I find the time this week (so busy!) to play around with the software. The one aspect that I definitely want to tweak in software is the speed of the pans. They're a little fast for me even in the slow follow mode. But I was truly jazzed that, with the exception of a few bumpy footsteps in the thick sand of a playground, I got footage that had that "floating" or flying quality normally associated with steadicams. And I am please to report that even though the rig I was carrying was right at 20 lbs (including Helix and onboard battery), I was able to do takes as long as 3 minutes without debilitating fatigue. So I'm optimistic that 2 minutes will be a breeze as I get more and more practice. And the ability to squeeze through these tight spaces, like you did in your second clip and like I was doing on the playground, is one area where these gimbals especially shine.
Click to expand...

I definitely agree about that Elizabeth! I think we are playing with the same settings—I'm trying to do quick pans and have it follow without going haywire OR run fast which is something I'll need to adjust for. Have you tried running with the Letus?

Longer shots:
 
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Thanks Kwan. The video of the Helix as remote head really seals the deal for me, and it clears any doubt I have about my purchase decision by going with the Helix.

I am still a little confused by the software side of things. I know there an Android app that is required to tweak the firmware settings on set. What kind of settings exactly? Is it something that needs to be adjusted all the time in the field? I am an iPad user, but I don't mind buying an Android tablet just for this purpose as part of the kit. Can I just buy any android tablet out there? Does it need to be "rooted"?

What's the recommended model of choice for the RC controller? I know Spektrum is mentioned a lot. I want something that is not too complicated (less thing to go wrong on set), but one that has all the features we need. It also needs to be robust & reliable, and most importantly, I plan to buy the Hurricane 3-axis Wheels in the future to control the pan&tilt in geared head style.

Lastly, how much delay is there when pan&tilt remote controlled? In the demo video by Matthias with the Hurricane Wheel and Movi on YouTube, I see a fair amount of delay when he reserves direction on the pan/tilt wheel. It takes a second or two before the Movi catches up. I don't know if that is due to the "feather" setting on the remote controller, or if that is something inherent in the Movi-Spektrum link. Does the Helix perform similarly in this aspect?
 
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