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MoVI controller: worth the money?

Discussion in 'MōVI M10' started by Ben Huddleston, Sep 18, 2014.

  1. Ben Huddleston

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    I ordered the MoVI controller this week, and I'm wanting to hear people who own it rave about it so I feel justified in an expense that I can't really charge a higher rental rate for.

    I know the basics of what it offers. Any hands on users who can tell me how it makes them better operators and any tips to help me shorten my learning curve of using it? I'm in the middle of a feature, and I'll have the controller next week, so I'd like to put it through the paces in a high pressure situation right off the bat.

    Thanks
    Ben
     
  2. Jeff Cook

    Jeff Cook Member

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    We'll now that it cost almost half of what a M10 does, it may seem to be a bit overpriced:)

    I have had mine for a few months now and love it. The joystick feels much better in your hand that the small Spectrum stick and it looks like a real piece of professional equipment, not something you got at the hobby shop. It has all the menu controls that you used to access through a table or laptop, which is great. It will take a little while to get the menus down pat, but it's a good time saver. I have the Follow Focus for the Redrock on mine and it is handy when not shooting something with crtical focus, the focus knob is not as smooth as the standalone remote.

    I'm looking forward to updates to the system, (getting the record button to work would be great), so it should only get better.
     
  3. Michael McVay

    Michael McVay Active Member

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    I have it and love it. The control feels much more precise than with the RC transmitter. Even though the transmitter probably has all the same capability, the Movi controller's easy access to change speeds with the knobs is great - and allows really slow precise movement. We recently used it upside down on a tripod mount and simply put the tilt speed to zero, pan speed to zero moved the joystick all the way over to the right - then turned up the pan speed a very small amount to get a perfectly consistent, steady, slow pan. You could have held the joystick all the way right and all the way up or down and part way through the pan turned up the tilt speed a little to introduce some slow smooth tilt at the same time. I know other motion control heads do a good job of this too, but having the movi and movi controller made this super easy. Plus, with the toad in the hole set up we can pop it off the tripod and put the handlebars back on in seconds.

    A couple other nice features are being able to monitor the movi battery voltage - especially if you use the movi battery to power other accessories. We don't go into the menus much, but not needing to get out the tablet to make a quick setting change is also pretty cool.

    You can certainly get by fine without it, but you won't regret buying the controller.
     
  4. Ben Ruffell

    Ben Ruffell Active Member

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    It is the only way to operate the MoVI on a proper commercial set. The RC Controller is a toy by comparison.
     
  5. Ben Huddleston

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    I also own the RedRock wireless FF. Isn't the MoVI controller supposed to be compatible so I can use it as the FF handset? I guess I could ask Freefly, but is there any add'l things I have to buy to make them play nice together?

    Also, what are the dimensions of it? I'm gonna order a Pelican case for it.
     
  6. Austin Glass

    Austin Glass Active Member

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    Freefly makes a $199 add on for the Redrock (you can select it on the same page you buy the Controller on).

    For your case, the Pelican 1500 (no foam) is all you'll need, as the foam the MōVI controller is shipped in is made to go into the 1500.
     
  7. Austin Glass

    Austin Glass Active Member

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    Just last night I submitted the drawings for some custom foam to fit into a Pelican 1510, which is a little longer. My design has some extra slots for things like a monitor and paralinx and such. If the design works, I'll report back.
     
    Bryan Edmonds likes this.
  8. Derek Cooper

    Derek Cooper Active Member

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    Which cam are you using? Chris over at Quadrocopter has the remote trigger working w the Controller and I've been using it for some time now - great.
     
  9. Ben Huddleston

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    I'm using the Red Carbon Dragon. I don't have the module for wireless FF control though.
     
  10. Hikari Homma

    Hikari Homma Member

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    I think over priced. It must be 50%off but not M10. Then everyone is happy I think.
    Keep gimbal high price but make good price accessory.
    It's only way to fight against Chinese company I think.

    Movi controller was much better than toy controller. It's useful.
    But for me, controller is not so important. I don't use controller so much. So I didn't buy yet.
    If you use controller many time, then you should buy it.

    I gonna buy it when price was dropped 50% :)
     
  11. Derek Cooper

    Derek Cooper Active Member

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    You don't need wireless FF for remote triggering. Have a look here:

    http://www.quadrocopter.com/Remote-Shutters_c_118.html

    Call and talk to Chris - he may have a solution for you. Very helpful.
     

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