2012Steadi-Newbies forum
Whether steadicam operators should invest in lightweight rigs or heavy rigs for professional work
14 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- Lightweight camera setups typically end up weighing 15 to 20 pounds when all necessary support equipment like matte boxes, wireless systems, monitors, and power converters are added.
- Heavy rigs offer better flight characteristics due to inertia, enabling more controlled and stable slow movements that directors frequently request.
- Industry standard cameras like the Alexa and F65 still require substantial rigs comparable to traditional film camera weights.
- Operators who primarily fly small cameras professionally may still add weight plates to their systems to achieve a minimum operating weight they find stable and controllable.
- Having both a heavy and lightweight rig available provides flexibility for different production scenarios, though many operators report rarely using the lightweight setup in actual work.
- Small cameras appear in broadcast as secondary cameras or specialty applications like crash cameras and kids shows, but not as primary A cameras on major productions.
- Lighter lenses with faster sensitivity have reduced the need for very large and heavy prime lenses.
- A small rig used as a rehearsal camera or viewfinder on large 3D productions can be valuable without being a primary work tool.
- Newly available sleds from major manufacturers allow building down to smaller payloads while maintaining the same electronic capability as full-size rigs.
Depends on
- Discussion reflects 2012 technology and camera market; sensor and lens developments since then may have changed practical weights.
- Most experienced operators discussing heavy rigs worked on feature films and high-end television productions, which may not represent all market segments.
- The relative affordability and viability of lightweight setups may differ significantly between high-budget episodic work and lower-budget independent projects.
- No data presented on income or career sustainability using exclusively lightweight rigs.