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Tiffen steadicam aero Operator'S Manual Download Page 13

 

Setting Up 

 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add your choice of monitor by lining up the 

registration pins and attaching it to the 

monitor mount via the captive ¼-20 screw. 

 

Slide Base together, connecting the Post to the 

Cross Rod. The Base only slides in from the 

battery side.

 

 

Tighten the Base Lock Knob securely. 

 
 
 

Note:

 To disassemble the Sled later, loosen 

the Base Lock Knob, then press the Base 

Release Safety while sliding the two halves 

apart. 

 

The Steadicam AERO

 arrives disassembled in a compact kit with the optional accessories 

you selected. The customizable nature means your rig might differ slightly from the units 
pictured in this manual. However, all the major parts and adjustments are the same. 

Build the AERO from scratch: 

 

 

9

Summary of Contents for steadicam aero

Page 1: ...Operator s Manual LIT 825000 Revision A ...

Page 2: ...mpany Steadicam AERO is a trademark of The Tiffen Company All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners Specifications stated within this manual are subject to change without notice Please see www tiffen com warranty html for warranty details 2016 The Tiffen Company Written by E Barthelman ...

Page 3: ......

Page 4: ...Camera 13 Balancing 19 Static Balance 20 The Steadicam Vest 27 Fitting the Vest 28 The Steadicam Arm 29 Connecting the Arm Vest 30 Lifting the System 31 Adjusting the Arm Threads 32 Steadicam Operating 35 Operating 101 36 Weights Post Extension 41 Goofy Operating 45 Advanced Operating 47 Dynamic Balance 49 Maintenance 53 Cleaning 54 Electronics Connectors 55 Contact Tiffen 57 ...

Page 5: ...erb run gun rig for veterans and flat out stunts It s rigid and precise and has all the bells and whistles you re used to In fact a lightweight Steadicam harshly operated for violent moves yields much more realistic action sequences than handheld And an excessively light camera what a concept can easily be brought up to inertial snuff with supplied weights added to the proprietary corner mounts on...

Page 6: ...2 ...

Page 7: ...o your Sled in order to suit the shot or your operating preferences Take a moment to familiarize yourself with the components and features of the Steadicam AERO Monitor Mount Pivots for easy viewing Balance Weights The Post Extendable from 22 5 to 35 5 Indexed sections Gimbal Grip Control camera pan and tilt Knurled grip surface Battery Mount Multiple battery mounts available V Lock shown in this ...

Page 8: ...rections Graduated scale BNC Video Jack HD SDI connection to Base Release Button Press to free Quick Release plate from Stage P tap Power Jack 12 Volt output The Stage Bubble Level Horizon confidence level Weight Threads Four 20 tapped holes Place Balance Weights at corners Docking Ring Rest Rig on Dock here Fore Aft scale Graduated reference scale 4 ...

Page 9: ...dle Connection to Arm Control Boom height The Gimbal Quick Release Plate Balance Weights 25 lb each 20 threaded Gimbal Lock Knob Adjustable clamping handle Secures Gimbal to Post Pan Bearing Center of balance No maintenance Rod mount holes Focus motor mounting Fore Aft scale Graduated reference scale 5 ...

Page 10: ...ount 20 threads Fits most monitors Angle adjustable Monitor Power 3 Pin Mini XLR Power your monitor 5A self resetting fuse 12 Volt Cross Rod Clamp Knob Loosen to slide Cross Rod in Base Tighten to lock Cross Rod Base Locking Knob Locks the upper Base section to the lower Base section Base Release Safety Depress to unlock the Base to detach Cross Rod from Post for storage and transport 6 ...

Page 11: ...comes included with most AERO configurations Battery Mounts comes included with most AERO configurations 825 7300 01 V Lock Battery Mount with D Tap 825 7300 02 Anton Bauer Battery Mount with D Tap 825 7300 03 Sony BP U Battery Mount 825 7300 04 Canon LP E6 Battery Mount 825 7300 05 Sony NP F970 Battery Mount 825 7300 06 Panasonic D28 Battery Mount Arm Post Adapters If you already own an arm and v...

Page 12: ...Notes 8 ...

Page 13: ...n the Base Lock Knob securely Note To disassemble the Sled later loosen the Base Lock Knob then press the Base Release Safety while sliding the two halves apart The Steadicam AERO arrives disassembled in a compact kit with the optional accessories you selected The customizable nature means your rig might differ slightly from the units pictured in this manual However all the major parts and adjustm...

Page 14: ... Rod you may need to reinstall these later when you balance your AERO We suggest operating with the monitor at a 45 angle to the Cross Rod This is adjustable by loosening the Monitor Mount Knob with one hand while supporting and adjusting the monitor with the other Once you ve adjusted the angle to your liking re tighten the Monitor Mount Knob Second remove the Battery Mount Locking Shaft slide th...

Page 15: ...k Knob Make sure the Lock Knob is retightened Start with one weight on each end of the Cross Rod for most cameras Your AERO is now ready to add a camera Center the Stage in both Fore Aft and Side to Side axes by looking at the etched Scales and dialing the appropriate Adjustment Knob 11 ...

Page 16: ...Assembling the AERO Sled 12 ...

Page 17: ...ecise location on the Stage It s a simple procedure but take your time here to make balancing the Sled quicker and easier Watch the Video Mounting the Camera Some Tips on Setting Up Use shorter cables to avoid extra loops that you need to tie down Secure all loose cables with Velcro or gaffer s tape We suggest you keep your flip out LCD screen closed The screen can move which will upset your balan...

Page 18: ...nce of your camera setup Use a rod or something cylindrical to find the Side to Side balance point Place the camera on the rod with the rod parallel to the lens Find the point where the camera balances left to right Rotate the camera 90 to the rod and find the Fore Aft balance point using the same method 14 ...

Page 19: ...his case find the Side to Side balance first and then mount the Quick Release Plate to the camera and use the base of the Plate to find the Fore Aft balance point Fasten the Quick Release Plate to your camera Unlatch the Lock Lever and press the Release Button while sliding the Quick Release Plate from the Stage Then remove the two included camera screws 15 ...

Page 20: ...ounted with the Rod Mount holes forward However it will work in either orientation if necessary Fasten with the appropriate camera screw in the nearest opening Do not over tighten but ensure the camera will not rotate Mount the camera to the Stage Slide the Quick Release Plate into the Stage and position your Fore Aft mark about 1 4 6 mm behind the center of the Post 16 ...

Page 21: ...Setting Up Close the Lock Lever securing the camera to the Stage Using the Side to Side Knob visually align your Side to Side mark with the center of the Post Next we balance 17 ...

Page 22: ...Mounting your Camera Notes 18 ...

Page 23: ... so the Sled hangs upright and is not too bottom heavy Watch the Video Balancing Static Balancing will typically result in the Post being perfectly vertical with the camera on top the monitor angled for viewing and the gimbal close to the camera If your camera is especially light you should consider adding weight through accessories like a larger battery or audio receiver You can also add 4 or mor...

Page 24: ...Make sure the camera Lock Lever is tight Rotate the Post to horizontal With one hand firmly on the Post loosen the Gimbal Lock Knob The Post will move freely inside the open Gimbal Grasp the Post it will move freely inside the open Gimbal Grasp the Gimbal Grip or use your thumb to push against the Gimbal sliding the Post one way or the other until the Sled balances horizontally like a seesaw This ...

Page 25: ...e the top to bottom balance after trimming the other two axes If you re balancing a heavier camera with a lightweight battery on the Base you may not be able to find the balance point If this is the case add two or more additional Balance Weights to each end of the Cross Rod or extend the Post by a few inches Then repeat the neutral balance procedure and slide the Gimbal towards to camera 21 ...

Page 26: ...he sled is on the balance pin If the camera tilts significantly loosen the Cross Rod Clamp Knob and slide the Cross Rod fore or aft until the camera remains horizontal Then lock in the position by retightening the Knob Quick tip always slide the weight uphill to find horizontal Fine tune the tilt by turning the Fore Aft Knob one way or the other to bring the camera to horizontal Small accessory le...

Page 27: ... level you might need to re mount the camera on the Quick Release Plate in a different location Third set the side to side balance While still on the balance pin loosen your grip again to see if the camera leans side to side The side to side lean should be minimal if you were able to align your side to side balance mark with the center of the Post Your Sled should be resting with the Post vertical...

Page 28: ...ce pin rotate the Sled to horizontal Release the Post and observe how long it takes for the Post to pass through vertical We re aiming for 2 3 seconds of Drop Time If your Drop Time is shorter than 2 seconds adjust the location of the gimbal AWAY from the Stage by a tiny amount If your Drop Time is longer than 3 seconds adjust the location of the gimbal CLOSER to the Stage by a tiny amount Make a ...

Page 29: ...t and Side to Side balance slightly after achieving your desired Drop Time Re test your Drop Time You may need to repeat the process a few times until it s around 3 seconds Note You may alter the Drop Time to suit your specific shot longer Drop Time for easier tilts and rapid accelerations shorter Drop Time for easier static horizons or windy conditions 25 ...

Page 30: ...Static Balance 26 ...

Page 31: ...o Fitting the Vest Shoulder Pads Shoulder Connector Socket Block Interface for the Arm Adjustable height Hip Pads Adjustable buckles Chest Straps Adjustable buckles Center Spar Adjustable Vest length Thumbscrew Bolts Fore Aft alignment General components of a Steadicam Vest Velcro Straps Wide range of adjustability Hip Strap With lower back padding Adjustable Velcro and buckles Note Each Vest has ...

Page 32: ...est and slip on the Vest 2 Close the Shoulder Connector Leave all Buckles open until instructed to later in the fitting process 3 Connect the chest straps and center the Chest Plate on your chest 4 Pull down on the Chest Plate to seat the shoulder pads on your shoulders 5 Adjust the overall Vest length so the Hip Pads are centered over your hips 6 Be sure the Hip Straps are horizontal on the Pads ...

Page 33: ...Quick Release Pin The Steadicam Arm supports the weight of the Sled while helping isolate the camera from the operator s movements and facilitates booming up and down The lifting strength of the Arm is adjustable to accommodate a wide range in payload It also incorporates Side to Side Adjustment Wheels which help align the lifting axis to your body Watch the Video Attaching the Arm General Compone...

Page 34: ...to the Socket Block of the Vest Then use the Thumbscrew Bolts to secure the connection Note Always keep a hand on the free end of the Arm or you risk hitting someone something or even yourself in the face If you re slender the top Thumbscrew will be most of the way in If you re more generously proportioned the top Thumbscrew will be some turns out from there Always dial the top Thumbscrew to your ...

Page 35: ...and raised so the Stage is roughly shoulder high bow to the stand and place the Arm Post into the receiver of the Gimbal Handle Keep your knees straight and bend at the hips Take a step towards the Rig and stand up straight Let the Arm take the weight and compress You can now lift the AERO System clear of the docking stand and step back Note docking is the exact opposite rest the base of the Stage...

Page 36: ... come to rest slightly above horizontal by about 5 10 With the Arm in the middle of its boom range does it rise or fall Turn the Forearm Lift Adjustment Knob clockwise to add lifting strength or counterclockwise to reduce the lifting strength Make small adjustments until the Forearm segment rests just above horizontal Repeat the adjustment on the Upper Arm section in the same way Both Arm sections...

Page 37: ... Thumbscrew If the rig tends to move towards you loosen the top Thumbscrew until the rig behaves and then tighten the bottom Thumbscrew Note both Thumbscrews must be snug before you get to work Typically your side to side adjustment won t need to be changed but if the System does move to one side you can correct it here Dock the Sled and remove the Arm from the Gimbal then add or subtract a half t...

Page 38: ...Adjusting the Arm Threads Notes 34 ...

Page 39: ...shots we can with the most accuracy and repeatability and also to be as comfortable as possible while working to ensure long days and a long career It all starts with the right posture Neck slightly tipped forward NOT hunching over to see monitor Shoulders back Stand up straight As if carrying no weight at all Don t lean back Hold rig close to body But not touching knees or hips Leave baggy clothe...

Page 40: ... possible often with just fingertips controlling the pan and tilt of the rig Touch the Gimbal as high on the Grip as possible and perpendicular to the Lens Note If working with the rig on your left feels odd to you maybe you re a goofy operator Check page 45 to learn how to switch over to goofy But the hand on the Gimbal Grip must also counteract the pendulum effects of accelerating cornering and ...

Page 41: ... float is always at work Whether static or moving we should always be in balance Our torso is maintaining the location so that the rig is isolated from our movements Push the rig away and we lean back slightly Push the rig to one side and we lean slightly to the other side Walking is as easy as walking Walk as normally as possible Walk with intention move to a specific spot along a specific path U...

Page 42: ...o finesse the end of your move stop walking and let the rig continue moving briefly finishing the move with just the Arm Tip If you don t need to walk just use the Arm to move the camera it can be much smoother than taking a step Headroom Use the boom range to control headroom with actors and on camera talent As they approach camera boom up As they move away boom down Resist the temptation to tilt...

Page 43: ...rn to control your starts panning speed and stops Combine a pan with booming for headroom as an actor passes by camera You can also perform a body pan by rotating on your foot hinging your entire body This can be preferable to maintain viewability of the monitor and for larger pans like 180 39 ...

Page 44: ...nd Keep the rig clear of your legs and the Vest Your grip will need to change a little to support the weight of the rig Stay in balance While tilting your Gimbal Grip Arm should maintain a comfortable angle Walk normal Continue to feather your moves with the Arm 40 ...

Page 45: ...u can tune the AERO to be quick handling and active or slow handling and stable to suit each shot It s possible to reduce the Pan inertia by moving the monitor and batteries closer to the Post This makes the camera whippy for action scenes or a more handheld look With a lightweight camera We usually add four or eight weights to the bottom of the Stage to get the Gimbal closer to the camera and pro...

Page 46: ...ost and balance Fore Aft by sliding the battery mount or sliding the entire Cross Rod With a heavier camera and heavy batteries You have more options available to you Short Post for compact size and easy tilts or Long Post for higher lens height and slower Tilt and Roll axes Add weights to the Stage so you can position the Gimbal closer to camera or add balance weights the Cross Rod to slightly in...

Page 47: ... or increase lens height add them directly under the Post When starting any scene consider all the possible adjustments and set up the Sled so it helps you get the shot Similarly you can increase the Pan inertia by extending the masses away from the center Post including the Accessory Weights Note keep the camera CG aligned slightly behind center of the Post and balance Fore Aft by sliding the bat...

Page 48: ...44 ...

Page 49: ...t should only take five minutes Even if you re a normal sided operator there will come a time where a shot requires you to have the camera on the opposite side so practice this occasionally to be prepared Disassemble your Vest as needed to gain access to the Socket Block Plate Each Vest is slightly different but most require the chest straps and neck yoke to be removed from the Center Spar Flip th...

Page 50: ...eset the Side to Side Adjustment Wheels Approximately 0 turns out on the bottom and 2 turns out on the top wheel Now you re ready to have the camera on the right side Does this feel better to you Some people are ambidextrous others strongly prefer one side over the other Operate on your dominant side but occasionally switch to your weak side to keep in practice 46 ...

Page 51: ...ccelerate your skills than by enrolling in a 2 day or one week Steadicam Workshop Visit www SteadicamWorkshops com for more info on classes near you Leading an actor Practice walking backwards with a spotter Get comfortable communicating your needs and listening to the spotter s notes Look away from the monitor briefly when stepping over obstacles but maintain the correct framing For faster longer...

Page 52: ...he Stainless Steel pin that is included with the F bracket Note the camera is usually inverted to save time and complexity on set This requires inverting the image in the edit as well as on monitors at location Operate with your hand BELOW the Gimbal on the Post It s often more difficult than normal mode because of the awkward hand position Plus tilting the Post takes extra practice and having the...

Page 53: ...d Dynamic Balance is extremely important for precise operating especially whip pans For a detailed explanation of the physics of panning a Steadicam look to the Steadicam Operator s Handbook For every combination of camera batteries Post length and Balance Weights there are multiple positions which will be in Static Balance but only one of these will be in Dynamic Balance The good news is that we ...

Page 54: ...irection and slide the battery fore or aft by 1 2 inch Re balance the Rig by adjusting the camera position Ensure the Post is vertical by using a bubble level in two directions on the camera Gimbal or Stage Re test the Dynamic Balance with a spin Did it improve or get worse Note Depending on the shot you re preparing for you may not need to be precise with Dynamic Balance But if you have lots of p...

Page 55: ...ion and re balance with the camera Once the AERO is in Dynamic Balance it s easy to maintain despite later changes to camera setup As long as you only make ONE change and re balance with that component it ll still be in Dynamic Balance Honest If you add accessories or change lenses on the camera above the Gimbal leave the Base as it is and re balance with the camera and you ll be right back in Dyn...

Page 56: ...mic Balance is preserved Congratulations You re ready to fly your AERO Hone your skills and improve your operating confidence by enrolling in a workshop and reading the Steadicam Operator s Handbook Be patient and dedicate time to wearing the rig 5 shot sequence Operating in various modes tilting etc Proper posture and hands Dynamic Balance 52 ...

Page 57: ...Quick Release Plate Adjusting the Post Clamp Open the Post Lock use a 3 mm Allen key to tighten the screw by 1 8 turn Re test to ensure the Post Lock holds the Post securely and closes completely DO NOT overtighten the fastener should only be tight enough to secure the Post Lubricating parts A touch of light grease on Knob or Screw threads will keep them working smoothly DO NOT lubricate the beari...

Page 58: ... removable they can be hand washed and air dried Not a bad idea after a few shoots in warm weather Check the mechanical pieces occasionally for wear damage and fasteners that may have come loose The Arm Like the rest of the system cleaning the Arm is just a matter of wiping it with a microfiber cloth sprayed with window cleaner Visually check the Arm for any damage especially if it s experienced r...

Page 59: ...und Pin2 11 17V 3 Pin Mini XLR3 Power output for Monitor Matching connector CON 036853 Pin1 Ground Pin2 11 17V Pin3 open HD video BNC Direct connection to BNC at Top Stage 3 Pin Mini XLR3 Power input from Battery Matching connector CON 036852 Pin1 Ground Pin2 11 17V Pin3 Open Top Stage Front Base Front Base Rear Electronics Connectors 1 2 1 2 3 1 2 3 55 ...

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Page 61: ...2557 Tiffen Steadicam Address 2815 Winona Avenue Burbank CA 91504 Phone 818 843 4600 1 800 593 3331 Fax 818 843 8321 Tiffen International Ltd Address Pinewood Studios Pinewood Road Iver Heath SL0 0NH United Kingdom Phone 44 1753 783 960 E Mail info tiffen com steadicam tiffen com www tiffen com steadicam Contact Tiffen 57 ...

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