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
Same gear or parts
- 2026Finding a bright (1500–2000 nits) low-mode monitor with recording and SDI I/O to replace a defective Transvideo Starlite.DisputedFacebookSteadicam operators group
- 2026Rig setup for 180-degree immersive camera operation with Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive: minimizing rig and monitor visibility in ultra-wide field of view.FacebookThe Steadicam Group
- 2026Lemo connectors on the ARRI Artemis sled: pinout, polarity verification, and powering low-mode monitors and Volt battery.FacebookSteadicam operators group
- 2026Vest drops: what lowering the arm socket actually buys, and what it costs at the topOperator practice