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Freefly develops new stabilization?

Discussion in '3 Axis Gimbal' started by Daniel Delaunay, Jan 16, 2013.

  1. Daniel Delaunay

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  2. Howard Dapp

    Howard Dapp Active Member

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    Don't care to hear about it unless it's DD ;)
     
  3. Daniel Delaunay

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  4. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    Direct drive. No gears, no pulleys -- just direct drive from a motor.

    I think the item on FF's page may refer to the Radians -- and just indicate that that item's been on the web page for a while.

    A.
     
  5. Pavlos Antoniou

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    I am sure that they will do something for Direct Drive.. Comeone FF :) :) We all know that you can :): )
     
  6. Philip Ellerbroek

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    Weight may play to be an issue for DD. With the current setup, the pulley is one of the most advantageous for strength vs weight. Perhaps as the heavy lifters become more popular and sales grow, it will make sense to design/release a DD systems. Also, the heavy lifters are lifting the bigger cameras, so the mechanical setup to control/move the gimbal will need to eventually be beefed up, perhaps via DD.

    Phil
     
  7. Howard Dapp

    Howard Dapp Active Member

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    Just for starters a direct drive system for 5DIII size body with a 16-35mm lens or maybe a DD system compatible with both the 5DIII and Black Magic Cinema and a good wide angle lens, I know would sell like hotcakes. Then later we discuss a system for bigger cams like RED. Multis are already able to carry the weight. Imagine in a year from now what we'll be able to lift.
     
  8. Daniel Delaunay

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    DD! How could I forget these initials! LOL
    Didn't know that post on Freefly service website wasn't so new. It was the first time I went there and got very excited with that post! :p
    But I really think it's time for Cinestar 3axis to take the next step forward and go DD since Zenmuse already proved the efficiency of this technology and Photohigher is about to release the DD AV200.
    For everything I've been reading, the actual Cinestar 3axis may not have the same efficiency of Zenmuse, but is superior to conventional AV200 and can carry any camera up to the REDs with small mods. That makes it the most practical stabilised camera support available for Pros at the moment, but it may won't last long like that.
    I think Freefly will have to leave the comfort zone they have been enjoying so far and kick back raising the level with mind on Heavy Lifters that can fly longer with smaller cameras or show an amazing stabilisation quality with the now almost standard 4K cameras that can guarantee best image quality productions on a long term.
    That is were I see Cinestar moving into to keep their top pro level while the market grows bigger, faster and cheaper.
    And I confess I'm dying to build a full HL Cinestar8 asap, but with a small hexa almost ready that can start me on the aerial image service market, I'm having second thoughts all the time about landing this investment right now.
    I'm afraid this is a transitory moment in the pro level multirotor market and new revolutionary products may be soon available that will raise the level to a new standard. And I think that if Cinestar doesn't do it soon they may be outdated for a while.
    Of course that could also just be my usual paranoid with technology lifespan.
    But I have the feeling I'm not the only one thinking like that at the moment and that may give support to my paranoid. ;)
    Best way would be a DD upgrade kit for current 2/3axis version.
     
  9. Howard Dapp

    Howard Dapp Active Member

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    I share Daniels thoughts. Radian works very well for axis stabilization, it's now time for the *n3xlevel, high frequency stabilization. Let's rid ALL of the shakes, shutters and occasional bounce. Stable filming under any condition, professional grade performance for anyone willing to pay for it. Yes, we're able to carry big heavy cameras, that's just evolution. At the end of the day our equipment is hobby grade and we're using electronics that's pretty much all the same between different manufacturers once it's stripped down.

    Obviously not everyone will be able to afford next level performance and I'm seriously ok with that. In fact I hope it's priced out of the range of the average 'weekend' aerial business. Imagine if all of us had the ability to produce cineflex-like aerial video captured from a 4K camera, it would just kill the market!!

    Tabb, the 3 in *n3xlevel represents 3-axis, you're free to include this name in the new line of gimbals:D
     
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  10. Daniel Delaunay

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    Howard, I only disagree in one thing, the time when pro level film gear used to be over-expensive is quickly been left behind by each second at almost light speed. Technology is becoming exponentially better and cheaper reaching wider sales and putting the difference more towards talent than production budget.
    So I can see a DD upgrade kit that fits on existing gimbals and costing about the same or even less than actual 3axis system (the DD upgrade kit only) or a complete new *n3xlevel around 4K retail price. And that would already be a premium price I guess.

    Put that under a new or upgraded High Quality foldable HL frame with attention to details like motor mounts alignment systems, arms angle setups, etc, and I can easily see Freefly systems hovering above competition for the next couple of years again while delivering real pro level systems with competitive affordable prices for Pros and semi-pros, which means a huge profitable fast growing market!
    Maybe in 3-4 years time we will begin to see specialized RTF machines out of factory that will set it totally apart from hobby grade.
    But there is a last step that should come before that and the time is now.
    Just look how many Cinestar frames and gimbals clones are hitting the market now!
    It's for sure the time to raise the bar on pro level!
     
  11. Steve Maller

    Steve Maller UAV Grief Counselor

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    I can also see a time in the not-too-distant future where, like Holger's generous open sourced software, that people open source physical designs that can be replicated on 3D printers. I know people are doing some truly amazing things nowadays with these miracle machines, and I can imagine a day where I can use a piece of software to perfectly spec' out a set of parts and literally print myself a copter (or at least parts like the camera mounts and whatnot) with a degree of precision that's currently very difficult to achieve. For example, I would love to have completely customized, perfectly-tailored camera mounts for my 5D Mark III that work with 2-3 different lenses, taking into account not only their weight and CoG, but their optical characteristics, too.
     
  12. Daniel Delaunay

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    Great point Steve!
    Wouldn't be great to pay the project, download the file and print the products at home?
    No shipping, no custom taxes, no delays, no missing parts, no annoying sellers...lol
    Ohhh, and the trafic would be much better too with less people driving around for shopping!
    Hope I won't be too old when that kicks in strong!

    But you know how girls are, that technology will be useless to them!
    They just have the primordial need to see, touch, smell, try and talk to all the available models on the shopping shelf before making up their minds!
    ;)
     
  13. Steve Maller

    Steve Maller UAV Grief Counselor

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    When last I checked, this forum (and this profession) leans pretty heavily on one direction, gender-wise. Just an observation. ;)
     
  14. Daniel Delaunay

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    Just something that crossed my mind when I was answering your post!
    But it's really a shame we don't have ANY girls here.
    But since they nowadays are successful comercial and Air Force pilots, shouldn't be long before they say we are machistas and proclaim this is also a woman job!
    Back to DD, There are rumours that AV200 is almost ready and it's price has been set!
    http://photohigher.co.nz/products/c...s/av200/av2-av200-dd-direct-drive-pro-gimbal/
    If it does deliver Zenmuse quality across a big line of cameras, I won't think twice!
     
  15. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    Katya Nehalems-Wright occasionally visits the forum. She's an independent film producer in England, and flies a C8, with a C300 I believe.
    I think it's a shame the population of the copter world is not more balanced too.

    Andy.
     
  16. Daniel Delaunay

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    Cool!
    Nice to know we already have our own Amelia Earhart of multirotors videography!
    I wonder if she is nice, young and single....;)
     
  17. Joe Azzarelli

    Joe Azzarelli Active Member

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    Chasing the "bleeding edge" in this field, as in most technology fields, is terribly expensive and can render ROI meaningless. At CES some firm was showing a 4k imager that will fit in smartphones. Which means in a few years there will be superHD in an ar.drone. I may be exaggerating the timeline but this is the world we live in.

    Yet even if you could buy a Steinway for $500, it will not make you a piano virtuoso. There is still lots of HD and even SD production in the world. Practicing and perfecting methods and skills is simply the only rational way to create the degrees of separation between professionals and the competition that opens shop because they have enough money to buy all the latest technology, toys and gadgets.

    Then there are those, like me, who are simply in love with this endeavor. I hope to earn some money with my cinestar but at this time the joy of building, flying, inventing, improving, learning and even participating in this forum - are my driving factors.

    Much of the video that I have seen here that has been produced using the existing CS technology is fantastic! Excellence is possible without DD or the next-great-thing. As we say in the construction business - "a poor craftsman always blames his tools".

    Now stop reading this drivel and go do some flying!

    Joe
     
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  18. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    Right on, Joe.
    One must separate capabilities from abilities.
    Give someone a computer and a word processor and it doesn't make them an author.

    You could give Jeff Scholl a Blade mQX and a Hero (assuming the Blade would lift it--and yeah, I know), and he could shoot great video. That's ability. Dammit Jeff, make it look a bit more difficult would you! :)

    Me? I need all the capabilities I can get. Still working on the ability side... :)

    Andy.
     

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