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2008Cameras (Film/Video/HD) forum

Practical experience using the ARRI D-20 and D-21 cameras on Steadicam rigs

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

What the thread found

  • The D-20 and D-21 are approximately 32 pounds fully equipped with accessories including low mode bracket, Preston motors, mattbox, and a 40mm lens.
  • The camera has low power consumption at approximately 2.1 amps at 24 fps, allowing standard NiCad batteries to power it for up to two hours.
  • The D-20 experienced reliability issues including occasional boot failures requiring multiple restart cycles, occurring roughly 30 percent of the time when powering down.
  • The camera can fail to respond to controls and refuse to shut down when operating in high ambient temperatures around 105 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • The camera is significantly front-heavy when not using flash magazine recording, requiring counterweight and careful balancing on Steadicam rigs.
  • Recording to external decks rather than flash magazines makes the camera considerably more front-heavy than configurations with onboard recording.
  • The D-21 uses a wide, sturdy low mode bracket weighing approximately 2 pounds and requires careful dynamic balancing due to front-heavy weight distribution.
  • Tethering the camera to a recording deck using lightweight BNC cable run to the operator's arm allows wireless camera movement during operation.

Depends on

  • Some reported issues may be specific to the D-20 model, as the D-21 represents a software and sensor upgrade.
  • Battery performance data comes from testing with partially charged batteries and may not represent full operational duration under all conditions.
  • Temperature-related shutdown failures were reported during one production but not confirmed across all uses.
  • Some weight measurements and configurations vary depending on which recording method and lens setup was used.

Parts

Low Mode

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