Letus Helix Day #2 - few test shots - few thoughts

[Daniel Kelly Brown]

Hi All,

My Helix arrived yesterday! I spend about 4hrs tinkering with it trying to get my Epic and 5D mark III balanced and working. Ended up getting frustrated and almost started messing with the jankey gimbal software to re-callabrate, but instead decided to sleep on it. Picked it back up today and realized I was trying to balance it with hipster leather handles backwards :banghead: :smilielol5:

Flipped it around and it work amazingly well! I was using the zeiss 15, epic, and motion mount. Below are a few shots I snapped real quick both out of camera and in front of it. In hopes to keep the in hands setup light as possible opted to power it with, reds battery belt, and the d-tap to lemo power cord letus sells. Balancing the roll axis with the screen is a breeze (no need for the added weights) and getting the others dialed in is not so hard with a little practice. I am blown away how easy it is transition from double middle finger mode to suitcase mode. I also popped on of these rrs quick plates on the helix and it so happy to report that it works great! The power cord Letus sells is pretty thin, which is good, but it also heats up quite a bit, which is not good. Other then that so very very stoked with this piece of gear, opens up endless potential for awesome, thank you Letus!

https://vimeo.com/106741307
pw= helix

UPDATE: more test shots! https://vimeo.com/107051943
pw= helix

Happy to try answer any questions any of you might have about the helix.

 

[Terry VerHaar]

Nice job, Daniel!

And, yes, the ability to transition to suitcase and back seamlessly, while shooting, is a real plus for Helix!!

:thumbsup:

 

[Daniel Kelly Brown]

Just had a cool thought that I am sure is not original. Be cool if red or a 3rd party made a gimbal handle. Something that had all the features of the red side handle, that had a bunch of mounting points, and wireless connection to the red. Perhaps is already in the works?!

Replace the leather hipster handle with red control handle and the one man gimbal scenario would be more feasible.

 

[Nick Fury]

I have been toying with such an alternative. I think the Switchblade, which I was told weighs approx. 0.3 lbs., vs Side hand, which weighs 1.3 Lbs.-approx. (no Volt), makes a possible alternative, saving 1 lb. and maybe obviating the need for a monitor, if predisposed to Cinemizer, or non touch screen monitor, etc., etc.. That keeps manufacturer warranty in place as well, for the various Gimbals. I just received notice Friday that my order for Switchblade (the thing that goes on the side of the Camera;-)) has been allocated. No word on my Sidewinder (the tool thing). I hope that I get them together and immediately rename them...

Thank you very much

Fury

 

[Daniel Kelly Brown]

Hi Fury,

I was looking at the switchblade earlier, for sure a cool looking unite, for sure should have its name swapped with the sidewinder Just need to figure out how to either rig up a cord or better yet get it wirelessly hooked up to control the red from gimbal handle. Also would have been nice if switchblade had a trigger record button like it bigger brother.

Been waiting on my bolt kit also, thought it was shipping in spring, but just stoked they created that tool and kit. Looks like it no longer will come with the cool mini pelican like case anymore, was kinda stoked on that feature http://www.red.com/store/products/dsmc-bolt-kit

Keep me updated if you come up with an alternative!

Thank you,
Danny.

 

[scott devitte]

The answer- Thumb controls-

iPhone,1/4-20,FoolControl,Hotlink=Red and ef lens control from right hand thumb, left hand thumb controls Helix thumb control. Voila amigos

 

[Daniel Kelly Brown]

Thanks Scott, awesome solution.

Got an old iPhone laying around now that I can devote to this. Know of any good iPhone to 1/4/-20 mounts out there?

 

[scott devitte]

I am going to fabricate one for a special group buy- 10% off to first groupies. $1000 list. Save 90 bucks to put toward the new Vista Vision Dragon.

 

[Nick Fury]

I am going to fabricate one for a special group buy- 10% off to first groupies. $1000 list. Save 90 bucks to put toward the new Vista Vision Dragon.

Hi Scott,
I'm in, but want credit since I'll send my new iPhone 6+ to you...

 

[Ariel Weiss]

"I was trying to balance it with hipster leather handles backwards :banghead: :smilielol5:"
Do you mean you had the tilt motor on the left?
Your footage looks great!

 

[Peter Corbett]

I wouldn't be averse to trying some Warp Stabiliser in Premiere to smooth that out a little more. When my Helix gets here in a couple of weeks (getting new mods done at Letus), I'll certainly be applying some subtle post stabilisation if it helps.

 

[scott devitte]

Hi Scott,
I'm in, but want credit since I'll send my new iPhone 6+ to you...

Okay! Seriously, I think the 6+ would be too big. 5 is just right to reach thumb up while preserving a good grip.

What we need to do with the 6+ is figure out how to use it as a monitor. Theres gotta be a way.

 

[Nick Fury]

Okay! Seriously, I think the 6+ would be too big. 5 is just right to reach thumb up while preserving a good grip.

What we need to do with the 6+ is figure out how to use it as a monitor. Theres gotta be a way.

Copy that

 

[Mikael Lubtchansky]

Okay! Seriously, I think the 6+ would be too big. 5 is just right to reach thumb up while preserving a good grip.

What we need to do with the 6+ is figure out how to use it as a monitor. Theres gotta be a way.

soon could work with some terradek device I have to test next month.
foolcontrol at the bottom and image at top on an iPhone 6+ would be nice.

Any USB power on your gimbal to keep an iPhone charged Scott ?

 

[scott devitte]

soon could work with some terradek device I have to test next month.
foolcontrol at the bottom and image at top on an iPhone 6+ would be nice.

Any USB power on your gimbal to keep an iPhone charged Scott ?

Contact Le at Letus. I am sure that he could snake usb power to the handle from the battery. This is where the Helix really beats the other gimbals- its battery feeds the Dragon and the Helix, or take it off the Hotlink. Like you and Mark Pederson, he delights in challenge and produces elegant solutions.

 

[Nick Morrison]

Great footage!!

 

[Nick Fury]

soon could work with some terradek device I have to test next month.
foolcontrol at the bottom and image at top on an iPhone 6+ would be nice.

Any USB power on your gimbal to keep an iPhone charged Scott ?

I knew that line I stood in for the Iphone6+ would be worth it...

BTW, There is a Group Buy going on for a few more days for Foolcontrol...

 

[Daniel Kelly Brown]

Ariel- Yep exactly with tilt motor on the left, pretty silly of me.

Peter- Yep some warp stabilizer would make that test shot buttery smooth, but then it would not be a test shot to show what the helix can do without stabilizer effect...

Nick- Foolcontrol looks awesome for sure, would still be stoked if I could just replace one helix handle with the red side handle.

Here is some more test footages if any of you are interested (featuring the snoopy the Frisbee master of the universe!) : https://vimeo.com/107051943
pw= helix

 

[Les Dittert]

How much does it cost to get an actual knob for focus control ? Foolcontrol is a touch screen, right ?
I am considering making a wired focus knob for my rig and am probing to see if it would be a marketable product.
The wire would be extremely flexible, like wire on headphone/ear buds.
Maybe a finger operated 'trigger lever' would be better to pull instant focus with?
Thanks

 

[Elizabeth Lowrey]

I am considering making a wired focus knob for my rig and am probing to see if it would be a marketable product.

I'm interested in ANY tactile device that would leverage the RED protocols to control focus on Canon lenses. I actually think something like the Optitron 2 is ideal, but the price is not and, unless/until I can budget for that, I'm looking at other options. I've ordered the OFFHOLLYWOOD Hotlink to use with foolcontrol and an ipod touch. We'll see how that goes. But would be very interested in a wired know solution for the Helix as well.