Hello everyone, maybe you didn`t meet the camera crane jib before, but you want to purchase one set such equipment to reach your shooting request. You don`t know how to choose the most suitable camera crane jib for you, pay attention, I said, the most suitable, not the best. Because there are so many different model shooting equipment, the camera crane jib also many different models. The most suitable is the best. I will lead you on how to make the decision. Follow me! Answer these 4 questions below.
1. Know all about your equipment and usage clearly
Before you make the decision, I will give you several questions to think about,
- What is your camera model? Different cameras mean the models and weights are different, so we can make the decision of the control system and head size. DV camera? DSLR? Mirrorless camera? Or broadcast camera?
- How long about the camera crane do you need? The answer based on the questions below,
Where will you operate the camera crane?
Outdoor or indoor? Usually, outdoor, we can choose 12m or even longer.
If indoor, the hall height? Usually, we can choose the 8m or 10m long.
Only in one place, a fixed length is fine.
For the length, our suggestion is “The longer, the better”, because, for the longer one, you can assemble it in a shorter one. For example, the 12m crane can be also used in 10m, 8m and 6m. But if you purchase the jib in 8m long, now you need to operate it outdoor, in 12m, not only 4 pieces more, not so easy, because need to make the new control wire, steel wire, and the jib body work condition with each other, the cost is much hihger. - Who will operate the jib? Used it yourself or for rent. For yourself, maybe one or two model is enough. For rent, need to consider about the length and different camera model, must choose the widely model.
So when you get the answer, we can make the decision of the control system, jib body size, length, tripod type.
2. Choose the most suitable jib body and tripod
Camera crane overview, almost in three parts, first we should make the decision about the jib body and tripod.
- The jib body, tripod, head, steel wire, it looks like the hardware
- Control system, one is used for control the head, another one is used for control the camera work, include the handle for camera and head, control wire, motor, power pack
- Accessory, like the flight case for the package, tools for the assembly, balance weight (usually advise my customers purchase them in their city because they are very heavy, the delivery charge will be very high.)
Jib body
About how to compare and choose the jib body, please click the link to another article. How to choose the jib body?
Tripod
Basic tripod and update one, the height and used field are different.
Head
2 axis (Pan and tilt)
U type head, 2 axis, loading capacity is 10kg.
3 axis (Pan, tilt and Z axis)
3. Make the decision about the control system based on your camera model.
Control system (it based on your camera model)
DV control system
1. The handle for pan tilt head (control the pan and tilt, adjust the move speed and start/stop damping)
2. The handle for DV camera (used for SONY or Panasonic with 2.5mm remote interface, control the zoom and start/stop function)
3. Update the camera control with IRIS, FOCUS handle, need the camera can support.
4. Special camera model use the special handle, like SONY EX280, EX1R etc.
Check the DV control system in the video below. It is 10m long,
Professional broadcast camera
If your camera looks like below, with FUJI or Canon lens, with 8 pin control interface, you should choose the professional camera crane jib control system.
Professional control system (made in China)
FOUCUS, IRIS, Zoom, Start/stop function, with servo motor
Check the video below for the professional control system made in China
Copy of Jimmy control system (imported spare parts)
Function are almost the same as professional control system, but main spare parts are imported.
Head motor are imported from Switzerland
Servo motor are made in Taiwan
Handle joystick are imported from USA
Video for the copy of Jimmy jib as below:
The other camera
Maybe you will tell me, your camera is RED or DSLR and the others, they are special, we also have the solution.
4. The other questions need to consider about
Package
Like the package, we can choose the flight case box or bag.
The flight case box is very strong enough to protect our equipment, but the defect is it is a bit heavier and its size is large. If you have a truck or SUV, space is enough, but if your vehicle is a car, our suggestion is the bag, it is easy to carry, but the protection is not good as the flight case box, the best solution is, for the head and control system in the flight case box, it is not so large, also can load in the car, the jib body and tripod in the bag.
Accessories
Monitor,
Usually if you purchase the camera jib from the factory or dealer, they will ask your request of the monition, back to the first question, where will you use this camera crane jib? Do you need the live function? So we can choose, the AV signal, HDMI, HDMI in/out, SDI in/out.
Camera handle
If you need to control the camera function in IRIS, Focus and the others?
This is the whole camera crane you want.
Now you can tell me the length, jib size, tripod, control system,
Waiting for your comment!
