Been looking at the Ready Rig but curious how that would mount on the Movi Pro ring without slipping. I'm guessing since the Pro is so new, there aren't many options or experience with this setup yet.
Ready Rig has a Facebook page, and Sam Nuttman posted a photo using a Ready Rig with the new Movi Pro Ring. As a Ready Rig owner myself, I asked him how well it worked, and he was enthusiastic. He said the Velcro straps gripped the ring pretty well at the top. I think he was using the Pro Arms, which I also have, but I don't often find them useful, to be honest. I might experiment putting the arms lower, grabbing below the disc clamps on the sides, but I've found that makes the Ready Rig feel too wide with the old ring. It might be better with the new Pro Arms because you can extend them a bit. I can't recommend the Ready Rig enough. It's a great piece of equipment made in a little garage in Van Nuys, CA. It's lighter than an Armorman (and can switch to Inverted 'High' mode quickly), and far less expensive than a Slingshot. It goes through doorways and small spaces, and packs down small if you need it. You can always use it with a Classic Handle if the Ring doesn't work out. I ordered a new Classic Handle, even though I prefer the slightly wider old M15 handle, but I like the swivel monitor mount option. The Ring is too wide to go through many doorways and is a pain to put in a case, but seems convenient in other ways. I highly recommend the Ready Rig! It's on sale today, too -- Do it! You won't regret it.
Oh, and check out their owner's group page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/101076270282163/ Hopefully you saw the Cyber Monday $100-off deal, too.
Thanks for all the info! Don't think I can drop the money just yet (will rent until I make back some of the Movi Pro purchase). But seems like thats the best option. Don't see getting the upgraded arms as my movi rig most likely won't be more than 20lbs and like you, most people I've talked to haven't had a need for them. Thanks again!
I was wondering the same things Rob, glad this was asked. Of all the rigs out there, I'm definitely leaning towards it. Also, Chris Herr used it with the Ring in a recent vlog video and it seemed to work quite well. I keep buying Movi accessories, and I don't even have my MōVI Pro yet! When it comes and I mount a full camera package to it, I'm sure I'll be pulling the trigger on a Ready Rig quickly after.
Some questions on the Ready Rig that I've had: What is the vertical range? How far above my head can I lift the camera? Do the Pro arms add height? Has anyone used the Walter Klassen extension handles with the Ready Rig? What about replacing the attachments from the rig to the ring with something more quick releasing (like the freefly catch and release)? As always, thanks for the answers guys!
Hi Joshua, the Ready Rig is a vital part of my Movi kit. I love it! Enjoy the following tome... I have the Pro Arms now, but started with the original arms. Honestly, the original arms were nice and I don't find I need the Pro Arms that much. I got the Pro Arms for the ability to extend them, but what I've found is that will only really help you in Dual-Op situations, because it puts the gimbal away from your body and it's hard to control the camera as well. Occasionally I do find a shot where extending one or both arms is handy. Vertical Range: You can get more range with the Pro Arms, but you have much less control. Even with the Pro Arms fully extended, the camera only drops down to just below my knees. It won't hit the ground without me crouching. The regular arms can get the camera above my eyes if I push up, probably above my head with the Pro Arms extended. I find that I use the Pro Arms in the fully-retracted position for most shots, and the fully-retracted length is the same as the original arms. You can do a boom shot with more vertical range with the Pro Arms, but you won't be able to really tilt the camera without someone using a Mimic or other controller. Instead of holding on to the Movi itself, I just grab the Ready Rig arms by my shoulders and control the boom move that way, because the Movi gets pushed too far from my body and I can't reach it. If you want to get the camera higher, you can shoot inverted with the Ready Rig very easily. This is not practical with the Armorman, and it's one important feature of the Ready Rig. I've done many a walk-and-talk with the Movi inverted to get it just above the subject's eyeline. The Pro Ring may change how much I need to do this, but I'm not sure. I wasn't really happy with the Ready Rig and the original Movi Ring, but I'm going to give it another go with the Movi Pro. I also have Klassen extension handles, and they're nice for longer takes, and allow you to hold your arms at a more comfortable level instead of burning out your triceps. Again, if you want to use them to extend the range of motion, it's probably a shot better suited for Dual-Op mode, not Majestic. I also have the 1A Tools handles, which swap on and off and adjust very quickly without any tools. With the Klassen Handles, I ordered a Top Bar from Walter Klassen, because it has a metal re-inforcement that keeps the handles from cracking the carbon fiber. The standard Top Bar from them is longer than the Original Movi Top Bar (which was 550mm, now the 'Classic' Handle Bar is 450mm), but they offered to cut the Top Bar to 550mm for me so I could still easily go through doorways. I don't use the Klassen Handles too often, usually because by the time I realize they'd be good for the shot I'm doing, we've moved on to the next shot. But I do use them. Ready Rig attachments: I like them a lot, and can attach them in seconds with just a bit of practice. It's no slower than a Steadicam Operator mounting up to their rig. Not sure why you need something more quick-releasy, maybe for a hand-off? I'm sure you could rig something up with webbing loops and a catch and release or something if you want, but the arms are going to shoot up on you when you quick release. You need to keep a hand on them. The second you cut loose the weight of the gimbal, those arms are going to go flying. And of course, the Ready Rig's $100 off today! That Movi can get heavy quickly.
Hey graham great post. Now that u are one of the few to actually have the pro, have you tried interfacing the new ring with the ready rig?
Hi Sebastian, I've spent the last few days testing things out with the Movi, setting it up, tearing it down, trying different things. I've only had a little time trying different operating configurations, so my opinions may change. The Ready Rig definitely works with the Ring. At first I tried attaching it at the top of the ring, and that worked OK but made it harder to get high angles. Then I attached it just above mid-way, by using the little handle stops that come with the Ring to keep the ReadyRig lanyards from sliding up higher, and I was able to get more range and height. This is a nice advantage over the handles, because if you're doing a walk-and-talk with someone and want more height, you've got it. The Ring is fairly big, but not huge, so if you're working in a house and need to go through tight doorways, it may not be ideal. I was able to move around my house with it, but I also tried the Classic Handle, and felt I had more precise control, especially with Panning. The Ring felt like driving an SUV and the short handles felt like a sports car. That's not necessarily a bad thing, depending on the shot, because the Ring might feel more stable. The Ring offers a more comfortable operator experience though. Again, if you've never tried using a vest with a gimbal, I highly recommend getting your hands on one and trying it. If you don't have a vest, however, the Ring is definitely more comfortable to operate, especially because you can grab it lower than with handles.