What the thread found

• Hawk anamorphic lenses are very front-heavy and require a specialized baseplate to achieve proper balance on a Steadicam rig.
• The front lens elements on Hawk lenses move approximately one inch during focus pulling, which causes significant tilt compensation challenges and makes precise Steadicam work extremely difficult.
• Multiple baseplate options exist for Alexa cameras including models from specialized manufacturers that can be delivered within one day.
• Lens support can be rigged using lightweight rods or dogbone extensions attached to the Steadicam baseplate to help manage the weight distribution of anamorphic lenses.
• Alternative solutions to using Hawk lenses on Steadicam include shooting in Super 35 format with spherical lenses, using V-Lite anamorphic lenses which balance similarly to standard cinema lenses, or renting Panavision anamorphic systems.
• Motorized focus stages may help distribute weight more evenly during Steadicam work with anamorphic lenses.
• Lightweight rods from various manufacturers can be mounted into XCS dovetail plates to provide additional front lens support.

Depends on

• The advice is specific to Hawk lenses with Alexa cameras, primarily from a 2012 music video production experience.
• The specific baseplate manufacturers and contact information provided may be outdated.
• The discussion does not conclusively resolve whether the setup is practical for feature film drama work versus music videos.
• No direct experience is reported with V-Lite lenses on Steadicam by the time of posting.

Parts

Base Plate

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