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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

constantine Tirintzis said:
Björn Benckert said:
Easy rig is great, but for walking with the camera, not so great. The motion from your spine kind of gets enhanced and goes right into the camera... It's like you can only use your legs to get a smooth motion with it. Easy rig develops a "Y spring stabilizer" for it but still to me it's not ideal. It kind of works if you are standing still or on rollerskates.

A small steadycam rig with a roll stabilizer is far better. I think even if you do not have any kind of steadycam skills. The roll axis is the most tricky when doing steady work and if thats taken care of it still takes a lot of practice but much easer than without.

hello Bjorn, call Peter Karlsson and arrange a demo hands on what we have done to solve motion.

please have a demo, your input will be valuable and you might like what you ll see.

best regards
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We use easy rig all the time, great tool, also like the new gimbal they built, But easy rig is no steadycam. We did a big mövi thing just recently and used easy rig for some of the shots together with the mövi... well it's still no steadycam. the way a steady isolate XYZ body moments is where it's at, a easy rig kind of enhance these movements and use the easy rig arm as leverage... So even with the new little spring thing, that only tries to isolate Y movement it still does not take the same amplitude as a steady arm and it only partly dampens the X and Z as the camera hangs in the wire above your head where a steady floats in all horizontal axis's.

Steady cam is an artform but if you take away the struggle with roll / horizon level then it's a lot easier. A
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Bjorn its very easy to analyse theories , much easier to make conclusions.

after 14 years of steadicam operating I know pretty well what it does and the mechanics.

we didnt try to re-invent steadicam in any way.We are making smoother long lasting high to low moves with all gimbals.BTW the Serene isolates in 2 axis not just one..

So because we can spent hours talking about theories , and because this is a new approach, even if you think that in theory might not work, you are welcome to test.

What can be more revealing than this?

best regards and happy easter time

Edit: at Nab 2014 Peter also went to the Movi stand to test the Movi with the easyrig and the Serene sprng arm, even so the load adjustment at both easyrig and Serene was not tuned for this light load and tuned for 35lbs camera loads..

Please call the Movi guys and ask them what they thought and said about it and the motion produced.:smile5::smile5:

deep respect to Letus gimbal GB , not trying to high jack the thread, Bjorn are you referring to our free fload gimbal for easyrig? thats Flowcine gimbal not easyrig gimbal if this is what you are referring to.
 

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Les Dittert said:
I'm seeing a lot of warp stabilizer edge jelloing in that demo reel. Post processed ?
Honestly, I am never impressed by shots from wheeled vehicles or escalators. Those shots would look just as good as warp stabilizing a handheld shot IMO.
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Agreed . . . looks like a GoPro at times

Edit: because it was shot on GoPro . . . wtf??
 
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i'm in for a group buy, personally only interested in the one axis model but that being said, it looks like an amazing product. Keep us posted and just ask if you need help with any aspect of organizing it.
 
Elizabeth Lowrey said:
Stirring up trouble, I see.:-)
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Worry free, Please proceed (on group-buy), I am working on other group-buy (not a gimbal - lol) should be up tomorrow.

Try on all version 1, 2 and 3 (25% off or better please).
However we must test first.

Note: Hin is good guy (I know him since I tested his first letus Ver 1), He knows how to take a good care (his clients)
 
Kwan Khan said:
Worry free, Please proceed (on group-buy), I am working on other group-buy (not a gimbal - lol) should be up tomorrow.

Try on all version 1, 2 and 3 (25% off or better please).
However we must test first.

Note: Hin is good guy (I know him since I tested his first letus Ver 1), He knows how to take a good care (his clients)
Click to expand...

Okay, I will put out some feelers to Letus.

In the mean time, how about suggestions for minor improvements/features that we'd like to see incorporated in the shipping product? For example, I said I THOUGHT the camera platform had a power port for accessories (e.g., wireless video transmitter, FF, etc.). But after reviewing my own cell phone photos and looking again at the videos posted in this thread, I don't see any. There's a two pin lemo at full battery voltage that would be used for the camera. I've never actually used wireless FF or video and have no idea what power interfaces and specs they require. Now that REDLink SDK has been released, all my wireless FF will be accomplished through either the RED THC or a similar 3rd party product presumably running on its own battery, but I understand others might need auxiliary power for this. Do we want to ask for an extra power port(s), and, if so, how many, what kind of connectors, and to what specifications?

Also, how much interest would there be in some kind of option or addon, perhaps even a "special RED edition" Helix, that incorporated a Lemo on the back panel and on the camera platform (fed through the slip ring) to permit use of the RED touchscreen on the left handle of the gimbal, keeping its weight off the camera and allowing it to be continuously viewable no matter the camera angle? With the cost of Lemo connectors, this might add substantially to the price of the finished unit, but I thought I'd just see what kind of desire there is for this feature before even asking Letus about feasibility.

And who do we know that's in Portland, Oregon (or willing to travel there) in case we can arrange an in person test/review on behalf of the group? As great as the unit feels and looks from the outside, we still have no actual footage taken with it, and I'm sure virtually all of us would want that before committing. I'm fine to let Letus do this on their own, but I'd love even more to have someone from REDUser participate, do BTS video of the camera balancing process so we can see (real world) how long it takes, etc.
 
Elizabeth Lowrey said:
Okay, I will put out some feelers to Letus.

In the mean time, how about suggestions for minor improvements/features that we'd like to see incorporated in the shipping product? For example, I said I THOUGHT the camera platform had a power port for accessories (e.g., wireless video transmitter, FF, etc.). But after reviewing my own cell phone photos and looking again at the videos posted in this thread, I don't see any. There's a two pin lemo at full battery voltage that would be used for the camera. I've never actually used wireless FF or video and have no idea what power interfaces and specs they require. Now that REDLink SDK has been released, all my wireless FF will be accomplished through either the RED THC or a similar 3rd party product presumably running on its own battery, but I understand others might need auxiliary power for this. Do we want to ask for an extra power port(s), and, if so, how many, what kind of connectors, and to what specifications?

Also, how much interest would there be in some kind of option or addon, perhaps even a "special RED edition" Helix, that incorporated a Lemo on the back panel and on the camera platform (fed through the slip ring) to permit use of the RED touchscreen on the left handle of the gimbal, keeping its weight off the camera and allowing it to be continuously viewable no matter the camera angle? With the cost of Lemo connectors, this might add substantially to the price of the finished unit, but I thought I'd just see what kind of desire there is for this feature before even asking Letus about feasibility.

And who do we know that's in Portland, Oregon (or willing to travel there) in case we can arrange an in person test/review on behalf of the group? As great as the unit feels and looks from the outside, we still have no actual footage taken with it, and I'm sure virtually all of us would want that before committing. I'm fine to let Letus do this on their own, but I'd love even more to have someone from REDUser participate, do BTS video of the camera balancing process so we can see (real world) how long it takes, etc.
Click to expand...

Get 'em gurl!!
 
Elizabeth Lowrey said:
And who do we know that's in Portland, Oregon (or willing to travel there) in case we can arrange an in person test/review on behalf of the group? As great as the unit feels and looks from the outside, we still have no actual footage taken with it, and I'm sure virtually all of us would want that before committing. I'm fine to let Letus do this on their own, but I'd love even more to have someone from REDUser participate, do BTS video of the camera balancing process so we can see (real world) how long it takes, etc.
Click to expand...

Option 1,
Try find out someone to test unit at their location (Advantage - we can test all three version)

Option 2-
Ask them to send it to My studio (Times Square NYC), they can hold funds on my card until we send it back to them with in a week. (disadvantage - we can't test all threes version)
 
Kwan Khan said:
Option 1,
Try find out someone to test unit at their location (Advantage - we can test all three version)

Option 2-
Ask them to send it to My studio (Times Square NYC), they can hold funds on my card until we send it back to them with in a week. (disadvantage - we can't test all threes version)
Click to expand...

Actually, the system is completely modular, so a three axis system can be broken down to a one or two axis version. I've had preliminary contact with Hien Le of Letus letting him know of our interest in a group buy but nothing back yet in terms of a specific proposal. I've asked for a complete features list so we can be clear about what features and accessories (e.g., thumbwheels) and technologies will be included, the functionalities they enable (e.g., for wireless interface with joystick controllers), and which will be offered by Letus as options. Will post as soon as I hear back.

In the mean time, I notice that Letus have opened a product page for the Helix on their sales site and are apparently launching an entirely new site(!) dedicated just to Helix in less than two weeks. They must feel very good about its potential in the market. I certainly feel good about its potential in my hands.:-)
 
Personally my follow focus runs off of 12v accessory power so simply a second power out on the camera side would help. If possible a 5v port for wireless monitoring would be good as well but since the SDI is already there you can output to your wireless video feed from that so I don't see it as a real issue. Even the for the follow focus I have power off the sled of my steadicam so i'm not too worried about it, I might just need a longer cable. I don't really plan on doing any camera 'spin' shots. Just want to keep the thing level so the cable shouldn't get in the way.

If it can support 16lbs and keep the camera level accurately then i'm sold, the steadicam will do the rest of the work.
 
I'm almost more interested in this as a remote head on a crane/jib. Well, at least AS interested. But i'm still wondering how exactly it would attach to the arm and what kind of movement it would allow.

I would want +75 /- 90 degree tilting, and ideally 360 degree panning, like the little power pods, http://www.powerpod.co.uk/default.aspx?prod=PP500. It seems that to achieve this would require that it be turned 90 degrees horizontally and mounted suspended by the side handle, and removing the side handle that would then be on the underside to allow for the movement. But the stress on the motors would be crazy. So an accessory support bracket would need to be extended over the top of the camera (when viewed in it's standard configuration. It would then be camera left side when hanging), to allow for an additional point of attachment for support and even distribution of weight when hanging from the side handle motor. Again, as it the case with the Pee-Pod 500.

Or additionally, making an accessory arm that arches over the top, when in standard config, (or under the bottom if under slung, same difference) which has a 4th motor for panning. I suppose I'm thinking too hard and asking for too much... I have too much time on my hands this morning...

It seems that the other gimbal rigs are more suited for crane work, but they aren't balanced on the optical center allowing for rolls, which is the advantage of the Helix. So, as this is configurable with one, two or three axes, adding another config option that would just require a couple of plates and screws could make this incredibly versatile.
 
I love everything about the overall design but they need to show an elegant solution for mounting wireless feed, on board monitor, and powering FIZ. I'd like to see a rear mounting option for the onboard so we don't have to look off to the side to the side for the handle option they mentioned in the promo clip. Perhaps a bracket that attaches to both handles and runs around the back to mount all your accessories? What can I say, it really annoys me when these gimbal makers show their wares with a less than fully rigged camera. Note to makers: please show cameras minimally with FI control, MB, on board monitor and wireless feed.
 
Yeah a handle across the top will be necessary for footage taken low to the ground carrying the unit with one hand.
 
Elizabeth Lowrey said:
And who do we know that's in Portland, Oregon (or willing to travel there) in case we can arrange an in person test/review on behalf of the group? As great as the unit feels and looks from the outside, we still have no actual footage taken with it, and I'm sure virtually all of us would want that before committing. I'm fine to let Letus do this on their own, but I'd love even more to have someone from REDUser participate, do BTS video of the camera balancing process so we can see (real world) how long it takes, etc.
Click to expand...

I'm locally in Portland.. How much money ya got? lol
 
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