ICG Magazine – October 2019 President’s Letter – LVR Mention
Our good friend Lewis Rothenberg, now the national President for ICG Local 600 had some nice things to say about LVR in last month’s October issue. See below!
NEW AT LVR: Ergorig Shoulder Mount Camera Weight Displacement System
The Ergorig is an innovative body vest for shoulder-mounting a camera without putting any stress on the spine. It supports heavy-duty loads, such as a fully-accessorized ARRI ALEXA 65, and 100% of the weight is distributed to the hips. This standard version is designed for operators with an average-length torso (see more about this below).
The Ergorig features a robust shoulder rest that sits slightly elevated off your shoulder, and you place your camera rig right on top of it. At the same time, because the Ergorig belt secures above your hips, all the weight of the camera load is displaced to the hips, so there’s no pressure at all on your spine.
You do feel some contact with the shoulder rest, just a touch, especially as you move about, and this helps have optimal control of the camera. You can alternatively float the shoulder rest a bit higher so there’s no contact at all. The Ergorig was developed by a veteran camera operator over a period of about two years, with consultation from an orthopedic surgeon. It transfers all the weight from the thoracic/lumbar vertebrae to the hips.
Because the Ergorig sits above your waist you can freely sit, kneel, run, and otherwise move around with your camera load, and there will be no change in pressure on your spine. The shoulder rest is large and is designed to ensure that the camera won’t slide off of it. It sits level, unrelated to your shoulder slope. It also has a non-stick surface to ensure a smooth workflow. The tilt angle and lateral position of the shoulder rest are also adjustable after loosening four screws. And the height of the Ergorig is adjustable along the strut to better adjust to your torso. The Ergorig also has accessory loops for walkie-talkies and other on-set accessories.
This standard version of the Ergorig is designed for the majority of operators. The difference between the standard and short versions is in the length of the struts and is based on the operator’s torso. Measure your torso from your front hip point to the top middle of your shoulder. If the length is over 21″, the standard version is for you. The belt size is the same in both versions and is adjustable to fit most operators. (If you’re right at 21″, either version will work for you.) The Ergorig is suitable for men and women operators alike. Women may prefer to adjust the midriff strap, which stabilizes the rig to the body, either above or below the chest line, or to set it to sit straight across.
The Ergorig also supports a camera in underslung mode. To do this, attach any secure strap to an eyelet of the camera’s top handle, and wrap it around the gripping pad on top of the Ergorig. The Ergorig will support the weight, and the midriff straps will keep everything in place. For transport, the Ergorig can be broken down in order to pack in a more compact form. After removal of several screws, the different parts of the Ergorig can be removed from one another. And everything packs away into an included carry bag.
NEW AT LVR: Canon CN-E Sumire PL Prime Full Frame Lens
The Canon Sumire Prime T1.3 is a manual focus prime lens that covers full frame and Super 35 sensor formats providing center-to-edge resolution that supports 4K production. It features a PL mount and has focus scales marked in feet. The Sumire lens series is designed with the goal of creating pleasing facial close-ups across all ages, genders, and ethnicities. This effect is increased as the lens approaches its widest aperture. The 50mm offers a maximum T-stop of 1.3 and has an 11-blade iris that provides round natural-looking, out-of-focus highlights for a pleasing bokeh. The lens barrel features 300° smooth rotation from close focus to infinity, giving you a high degree of precision and consistent focus.
The lens is designed to minimize focus breathing. It offers focus distance markings on both sides of the barrel, with the rear markings on an angled surface, making it readable from either side of the camera. Some of the markings are done in phosphorescent paint, making them easier to see them in dim conditions. All lenses in the Sumire series share the same 114mm front barrel diameter, focus rotation, and focus and iris gear positions, allowing for easier lens swaps.
The Sumire Prime Lens series features a nuanced look as the lens aperture approaches its maximum setting. This subtly modifies the textural renderings of the human facial close-up and a pleasing bokeh.
The lens features a large-diameter aspheric lens and anomalous dispersion glass, for high-resolution image reproduction from image center to image edge. The lens produces warm color tones that help to softly capture facial expressions, and shares a unified color balance with other Canon Cinema lenses.
The 11-blade clickless iris produces artistic and beautiful out-of-focus areas, creating a more three-dimensional bokeh. The use of an odd number of blades helps reduce flaring of specular highlights.
The Sumire Prime Lens series features a unified front diameter (114mm), rotation angle (300°) and gear position on the focus and iris rings.
The focus and iris rings are designed to maintain a consistent amount of resistance and operating torque in order to help provide the camera operator or assistant with predictable lens operation.
NEW AT LVR: Tilta Nucleus-M Wireless Lens Control System
Tilta Nucleus-M Wireless Lens Control System
Convenient and Customizable
The Nucleus-M is Tilta’s newest wireless lens control system. It is a highly customizable 3-channel wireless control system. Part of the reason we are so excited about this tool over here at LVR are the hand grips. The Nucleus-M gives the user the option of controlling the focus via wireless hand grips or the FIZ hand unit. You can even switch back and forth between them with the click of a button! Furthermore, each of the motors on the Tilta Nucleus-M Wireless Lens Control System have their own built-in motor drive. These motor drives communicate directly with the hand unit and hand grips. This allows for a much more convenient camera set-up. The Nucleus-M was designed to give the user total control of the focus, iris, and zoom.
Range
At this time, both the handgrips and the FIZ unit have a range of 1,000 feet. However, Tilta has already announced plans to release a transmission upgrade. This will increase the range to one and a quarter miles. This upgrade will make this wireless lens control system perfect for use on car mounts and drones.
SPECS:
• 1,000 Foot (304m) Range
• Supports up to 3 channels
Click here to see all the specs.
Watch the video below, made by Tilta, to see how easy it is to use this wireless lens control unit!
Click here to rent the Tilta Nucleus-M Wireless Lens Control System at LVR!
For any questions about renting or more information about the Nucleus-M Wireless Lens Control System, give us a call at (212) 594-0086, email us at [email protected], or come see us in person at one of our locations in Midtown, Manhattan or Bushwick, Brooklyn.