Ways around paying $290.00 for an extended Power cable????

[Bret Kalmbach]

Getting an older glidecam and needing an extended power cable to run from the bottom of the rig where the brick will be mounted, to the camera...Anyone have a cheap solution that isn't too crude and doesnt result in buying the belt clip extended power cable??

 

[jimhare]

Hey Bret,

This has come up several times and the concensus has always been no. The Lemo connectors are very expensive and the cabling needs to be done right or it could damage your camera, which would cost A LOT more than $290 in repair/shipping/heartache.

I would suggest the best option is to look for a used belt pack, but don't be tempted by a cheap cable. The proper 3rd party ones tend to cost as much or more than the Red ones.

 

[Rob Ruffo]

Hey Bret,

This has come up several times and the concensus has always been no. The Lemo connectors are very expensive and the cabling needs to be done right or it could damage your camera, which would cost A LOT more than $290 in repair/shipping/heartache.

I would suggest the best option is to look for a used belt pack, but don't be tempted by a cheap cable. The proper 3rd party ones tend to cost as much or more than the Red ones.

+1 - pro gear is what it is.

 

[Johnny Friday]

....extension cord for $10usd and splice into your battery plate and back to the positive and negative on cable.....that said, it's obviously NOT approved, but when working in the bush....and you need to McGiver up....there ya go. YOu asked.......

Oh...and so we are clear...i neither work for red nor do they approve of the way i work with their products.....So be sure you don't listen to my advise and fry your camera...leave that to me.

 

[Paul Hudson]

....extension cord for $10usd and splice into your battery plate and back to the positive and negative on cable.....that said, it's obviously NOT approved, but when working in the bush....and you need to McGiver up....there ya go. YOu asked.......

Oh...and so we are clear...i neither work for red nor do they approve of the way i work with their products.....So be sure you don't listen to my advise and fry your camera...leave that to me.

Very brave.

 

[Michael Olsen]

Here's how I look at it. You've most likely got approximately $50,000 of equipment sitting on that glidecam. $290 is 0.58% of that value. And has was said, spending a bit less, perhaps 0.3% of that value, could lead to much much higher repair costs.

 

[Bret Kalmbach]

Roger that. Im just baffled that there isnt another cable offered.

 

[jimhare]

We hear ya Bret. Problem is the connectors alone are quite expensive, then it's a custom, handmade job where they will only sell a couple of hundred at best.

When you add it up it's just not worth the time of a qualified tech, not to mention that you would want them to take some degree of responsibility if your gear blows up.

I pay $2 for an HDMI cable at MonoPrice and $300 for a cable for my camera. Since I buy 19 HDMI cables for each camera cable, let's say it averages out at $15!

Helps me sleep at night thinking of it that way! :laugh:

 

[Greg M]

....extension cord for $10usd and splice into your battery plate and back to the positive and negative on cable.....that said, it's obviously NOT approved, but when working in the bush....and you need to McGiver up....there ya go. YOu asked.......

Oh...and so we are clear...i neither work for red nor do they approve of the way i work with their products.....So be sure you don't listen to my advise and fry your camera...leave that to me.

Buy spare cables, this is a very foolish suggestion. Why on earth would you risk damaging a $50,000 camera to save $300.

We send two of every cable with every single piece of gear we rent.

 

[Johnny Friday]

Very brave.

I'm so surprised to hear this from cameramen.....you do what you have to do when in the field.....but maybe this is just me and the handful of wildlife photographers and film makers i know.....when in the field and you have limited resources you ADAPT and MAKE it happen. The fix i just mentioned to you was for a 14 hour timelapse we did in Alasks for a film called Icy Killers.....we needed to run a long timelapse and connect power to a 12 volt power source--not a RED battery---that gives you about 1 hour or so...So---we used our heads on this and wallah-duh. a boat battery---not a car battery...that has cranking amps...but something with longevity....a battery meant to power house lights etc...onboard our boat...we took it off, took the POSITIVE lead off the Battery plate....connected to the extension cord POSITIVE wire...then the NEGATIVE (ground) wire and connected to the NEGATIVE lead on the battery....Now, a 4th grader with limited education can figure that out.....and i'm not trying to be nasty here, but it always gets me that there are so many new camera operators out there that are completely lost without every camera accessory available to them....i know folks that would have brought in a generator and 10 gallons of gas to do this...but we were trying to keep a light footprint....and also just be smart.

So i challenge you sir to then tell me what is so brave about this....I DO ADMIT having a BASIC understanding of electricity does help...but i do have that.....and the wildlife film-makers i cut my teeth with don't let things like not having a long enough power cord stop them from shooting....they would laugh at such silliness.


GREG: read my post---i am not telling anyone to do this..in fact DONT do this.....but i was not the one asking...i'm sorry what is dangerous? you might have the screwdriver slip from your hand and punch a hole in your hand....that's dangerous...Do not play with tools you are not familiar with. ALSO....i know i'll take this on the face, but most folks shooting in studios have no idea of how to work out in the field....away from a 110v and w/out assistants etc....

 

[Johnny Friday]

Buy spare cables, this is a very foolish suggestion. Why on earth would you risk damaging a $50,000 camera to save $300.

We send two of every cable with every single piece of gear we rent.

In fact let me take this further....great---very nice you send two of everything but that will not help you when you NEED to adapt....Producer wants a certain shot and you say you cannot do it because you don't have a LONG enough power cord--that's just an example. Or what you are asking me is to dangerous to do....in the WILDLIFE FILMMAKING business if you can't adapt and over-come and get those shots and make things happen, you likely wont' be working in this genre very long. YOU MUST have a BASIC knowledge of OTHER things NON-CAMERA....mechanical/electrical/dive/pilot whatever....in fact i am an awsome cook and get hired because folks know i cook out on a boat for weeks or on an island surrounded by ice in your tent......your idea of bringing two of everything is just fine...but not all nor not even 10% of budgets these days will support that. Nor does that have ANYTHING to do with modifying your gear...AND YOU DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK---this goes w/out saying. But lets not be rediculous about a POSITIVE and NEGATIVE connection. 12 volt power is 12 volt power....

I HAVE BURNED UP more electrical devices plugged into 110v power supplies than ANYTHING else....while in foreign countries that supposedly run 60hz power at 110v.....but almost every foreign country i travel to has power supply issues....either unregulated hertz issues or power surges....AND a power strip with a surge protector WILL NOT DO....only a 10lb voltage regulator can save your ass. Burned up a dozen or more hard drives where production did not listen to me and bring voltage regulator. Electricity is not mystical magic it is VERY SIMPLE to understand if you go out and make it a priority and learn about it.....would take you 2 hours of easy reading to know there is nothing mystical.

All of this said, i agree. Most people SHOULD NEVER DO THIS---they are not qualified and WILL MAKE A MISTAKE AND CONNECT THE WIRING WRONG...i know this will happen do not do it....

Why on earth would you risk damaging a $50,000 camera to save $30

Because someone did not bring a 15' extension or there is no such accessory to attach a deep cycle battery to your RED BATTERY PLATE......and again, i do things like this all the time.....AT MY OWN RISK---YOU should not do this....VERY DANGEROUS---get a generator

 

[Greg M]

GREG: read my post---i am not telling anyone to do this..in fact DONT do this.....but i was not the one asking...i'm sorry what is dangerous? you might have the screwdriver slip from your hand and punch a hole in your hand....that's dangerous...Do not play with tools you are not familiar with. ALSO....i know i'll take this on the face, but most folks shooting in studios have no idea of how to work out in the field....away from a 110v and w/out assistants etc....

I can assure you I've spent more time in the field than you, don't assume because I own a studio I don't know what I'm talking about. I too have done some foolish things in very remote locations, I just wouldn't suggest anyone else do the same. My motto has always been be prepared. That means having the appropriate spare cables, adapters and extensions in your kit.

The OP never suggested he was shooting in a remote village and needed to improvise, so why suggest he make his own solution? To me thats dangerous and foolish. (dangerous to his camera, not his hand)

We all do what we have to in an emergency, but thats not what was asked here.

 

[Johnny Friday]

I can assure you I've spent more time in the field than you, don't assume because I own a studio I don't know what I'm talking about. I too have done some foolish things in very remote locations, I just wouldn't suggest anyone else do the same. My motto has always been be prepared. That means having the appropriate spare cables in your kit.

The OP never suggested he was shooting in a remote village and needed to improvise, so why suggest he make his own solution? To me thats dangerous and foolish.

We all do what we have to in an emergency, but thats not what was asked here.

ok....

but aren't you assuming now?

 

[Greg M]

ok....

but aren't you assuming now?

haha...bet ya a power cable
No offense intended Johnny, sorry if you took it that way. I just don't think its a good idea to suggest to a new owner he can cut a power cord to power his new camera. If he was qualified to do this he wouldn't have posted his question. Thats all I'm saying.

 

[Johnny Friday]

yeah....i am an OUTLAW for sure....and funny enough someone JUST now called and we are doing JUST what we do....rigging an u/w housing with Epic and doing ALL the right or wrong stuff...breaking all SANE rules....i get this call often from my group of folks i work amongst and they usually know to call me since i've usually done it already and ask if it will blow up or not....so we are drilling holes AND cutting power cables (by phone) and modifying gear.....

I TOTALLY get what you say about suggesting or recommending....AND not my intention. I usually speak up and say things when i shouldn't I have Dr. Jarred to attest to that....and i take it on the cheek.....in fact getting good at taking it on the cheek...but i'm still standing.

 

[Deanan]

On the other hand, we see the flip side when people do screw up.
Even the big guys when someone making cables does something like
wire the data lines to power. Oh Joy.

And you also want to do things properly like connect shields at both ends
as well as use good shielded cables and proper guage wire.

 

[John Marchant]

Long and short of stuff like this: If you have to ask how, stop right there.

 

[Paul Hudson]

I'm so surprised to hear this from cameramen.....you do what you have to do when in the field.....but maybe this is just me and the handful of wildlife photographers and film makers i know.....when in the field and you have limited resources you ADAPT and MAKE it happen. The fix i just mentioned to you was for a 14 hour timelapse we did in Alasks for a film called Icy Killers.....we needed to run a long timelapse and connect power to a 12 volt power source--not a RED battery---that gives you about 1 hour or so...So---we used our heads on this and wallah-duh. a boat battery---not a car battery...that has cranking amps...but something with longevity....a battery meant to power house lights etc...onboard our boat...we took it off, took the POSITIVE lead off the Battery plate....connected to the extension cord POSITIVE wire...then the NEGATIVE (ground) wire and connected to the NEGATIVE lead on the battery....Now, a 4th grader with limited education can figure that out.....and i'm not trying to be nasty here, but it always gets me that there are so many new camera operators out there that are completely lost without every camera accessory available to them....i know folks that would have brought in a generator and 10 gallons of gas to do this...but we were trying to keep a light footprint....and also just be smart.

So i challenge you sir to then tell me what is so brave about this....I DO ADMIT having a BASIC understanding of electricity does help...but i do have that.....and the wildlife film-makers i cut my teeth with don't let things like not having a long enough power cord stop them from shooting....they would laugh at such silliness.


GREG: read my post---i am not telling anyone to do this..in fact DONT do this.....but i was not the one asking...i'm sorry what is dangerous? you might have the screwdriver slip from your hand and punch a hole in your hand....that's dangerous...Do not play with tools you are not familiar with. ALSO....i know i'll take this on the face, but most folks shooting in studios have no idea of how to work out in the field....away from a 110v and w/out assistants etc....

I have spent years working at remote and distant locations. Enough years to learn that proper pre-production is very important. Ask yourself all the questions and problems that may arise and plan accordingly. I take many risks just not foolish ones.

 

[Johnny Friday]

I totally agree with what you are saying and what you see Deanan: of course you only hear from those that have screwed things up. And never hear from folks that get it done and move on....I'll leave it all at that since i know this thread will continue with same posts we've already covered. And to answer your point Pual, you will never know every turn before a shoot....and especially a wildlife shoot. If i knew on one of my last shoots one our guides was to fall though the ice or we would be lost in an ice pack for 28 hours.....or if i knew that ice was calving at a particular location in Prince William Sound.....etc, etc... but have to work with materials at hand. That said, i'm sure everyone gets it and MOST times you should not screw with this stuff.....NOR should i even mention that i do.....there's always someone that will eat the Lego piece and end up in the hospital. ....hence all the warnings that lego pieces are not for human consumption.....but most of us know that....but there is always someone that's going to try and then suffer the consequences......

 

[Paul Hudson]

this stuff....there's always someone that will eat the Lego piece and end up in the hospital. ....hence all the warnings that lego pieces are not for human consumption.....but most of us know that....but there is always someone that's going to try and then suffer the consequences......

Well said Johnny. They taste terrible.