What the thread found

• The Zephyr is engineered as an integrated system where the arm, vest, and sled are balanced to reach their maximum capacities at similar weight limits, making piecemeal upgrades of individual components inefficient.
• The standard vest fits operators with normal to heavier build, while the compact vest suits smaller frame operators with shorter body length.
• An HD Zephyr includes an 800 nit 7 inch monitor with HDSDI capability and is not significantly more expensive than the SD version.
• The stock SD Zephyr monitor can be replaced with third-party options like a Marshall 7 inch 3G-SDI monitor, which can be powered via D-tap to 4 pin XLR from the battery post.
• When flying film cameras like the Arricam Lite on a Zephyr, weight and power constraints become severe limiting factors; 35mm film work generally requires larger rigs due to magazine weight and additional equipment.
• The Zephyr standard cable package includes a 3 pin lemo to 4 pin XLR connector and HDSDI BNC, but operators must identify additional cables needed based on their specific camera choices.
• Merlin counterbalance weights can be added to the Zephyr sled to compensate when flying lighter cameras.
• RED and EPIC cameras output HD-SDI signals at 720p 59.94 or 1080p 23.98 depending on frame rate and video standard, eliminating the need for downconverters when the monitor supports HD-SDI.

Depends on

• Information is from 2012, when RED and EPIC were current cameras and shooting formats have since evolved.
• Weight capacity and power delivery constraints were discussed but no definitive specifications were confirmed by manufacturer representatives in the thread.
• Compatibility with film cameras remains untested based on the unsuccessful Arricam Lite preparation attempt.
• European support and warranty details were not fully clarified by manufacturer representatives.
• The specific Marshall monitor model mentioned as HD upgrade was not definitively confirmed as a slightly modified Marshall product.

Gear in this thread

Zephyrcatalog, Moduluscatalog

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