Monopod Manfrotto XPro Four-Section Video
AWARDS SUPPORT N ever has a product been as wildly successful in the Pro Moviemaker Gear of the Year Awards as the Sachtler Flowtech tripod range. It has been an outright winner – or Editor’s Choice – every single year since 2018. And once again, this year it’s the top of the pile as the best tripod, as voted for by readers. You only need to get out and about to see just how popular the Sachtler Flowtech has become. It is by far the top choice for indie production companies everywhere. The winning combo is the Flowtech 75 MS with Aktiv8T head. The carbon-fibre Flowtech has always been fast to set up. Its legs are held together by a magnet, so you need a little bit of force to pull them out then splay them wide. Then unclamp the leg locks that are placed at the very top, raise the tripod to the level you want and just snap the locks closed again. Sachtler’s Aktiv8T is designed to be mounted and levelled in record-fast time thanks to the new Speedswap technology. The head mounts to the legs using a single lever lock. It drops onto the legs and clicks into place onto the quick-release adapter. Then, using the same lever lock, it is free to move around and be quickly levelled up. This takes seconds to do. As the damping is something Sachtler is famous for, there is no compromise when it comes to smooth movements. For monopods, Manfrotto’s evergreen XPro Four-Section Video monopod takes the top award due to its practicality and stability as well as affordability. Not only does the XPro support loads of up to 8kg, its Fluidtech base allows smooth motion, while D-shaped tubes give resistance to rotation. Along with a newly designed leg warmer, this allows it to be used as a boom, too. The winner in the slider/dolly class is the Syrp Genie II Pro Kit, a modular motion control system offering a slider with motorised linear motion control and combination 360° pan-and-tilt head. The If you want great value, the Hague D5T Tracking Dolly kit is it, creating smooth tracking shots using your own tripod. Its wheels set the track width to the correct positions as the dolly moves. So it does not require additional supports, making it faster to set up and allowing the dolly to pull the track into place for a smoother run. EDITOR’S CHOICE: HAGUE D5T TRACKING DOLLY
GEAR OF THE YEAR
THE WINNERS
Rig Vocas Production Kit for Canon EOS C500 Mark II
heart of the system is the Pro Magic Carpet slider, which has a built-in mechanical flywheel to damp down the movement. To add motorised linear tracking, the Syrp Genie II Linear goes on the top. Using the free Syrp app, you can set up precise motion-tracking moves with keyframing or time-lapse shots. Add the Gеnіе ІІ Раn Тіlt device on top to give a fully programmable 360° of pan, tilt and linear motion along the slider track using the same app. You can plug a lead into your camera and – again with the app – get full wіrеlеѕѕ Lіvе Vіеw, as well as changing ІЅО, aреrturе аnd shuttеr sрееd. Helping you create smooth motion is the winner in the stabiliser/gimbal class, the DJI RS 3 Pro, which has a 4.5kg/10lb payload despite weighing only 1.5kg/3.3lb. Bluetooth connectivity to your camera allows you to start and stop recording from the DJI’s grip without resorting to wires, and a second handle snugly bolts onto the side to allow two-handed operation and a low-slung, briefcase-style grip. Modes are easy to understand for anyone that’s ever used a motorised gimbal before, and Supersmooth mode makes things even cleaner. Connect your smartphone via the free app to control movements, set up time-lapses and panoramic shots. For rigs and cages, Vocas’ kit for the Canon EOS C500 Mark II is the winner. Vocas makes well-built products that help with everyday use but don’t add too much bulk. A recent price cut for the C500 Mark II has seen a surge in popularity for both.
Stabiliser/gimbal DJI RS 3 Pro
Slider/dolly Syrp Genie II Pro Kit
Tripod system Sachtler Flowtech 75 MS with Aktiv8T head
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PRO MOVIEMAKER
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