2020Steadi-Newbies forum
Mounting 16mm film cameras on Steadicam rigs with monitoring considerations
Note (as of October 2026)Curt O. Schaller, the developer of Artemis and Trinity, has no longer been with ARRI since the end of 2025. To our knowledge, ARRI currently has no dedicated team and no official contact persons for its stabilizer systems. In our view, the future of this line is uncertain. If you are buying new, get written confirmation from ARRI beforehand on how long service and spare parts are guaranteed. Have used rigs checked by the manufacturer before you buy.
What the thread found
- Digital video splits from film cameras like the Arri SR or Aaton XTR can be used for on-set monitoring but quality is limited and usable rather than excellent
- Minimizing neutral density filters in front of the camera helps preserve video split quality since ND further degrades the signal
- An analog video monitor with analog inputs is suitable for displaying the video split output
- Low mode operation requires a proper cage that holds the camera upright while mounted to the top stage, preventing film path distortion
- Do not attempt improvised low mode mounting without the proper cage setup due to mechanical and operational issues
- A cage design can be made relatively universal across different camera models, though camera clearance and magazine access present practical design challenges
Depends on
- Video split quality from film cameras is inherently limited compared to native digital acquisition
- The cage must accommodate specific camera dimensions and magazine types
- Experience with machining and cage fabrication was limited among those discussing this topic
- This pertains specifically to film formats being used with stabilization rigs
Gear in this thread
Parts
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