2012Vehicles and Mounts forum
Using a Tango stabilizer on fast-moving vehicles in winter conditions
14 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
DisputedParticipants disagreed and reached no conclusion. Read the findings as positions, not as an answer.
What the thread found
- Tango performance degrades noticeably above 10 mph due to vibration transfer through the shaft, with smaller cameras showing the most vibration because they are lighter and farther from the gimbal
- The panning mechanism uses low-tension nylon cables that can slip under high-speed conditions, particularly during rapid pans
- Hard-mounting the rig to the vehicle is essential for safety, as a soft-mounted arm can cause serious injury if it strikes or becomes tangled during sudden vehicle movements
- Extended boom inertia can affect operator steering during quick vehicle direction changes when soft-mounted
- Speeds above 15 mph are not recommended for Tango use on vehicles
- On snowmobiles, a hard-mounted Tango with a lightweight polecam-type camera and vectran drive line can work effectively, as the long pole provides stability and the camera position keeps it clear of snow kicked up by the vehicle
- Cold weather and moisture do not significantly affect vectran cable function for panning
- Wind primarily affects the camera end but the pole length provides additional overall stability
Depends on
- Experience is limited to specific vehicle types: Segway, quad bikes, and snowmobiles
- One participant tested regular Steadicam on quad bikes at 20-30 mph rather than Tango
- No completed test footage or documented results from winter snowmobile use were shared
- Disagreement exists about minimum safe operating speeds and whether testing is worthwhile
- Testing setup and camera choice recommendations were not finalized