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2014Steadi-Newbies forum

Managing weight limits on a steadicam rig when adding heavy accessories like external recorders

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

What the thread found

  • A steadicam arm at maximum tension that sags downward indicates the rig has exceeded its weight capacity, while an arm that floats evenly suggests acceptable weight distribution.
  • Moving a recorder to the bottom of the sled allows removal of counterbalance weights, reducing overall rig weight.
  • Custom cables connecting from a top stage lemo connector to power distribution outlets eliminate the need to mount heavy batteries on the sled itself.
  • Ptap splitters and extension cables provide flexible power routing options for multiple accessories without increasing sled weight significantly.
  • Operating slightly overweight occasionally may not immediately damage a rig, but repeated use at or beyond rated capacity causes accelerated wear and degradation.
  • Signal integrity must be verified when routing video cables through sled posts to ensure uncompressed data transmission is not compromised.

Depends on

  • The original poster never actually weighed their complete build to confirm whether it exceeded the stated 20-pound limit.
  • Solutions suggested assume access to custom cable fabrication services or specialized mounting hardware.
  • The specific recorder model weight specifications were not definitively stated in the discussion.
  • No testing data provided on whether particular cable routing paths maintain signal quality for uncompressed video.

Parts

Top Stage

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