2014General Discussion forum
Managing thick Triax cable on Steadicam rigs to minimize impact on camera stability
12 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- A cable clamp positioned above the gimbal with a short arm can route the Triax cable close to the center of gravity, reducing its effect on rig balance and allowing smoother panning.
- Custom-made Triax jumper cables from specialized manufacturers provide thinner, more flexible alternatives to standard issue cables.
- Triax to coaxial adapters with a short BNC connector can be used to substitute standard Triax with smaller diameter coaxial cable like Mogami 2964 HD, which offers better flexibility than thin yellow-jacketed Triax jumpers.
- Running the cable behind the gimbal or with a clamp keeps it out of the way of the monitor and reduces interference with camera movement.
- Thinner coaxial alternatives may face resistance from engineers due to approval requirements, though the camera will simply shut down if a connection fails rather than create safety hazards.
Depends on
- Some production environments have approval restrictions on cable substitutions regardless of technical feasibility.
- The effectiveness of cable routing depends on specific rig setup and shooting style.
- Prices and availability of custom cables vary and may be prohibitive for some budgets.
- Experience with alternative cable configurations varies among operators.