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2006Journals forum

Working with rented Steadicam equipment in China during commercial production

20 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.

What the thread found

  • Local rental equipment in China during 2006 was often poorly maintained and incompatible across vendors, making system assembly difficult
  • Recently recelled Chinese batteries in rental rigs lasted only 5-10 minutes instead of claimed 1-hour duration
  • Power cables for camera rigs were excessively heavy and caused rig instability due to their weight and thickness
  • Rental companies in China at that time were unaware of equipment damage in their inventory, such as crashed topstages that remained functional only through internal wiring
  • Equipment rental companies did not always know what cables and parts were available in their own storage cases
  • Crew members in China handled professional equipment roughly, dropping it on pavement and showing little regard for maintenance or care
  • A combination of old model III and Master series components could be assembled into a workable rig by sourcing compatible cables from multiple vendors
  • Cold temperatures around 0-5 degrees Celsius prevented motorized follow focus mechanisms from functioning properly

Depends on

  • Experience limited to specific Shanghai rental companies in 2006
  • Equipment condition and rental practices in China have likely changed significantly since 2006
  • Some accounts lack technical detail about specific failures
  • Language barriers may have affected communication about equipment capabilities

Gear in this thread

Master Seriescatalog

Parts

Top Stage, Low Mode, Follow Focus

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  4. 2026Choosing between upgrading an older ProVid-2 kit or investing in a professional rig: workshop-first versus equipment-first approach for beginners.DisputedFacebookSteadicam operators group
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