Pro Moviemaker Autumn 2018

GEAR MINI TESTS

Our round-up of great kit tested by us includes high-end tripods, bags to protect your gear, external hard drives and post-processing software

WORDS ADAM DUCKWORTH, TERRY HOPE & ROGER PAYNE

MILLER CX2 SOLO 75-3 AND CX18 SII TRIPODS Miller CX18 SII £5672/$5481, Miller CX2 Solo 75-3 £2212/$2138 www.millertripods.com

SPECIFICATIONS CX2 SOLO 75-3 Head Fitting: 75mm

Counterbalance: 16 positions Leg Sections: 4 carbon fibre Height range: 390-2040mm/15.4-80.3in MaximumPayload: 8kg/17.6lb

Spreader Type: None Head Type: CX2 fluid Weight: 5.8kg/12.8lb CX18 SII Head Fitting: 100mm

enough to hold the kit and adjustable enough to control it to perfection. The Miller CX18 SII may cost as much as some cinema cameras but it is packed with high-tech spec and you’ll never outgrow it. It comes with the matching CompassX CX18 head in the largest 100mm bowl size which can handle the largest set-up at 16kg/ 35.2lb – ideal for even broadcast- size cameras. It can also be adjusted to work with a lightweight DSLR or mirrorless camera. The CX18 kit is a traditional- style video tripod with a mid-level spreader. It comes with a pan handle, feet that work on smooth as well as uneven surfaces and a custom-fitted and padded case that is a seriously well-made bit of kit. As it should be, to protect something as pricey as the tripod and head inside. The legs are made of carbon fibre which is not only lighter than traditional aluminium but actually dampens out vibrations more. The CX18 head is the largest in Miller’s range and provides 16 positions of counterbalance and the large tripod plate has 60mm of travel, so it’s easy to balance any camera and lens combo you could think of. AD

If all a tripod had to do was be burly enough to hold your camera in a fixed position, then all you’d need would be a basic set of sticks and a head, strong enough for your camera set-up. But the reality is that tripods have to be portable, fast and easy to set up, well- damped, rugged, as light as possible for the payload range, and be able to be balanced for a range of cameras. And, of course, offer precise pan and tilt movements with no horrid snatch at the start of a move or the dreaded bounce-back at the end – something that’s a signature of a lesser head. A quality tripod that delivers all this will improve your shots and save time – and money – in reshoots ruined by jerky camera moves. These are the reasons to push the boat out and invest in a top- quality professional tripod that will last decades. And costing up to £5672/$5481, one of these carbon fibre Miller tripods is undoubtedly a sizeable investment for most independent filmmakers. But you know that if you upgrade to a huge cinema camera with serious glass, as well as follow focus, a rig, a monitor and a mic, your tripod will be strong

TOP RIGHT The heads on both tripods are similar but different in size.

Counterbalance: 16 positions Leg Sections: 3 carbon fibre Height range: 603-1693mm/ 23.7-66.6in MaximumPayload: 16kg/35.2lb Spreader Type: Mid-level Head Type: CX18 CompassXfluid Weight: 7.4kg/16.3lb

BELOW The CX18 SII (right) and CX2 Solo 75-3.

“A quality tripod will improve your shots and save time – andmoney – in reshoots ruined by jerky camera moves”

106 PRO MOVIEMAKER AUTUMN 2018

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