Economical fluid head and sticks...

[sparkhope]

Can anyone recommend the best for the buck fluid head/sticks combo for the red?

thanks for your input.

[Alexander Christ]

Miller Arrow 55 (1741 kit), call BJ from Custom Supply for a good quote.

[Shawn Booth]

O'Connor.

Sorry, I had to. (It's the best for the buck.)

[Andrew Hewlett]

O'Connor.

Sorry, I had to. (It's the best for the buck.)

O'Connor
The 1030 HD, or 1030 HDS? * I think its the 1030, but not %100 sure *

[Dylan Macleod, CSC]

O'Connor
The 1030 HD, or 1030 HDS? * I think its the 1030, but not %100 sure *

I just ordered the 1030HDS.

Remember that the camera will easily push 35LBS when fully built (even more with a big zoom). Make sure your tri-pod can perform with that kind of weight.

Dylan Macleod
Cinematographer
Toronto, Canada
www.dylanmacleod.com

[Nate Clapp]

more like 45lbs with a cine style zoom and appropriate aks. and with the possibility to clock in at 60-65lbs when everything is heaviest available.

[Dylan Macleod, CSC]

more like 45lbs with a cine style zoom and appropriate aks. and with the possibility to clock in at 60-65lbs when everything is heaviest available.

...then that's an O'connor 2575 fer sure.

My 1030HDS is for the "slimmed down" build, which I weighed on a scale as 31LBS. Camera, LCD, prime lens, 4x4 production mattebox, follow focus. No DRIVE. Battery of course.

Dylan Macleod
Cinematographer
Toronto, Canada
www.dylanmacleod.com

[gdv]

Isn't the O'connor 2060HD better for the task?

[Nate Clapp]

main problem is once you cross some invisible line of around 45-55lb capacity you must use a head with 150mm or mitchell base (entirely right and appropriate as 100mm doesn't have enough "grab" to hold onto much more) which then forces you to use heavier sticks, and in a lot of cases that means separate std and baby legs. suddenly your package just got big and unwieldy. so the choice is smaller tripod and head combo that will only work in some circumstances (limiting lens choice, etc) or a beast that could potentially slow you down.
of course the simple solution is to buy both :) and use what is appropriate for each job...

[Cüneyt Kaya]

i would buy the smaller and rent the big head if needed.

btw. abel cine has a red special price for the o`connor...
but maybe BJ is cheaper

[Leo Ticheli]

The best option on a budget?

Used. In good condition of course. A high-quality head can be rebuilt.

I love the O'Connor 2575.

Good shooting and best regards,

Leo

[Dylan Macleod, CSC]

Isn't the O'connor 2060HD better for the task?

Yes, at almost twice the price of the 1030.

It really depends on what you are building the camera to do.

I am purchasing a head for more slimmed down applications under 40lbs. The 1030 HDS is perfect.

For heavier studio shoots I'd rent a 2575...just what I'm used to. The 2060 looks like a nice head too.

Dylan Macleod
Cinematographer
Toronto, Canada
www.dylanmacleod.com

[chuckt]

For most ordinary projects, a simple camera would do. For example a Sony EX1 fully decked out with all optional accessories: 5 lbs.
An ordinary $199, 5 lbs fluid head would be more than sufficient for Sony Ex1.
I get nightmares thinking about a poor DP lugging a 50 lbs camera and 50 lbs tripod .

[Cüneyt Kaya]

chuck whatabout Scarlet...it will possibly fall in that category

[sparkhope]

what about an O'Connor 100c? Any experience to share? What are the specs? Can't find them...(I must be googlechallenged)

[Dylan Macleod, CSC]

For most ordinary projects, a simple camera would do. For example a Sony EX1 fully decked out with all optional accessories: 5 lbs.
An ordinary $199, 5 lbs fluid head would be more than sufficient for Sony Ex1.
I get nightmares thinking about a poor DP lugging a 50 lbs camera and 50 lbs tripod .

That's why we have grips!

Dylan Macleod
Cinematographer
Toronto Canada
www.dylanmacleod.com

[Shawn Booth]

For most ordinary projects, a simple camera would do. For example a Sony EX1 fully decked out with all optional accessories: 5 lbs.
An ordinary $199, 5 lbs fluid head would be more than sufficient for Sony Ex1.
I get nightmares thinking about a poor DP lugging a 50 lbs camera and 50 lbs tripod .

Uh... DP's don't carry the setup - AC's and Grips do that. And what set of sticks weighs 50lbs.?

I get nightmares thinking about a poor ChuckT using a RED camera...:holloween:

[Colin C]

I remember reading an interesting point by Finner (that was then backed up by Digitalfx's tests) that the 2575 might not be the best choice because it needs (like others) a certain level of weight to perform optimally and that a RED cam, with gear, might not actually weigh enough to hit that threshold.

Leo, have you (or other 2575 users) found that to be the case?

[Leo Ticheli]

I have never had a problem of any kind with the 2575, however my VariCam rig is very heavy; Matte Box & Follow Focus, Panasonic 8.4" monitor on a heavy duty Israeli arm, and Anton-Bauer 140.

On the O’Connor 100C, I had a couple of them and found them most distasteful; maybe because mine were almost as old as I am, but they are just beasts. Hard to adjust the counter balance and don't have smooth let off on the locks. Comparison to the 2575 is like a farm tractor to a Porsche.

Good shooting!

Leo

[Mitch Gross]

A Red One in even it's lightest configuration will work great on a 2575.

The truth is that there is no one right answer for a proper tripod. It depends on what your use is -- that's why there are so many tripod models out there. I think the Sachtler Cine-30 is an amazing design for a RED and very versatile (did you know it will take an Element Technica - type sliding baseplate just like a large O'Connor head?). But I would never claim it to be the end-all/be-all solution. That's why we're offering so many bundles on tripods to Redusers -- it's horses for courses.

Btw, since enough people have asked for it, we are offering the option of dropping the Europlates from the O'Connor 2060 & 2575 bundles. This way you don't have to pay for it if you are planning to use an Element Technica - style baseplate. For the Sachtler Video-30 they standardly ship a simple metal cheeseplate so you might as well get it. There would be no savings not to. But the ET baseplate as well as a Europlate will fit.

[Gunleik Groven]

What's the price on the 2060 RED offer?

Gunleik

[Andrew Benz]

What's the price on the 2060 RED offer?

Gunleik

pm Mitch, then he will hook you up with a salesman.

[Brent J. Craig]

...the 2575 might not be the best choice because it needs (like others) a certain level of weight to perform optimally...

I've had bare HVX's on them, even DSLRs, and they have always worked fine. You need to dial the counterbalance way down, but no problems.

[Mitch Gross]

Yes, please send me a PM that includes your email address (or you can just email me) and I will have one of our Sales Reps. reach out to you.

[Scott Brown]

Hi Mitch

We're looking at tripods at the moment and I'm torn between the O'Connor 2060 and the Sachtler Cine 30...which would you favour for the Red?

Best wishes

Scott

[Mitch Gross]

I like them both, but I'd have to say that I've personally always been more a a Sachtler man than an O'Connor man. They are both excellent products and O'Connor is bigger on the West Coast while Sachtler is bigger on the East Coast. Their specs are pretty close with some interesting differences.

Cine-30
payload cap. 77lbs.
head weight 12.3 lbs.
tilt range +90/-75

2060
payload cap. 65 lbs.
head weight 16 lbs.
tilt range +90/-90

The Sachtler is bulkiewr but weighs less. It is rated for more weight but it does not have the infinite tension adjustment & crank in-counterbalance design. The O'Connor can tilt up further but tilt down is the one people usually care about.

It's about what works for you. I like 'em both. Both companies are owned by the same larger group.

[Yean Loon]

Just got a quote from Abel and even after the discount, i find that i can get a better package from some stores online. Eg. Adorama's Miller Arrow 55 #1726 system is about $300 less.
Or was i quoted wrongly??

[Mitch Gross]

I'll ask someone from our Sales Dept. to check.

[Stacey Spears]

My 1726 package arrived today. One thing to note, you may not get 55 pounds of capacity on the Miller Arrow55. It will probably be ~39-41 pounds based on the center of gravity of the Red. You need to look at the Arrow 55 manual, not data sheet, to see the capacity limits.

[Andrew Benz]

How do you like it though Stacey from an operational pov (head and sticks)?

Thank you for the heads up on loading the head...

[John Godden]

snip
I get nightmares thinking about a poor ChuckT using a RED camera...:holloween:

That's the best retort I've seen in a while.

JohnG

[Mitch Gross]

Just got a quote from Abel and even after the discount, i find that i can get a better package from some stores online. Eg. Adorama's Miller Arrow 55 #1726 system is about $300 less.
Or was i quoted wrongly??

We apologize. We have a discount deal in place with Miller but our purchasing agent is out sick and it did not get properly implemented in our database. I believe that we are now quoting significantly less than the competition mentioned. We've sent you a new quote and if anyone else has received a Miller Arrow 55 quote from us that they believe may be in error please do not hesitate in letting us know.

Again, we're sorry for the confusion and for ever misquoting a price to anyone.