Gear Recommendations

[John Swift]

So I'm basically asking for you guys to give me ideas of what equipment to get, buy equipment I mean Tripod, Head, plate to use so that I can have 15mm bars on etc. I dont want to pay too much but obviously I want it to be stable with everything on, by the way I dont currently have a RED camera but I'm saving up for one but i would like to get the tripod and all that gear before i actually get the camera as i will be able to go out and film straight away and I will be able to use the gear with my 500D I have at the moment so I can get used to carrying the weight around and everything.



I know this may be posted in the wrong place but it does relate to the Scarlet as I am looking for gear that is stable with the Scarlet on, hope you guys can help!

[John Swift]

What ive been looking at is Sachlter FSB 6 (75mm Fluid Head), with Miller Togglw DV 2 Stage legs, then get a Genus Hot Plate Professional Adapter Bar system so that I can use a Genus Bravo Deluxe follow focus system.

Would this be sensible or what would you recommend?

[Nick Pasquariello]

Your best bet will probably be to look through the whole Post Your Rig thread: http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthr...-Scarlet-X-Rig as well as the "Accessories for DSMC" forum: http://www.reduser.net/forum/forumdi...ories-for-DSMC

Because gear gets talked about a lot, and any sort of "I need suggestions but just throw 'em out there" kind of thread tends to get buried fast.

[stu aull]

Several Tripod/Head threads in the Accessories forum area worth a search for.
At the very least, if you are looking specifically at tripod/head combo, I would repost in Accessories with the subject "Tripod and Head Suggestions" (for eg). There you will get feed back from both Epic and Sacrlet users. Why not get info from the most folks??

Stu Aull
SX 199
Alaska

[Steve Phillipps]

Depends on lots of things - what you shoot, what lenses you have and what budget.
Ideal world I'd go for x 15mm baseplate onto an O'Connor 1030D. In my experience, for critical work, at least with long lenses, I find the Sachtler stuff pretty terrible. Go O'Connor, Ronford Baker (the 2003 head is the same size bracket) or possibly Cartoni. Cartoni have just released their Master Mk2, much bigger head and probably not what you want but for heavier rigs it looks like an alternative to a 2060 - haven't tested it yet though.
Steve

[Mark Phelan]

"I dont want to pay too much but obviously I want it to be stable with everything on" is the crux of the issue. A tripod for a still camera can be pretty cheap because you're using it for – stills. Once you introduce movement, now a tripod and head become a whole 'nother object. Not paying too much and getting a good stable head just doesn't compute. It's probably the one thing that most folks stumble over when building a kit of gear. A good tripod is worth it's weight in gold and also bears a significant price tag. There really is no getting around needing a good head on a good set of sticks. The reason why you'll find a consensus here is that those who have gone before you have tried lesser options and realized pretty quickly they don't work, or put another way, they don't work well enough. The cheaper heads become sloppy, or they stick, or they can't hold the weight, etc.

With a tripod, you truly do get what you pay for. Budget for a good one from the brands that people trust. Not going to list them here as there are numerous threads about the various good setups. But don't scrimp in this one area. Everything you shoot will be a reflection of your ultimate choice and it will show on screen.

[John Swift]

By "I dont want to pay too much but obviously I want it to be stable with everything on" I mean I dont want to buy ones that cost like 5grand (UK Pounds), and I know still tripods are cheap I have 3 good ones already, that is why I was asking about Fluid Heads and Tripods with Ball head mounts rather than Tripods for stills that are usually one set.

[Mark Phelan]

By "I dont want to pay too much but obviously I want it to be stable with everything on" I mean I dont want to buy ones that cost like 5grand (UK Pounds), and I know still tripods are cheap I have 3 good ones already, that is why I was asking about Fluid Heads and Tripods with Ball head mounts rather than Tripods for stills that are usually one set.

And that is why I said what I said. You'll find a fairly narrow band of opinions on tripods and heads. Cartoni, Miller, O'Connor, Ronford and Satchler are the names you'll hear most. From there you'll have to determine your point of pain as to what you think is too much for a good setup. If you're coming from a 5d and Manfrotto mindset, your idea of what is good and acceptable might change once you get an Epic or Scarlet. A good tripod/head lasts forever, purchase wisely.

[Jason Ano]

I'm still waiting to save up for a proper tripod, but for the time being, I've used cheap tripods for quick studio & on location work. I've used the Davis & Sanford Provista 7518 w/ FM18 head (B&H $189) and the Manfrotto 504HD head with 546B legs (B&H $775) in a studio. The beauty of the Scarlet's form is the compact design. My total system w/ Zeiss ZF, tactical cage & batteries is just around 11-12 lbs. So if you need something to hold you over, these worked for me.

[Philipe Ratton]

Cartoni focus HD, for a budget set up its very nice and cheap. I went for libec legs and am very pleased so far.