2008Sled forum
Comparison of Steadicam sled options for European operators considering PRO, MK-V, and other manufacturers
18 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
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
- A four-stage sled allows superpost configuration to be set up in approximately five minutes.
- The MK-V four-stage post adds weight that may not be necessary if superpost mode is rarely used in practice.
- HD-SDI capability in a sled becomes more useful when other rig components like video transmitters and onboard recorders also support HD.
- Downconverted HD signals may be more practical than native HD until the market produces affordable HD transmitters and portable monitoring solutions.
- Local service availability within the same country or region significantly reduces repair time and work disruption compared to international shipping.
- Post-sale customer support quality is more important than pre-sale promises when evaluating sled manufacturers.
- Cable gauge specifications should support future HD signal capability even if native HD is not immediately necessary.
- European operators may find better pricing and support from local manufacturers compared to overseas options.
- The Betz Tools RIG, Sachtler Artemis, and XCS all offer four-stage posts with HD-SDI capability.
- MK-V experienced extended delivery times and post-sale support challenges for some operators.
Depends on
- The discussion is from 2008 and reflects technology and pricing of that era.
- HD capability discussions refer to SDI-based systems which may not reflect current standards.
- Comments about MK-V support issues are anecdotal from specific operators and timeframe.
- Exchange rate comments are specific to 2008 and no longer applicable.
- The preference for local service is geographically dependent on operator location.
Gear in this thread
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