Would a Cartoni Alfa II system work with RED?

[Elizabeth Lowrey]

My main tripod system is a Cartoni Alfa II head and two stage tripod, which I've used for years with a Sony DSR300 camera that weighs around 15 pounds when loaded with a big battery. It's served very well for that application and the head is rated to take up to 22 pounds (the tripod, well over that). It uses a nominal 100mm bowl base (actual measure @ 95mm.)

http://www.reduser.net/forum/uploaded/210_1204063218.jpg

The old product page is here:

http://www.cartoni.com/eng/alfa.html

I'm pretty sure this system is no longer made. The closest on specs in the Cartoni line appears to be the Focus.

For weight estimation purposes, I imagine my tripod-mounted RED could include at times an AKG CK-93 mic, RED LCD, at least one set of 18" rods, the Redrock mattebox (if it ever ships), a handle, a RED battery, RED hard drive, Birger lens mount, and one of the newer Nikon zooms.

I imagine all this would come in at well over 20 pounds, although I'm not certain whether I could trim things down to the 22 pound Alfa II limit. Even if I could, am I likely to be disappointed with the performance of this tripod system with this camera? Is it just not robust enough for a RED rig?

I see that most folks here are using the massive O'Connor heads. I presume that's at least in part because so many are coming from film backgrounds where support systems need to be able to comfortably handle loads of 45 pounds or more. Or is it just the case that if you want optimum performance, you need to have a tripod system designed to carry a lot more weight than you'll actually be using?

[Tonaci Tran]

As an owner of a Cartoni Focus and Gamma, I would say the alpha is not going to cut it. You need a head that can support 30lbs + to comfortably handle a shooting red config..with batt, mattbox, follow focus, battary, harddrive..etc.

[Tonaci Tran]

http://redmodz.com/images/newsimages/red/cartoni.jpg

[Elizabeth Lowrey]

Thanks for the reply, tonaci. What is the head shown in your second pic? And what is that bowl size?

[Tonaci Tran]

100mm Cartoni Gamma. It's works and it is light..recently. I have been using a rented 2060 head and man it is solid. It's the ideal head to have for the RED..but damn is it expensive.

[Elizabeth Lowrey]

100mm Cartoni Gamma. It's works and it is light..recently. I have been using a rented 2060 head and man it is solid. It's the ideal head to have for the RED..but damn is it expensive.

Yeah, I just can't spare the $ for the 2060. If the Alfa II isn't enough, then I'm thinking about a Vinten Vision 8 system. I've used a friend's older Vinten system and was very impressed with the fluidity of the head compared to my Cartoni.

[Alexander Christ]

IMO the Alfa II isn't enough, instead of the Vinten have a look at the Miller Arrow 55, it holds up to 55lbs and costs about 20% more.

[Larry McKee]

I wouldn't want to try the RED with my Cartoni Beta. But it works just fine with my Gamma even rigged out with an Angenieux 20-120 zoom, mattebox, follow focus, RED LCD, battery and RED Drive. So, the short answer is, no, I don't think the Alpha is beefy enough.