Opinions on the Kessler Kwik Release?

[Scott Miller]

I searched but came up empty..

As a cheap alternative to an Arri baseplate and dovetail, what do you think of this setup? I know I wouldn't drag it onto a Hollywood feature shoot, but for my personal use anything seriously wrong that I am missing? Except it only has a max 6" "dovetail" available?

this would be for my Epic mounted to my O'Connor 515


http://www.kesslercrane.com/product-p/kwik_system.htm

as always thx for the insight!

 

[PatrickFaith]

I have three, is mainly what I use. The up/down rather then sliding in motion is a real nice feature for large heavy rigs. I have gone up to 50 pound rigs and it still felt solid. the pneumatic lock thing works great. the setup is great for overhead rigging on rails and motion control type setups.

 

[Scott Miller]

Thank you Patrick!! Nice to hear a real world experience.

Only thing I was concerned with was it is not very wide where mounts to camera. But sounds like a non-issue in real use.

 

[Scott Miller]

And they are having a $70 off sale Monday from 12AM to midnight, so a substantial savings....

 

[PatrickFaith]

I use the square plate a lot, so if their is a deal on that I'd get at least one ... the narrow arri looking ones come with it.

 

[Dean Sam]

I ordered one with the long and short sliding plates about a week back. Got it for the quick release feature.

Damn ! $70 off ?! Should have waited...

I used it for the 5D and Sony EX3 mainly for event jobs and on fluid heads with sliding plates.

Quick release is a breeze, locks solid and love the fact that your camera doesn't slide off the mount accidentally.

 

[Kemalettin Sert]

i dont get it how do you mount this on Oconn head? and is it suitable for epic/scarlet?
does price lowest now?

 

[Patrick Grossien]

I use the square plate a lot, so if their is a deal on that I'd get at least one ... the narrow arri looking ones come with it.

So Patrick what plate would you recommend for a EPIC/SCARLET setup, the utility plate ( I guess that's the square one) or rather the small dovetail. I don't think with EPIC/SCARLET you would need a long one at all!?

 

[Patrick Grossien]

And they are having a $70 off sale Monday from 12AM to midnight, so a substantial savings....

They already offer $40 off... is that on top!? Do you know?

 

[Kemalettin Sert]

They already offer $40 off... is that on top!? Do you know?

http://www.kessleru.com/2012/11/cyber-monday-special-70-off-kwik-release/

 

[PatrickFaith]

So Patrick what plate would you recommend for a EPIC/SCARLET setup, the utility plate ( I guess that's the square one) or rather the small dovetail. I don't think with EPIC/SCARLET you would need a long one at all!?

Right, the utility plate gives a solid base for the camera. I do have a long dovetail ... but the system isn't made so much to balance the camera back and forth with a long dovetail, like you would balancing a rig on a tripod. I think of it more as brazing two components together in a lock tight manner, and I either use weights or battery mounts to balance ... though you could use the Long dovetail to balance like a arri mount.

when your Rigs are over 40 pounds it is still a bit tricky to get the plates aligned, but really 40 plus pound rigs are a two person job anyway (though the utility plate does allow heavy rigs to be setup by one person ). where this system shines is drastically cutting the setup time, on set, of complex rigs like motion control, overhead rails, flexible path dolly systems, etc...

 

[Lee Saxon]

Arca-Swiss dovetail system is, in my opinion, BETTER than the Arri dovetail. I'm thinking about buying one of these Kessler ones to see how they compare to my beloved Really Right Stuff gear.

By the way, it's a bit too soon to show it off, but pretty soon I will be selling an Arca-Swiss L-Plate, similar to those Really Right Stuff, Kirk, etc make for DSLRs, specifically for Epic/Scarlet. It will include onboard 15mm rod support a la Red's Modular Assault Plate.

 

[Bob Gundu]

I use one. Very convenient and solid.

 

[Patrick Grossien]

Right, the utility plate gives a solid base for the camera. I do have a long dovetail ... but the system isn't made so much to balance the camera back and forth with a long dovetail, like you would balancing a rig on a tripod. I think of it more as brazing two components together in a lock tight manner, and I either use weights or battery mounts to balance ... though you could use the Long dovetail to balance like a arri mount.

when your Rigs are over 40 pounds it is still a bit tricky to get the plates aligned, but really 40 plus pound rigs are a two person job anyway (though the utility plate does allow heavy rigs to be setup by one person ). where this system shines is drastically cutting the setup time, on set, of complex rigs like motion control, overhead rails, flexible path dolly systems, etc...

sounds good! thank you patrick!

 

[Patrick Grossien]

http://www.kessleru.com/2012/11/cyber-monday-special-70-off-kwik-release/

ah! thank you Kemalettin!

 

[Kemalettin Sert]

which one i should get for Epic/Scarlet long or Short plate?

 

[PatrickFaith]

which one i should get for Epic/Scarlet long or Short plate?

if you have big cinema lenses and are using it on a tripod get the long plates, if your using it to connect motion control/slider/dolly/jib gear get the utility plate.

 

[Scott Miller]

Thank you all for the great info!! Nice to hear it is in use and a good, budget solution

 

[Les C.]

if you have big cinema lenses and are using it on a tripod get the long plates, if your using it to connect motion control/slider/dolly/jib gear get the utility plate.

if you have big cinema lenses and are using it on a tripod get the long plates, if your using it to connect motion control/slider/dolly/jib gear get the utility plate.

So, if connecting a CineSlider to the Hercules head, the utility plate would be used?

BTW - will the Kwik Release mount facing forward AND facing to the left or right?

My current Manfrotto 357 Pro Quick Release Adapter with 357PL will only mount facing forward, and ... there are times when I'd like to use the tripod handle to move it 'forward' when mounted at 90 degrees, so that I could shoot vertically instead of horizontally.

 

[PatrickFaith]

So, if connecting a CineSlider to the Hercules head, the utility plate would be used?

BTW - will the Kwik Release mount facing forward AND facing to the left or right?

My current Manfrotto 357 Pro Quick Release Adapter with 357PL will only mount facing forward, and ... there are times when I'd like to use the tripod handle to move it 'forward' when mounted at 90 degrees, so that I could shoot vertically instead of horizontally.

With the utility plate you can mount it so it faces any of the 4 directions. with the smaller plates,think of it as an arri mount, except you don't have to "slide" it in, since you "pop" it straight down(it can slide once it's popped down though, that leaver bar locks it in place after it pops into the grove). Thus if you have things that drop bellow the camera (like lens motors), you don't have the same problems of sliding it on as you would with a arri plate.

i btw just got an email on the monday sale, is good for one plate per person and that price is real low. it's one of those things that is a bit addictive, so you will eventually want more then one.