+1 for PAN MOTOR UPGRADE FOR M10 & M15 - they both fail when camera is 90 degrees to flight path when going +10m/sec with 13bs (including the movi gimbal weight) - HUGE ISSUE FOR US
Firmware, larger motor or geared pan motor, etc - anything to help the poor M10/M15 pan motors since they can't handle the wind resistance / inertia.
I second on this one. When flying fast sideways with a FS7 with Rokinon-lens, wedge and 1 focus motor, the pan motor fails to hold every time. This sucks. We need stronger pan motor.
Two things. 1: When using the handlebar upgrade kit to invert the MoVI, we need to rotate the monitor on the bars. To do this we need the allen key tool from Freefly. If you replaced the screws with the quick release thumb levers like you have on the new handlebar quick release system, it would create a much faster transition by allowing the user to loosen those by hand, rotate the monitor, and then tighten them back up by hand. 2: For a small production crew like ours, one of the more difficult parts of working the MoVI into our schedule is trying to figure out when to swap from MoVi, to any other system such as a tripod, shoulder mount or slider. We currently use Manfrotto quick release plates on all of our gear, and swapping between different gear is easy. Incorporating the MoVI means we need to take our quick release plate off of the camera, and screw in the MoVI plate. If there were an adaptor that could be mounted to any tripod plate, which could accept and lock down the MoVI plate, it would allow the camera to come directly off the MoVI and be placed directly onto any other tripod or system that used quick release plates. This would make the MoVI that much more versatile during small production shooting.
Dustin, maybe this is what you're looking for : http://1a-tools.com/shop/movi-tripod/movi-m10m15-tripod-adapter
I have another issue with my M5 that I will assume is an issue for the M10 and M15. The camera plate has square grooves/channels that lock it into the mounting plate on the gimbal and the center lever on the bottom that locks the camera plate in place pulls down and clamps down on the camera plate to keep it in place...for the most part. The problem with this system is there has to be play/machining tolerance between the two plates in order for the user to be able to get the two plates to slide together. The end result here is after you lock down the camera plate you can grab the lens and move the lens back and forth on the pan axis, which is a bad thing. A better way to do this is the way it is done on a Ronin, where the two plates have 45° tapers machined into them and the clamping lever pushes in from the side, forcing the camera plate down and away, taking any free play out of the system. Wayne Mann www.HeliCamHDmedia.com
Hi Wayne, I get what you are saying, but you can still rotate the camera on the Ronin plate in the pan axis right? It isnt constrained in that axis. With the top rail on, it should remove an free play in the pan axis. The issue I run into with some setups is the weak camera to lens interface limiting tuning. On my A7S if I support the lens, I can improve tuning substantially.
Hi Tabb, Long time no talk. No, on the Ronin it is locked down solid. The locking mechanism on the Ronin comes in from the side pushing the camera plate to the opposite side and with the two plates having 45° machined angles it also pushes down on the camera plate so there is no movement. Yes, if you are running lens support it will stop the camera from moving on the pan axis, but the top camera mount for the Movi does not help this issue, BUT it helps a tremendous amount in making the overall structure a ton more solid, allowing much higher gains. Great to hear from you, hope all is well. Wayne Mann www.HeliCamHDmedia.com
Hi Wayne! What I am saying I guess is that the taper locks the mount plate to the gimbal, but not the camera to the plate. To lock the camera to the plate you really need a lens support (forgot the ronin had that) or two screws (still doesnt solve lens issue)
Hi Tabb, Yes, locking the camera to the plate so that it can't rotate is another issue that a lot of people don't address. GH4s, 5Ds and all cameras in that size range have holes in the bottom of the camera that can be used as holes for anti rotation pins from the camera plate. My M5 camera plate has a plate that bolts to it via two bolts so that it can't rotate and then that plate has a bolt coming up from the bottom that keys into the camera securing it from being able to rotate. I do this for the Gh4, 5D or whatever camera that gets mounted so that you can't rotate the camera once it is mounted. I learned to do this because when you are on set and the camera tech comes up to the mount to plug in the LCD for the Dragon to make changes they often put a lot of force on the gimbal and camera to get the thing plugged in and if the camera isn't secure it gets twisted out of whack. Wayne Mann www.HeliCamHDmedia.com
Wayne, Why don't you use the second tripod screw hole on the Dragon? You just put a reducer like this to 1/4" tripod screw hole of Dragon, and now you can use the second screw through the M10 plate: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/882989-REG/Sunwayfoto_tn_25_Stainless_Steel_1_4_to.html Regarding to M10/M15 I would echo again the Pan holding issue. We can't do high speed sideways tracking shots; the pan just can't hold its axis no matter what the settings are. M10 is a bit better in this regard; I think that's because it has less inertia due to the short tilt arms.
Hi Ozkan, Thanks. That is exactly what I do. The issue I was explaining to Tabb with Epics and Dragons was a long time ago. Every camera I mount to my gimbals is always done with two bolts to ensure alignment and repeatability for balance reasons. I have a bunch of the 3/8" to 1/4" brass screw in adaptors for converting 3/8" holes to 1/4". I have bunch of those because the trick is remembering to remove those adaptors before you return the camera to the rental house. Wayne Mann www.HeliCamHDmedia.com
Can you guys post photos of your setups? Are you running big matteboxes or?? I don't have the same experience on pan holding on my machines.
Hey Tabb, We lose the pan when we are under wind loading or extreme g forces on the M15 with a Dragon and Cooke Mini S4 and either a screw in filter or a Misfit Atom when mounted on vehicles. But, I would expect it in these conditions as it's a small handheld gimbal and not designed for this. When we are under the Alta we run a Dragon with Canon mount and a Leica R lens with screw in filter to reduce the wind load. We power from the carbon v mount with the small IDX battery and use a Connex for the video. No focus or iris motors. When we are at full speed and I pan to the side, I can feel the wind effect fighting with the gimbal.
My setup which fails when flying sideways with high speed: M15 with Alexa Mini + Arri Ultra Prime + Focus Motor + Connex No Matteboxe.
I just double checked the camera plate/slider play on both our M10 and M15 by applying force to a long lens on our Red and there is virtually zero.
The pan motor is certainly the weak point of the device. Overall I felt we got in too early with the M10 when the M15 would have been a much more versatile tool. However a lot of pretty great features are now available via the new firmware, which adds a lot of value IMO. It has just saved me from purchasing a second remote head for timelapses, at least before I see how well Akira performs.