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Fluid Heads Provide Smooth Shooting
Camera support gear is a long-term investment—a category of equipment with which the phrase “new and improved” is rarely used. However, in recent weeks, major manufacturers have been busy with new product introductions.
OConnor (www.ocon.com), the venerable company that built its first fluid head for Walt Disney in 1949, has announced an upgrade to its Ultimate 2575 Fluid Head, the new “D” model. The upgrade includes ergonomic changes to controls and more pan bar mounting points. The 2575D retains the counterbalance specifications and other characteristics of its predecessor, the “C”.
Camera operators, OConnor said, will find that the relocation of all controls on the platform to the operator’s side (left) provide easier adjustment. The 2575D’s one-touch platform release lever allows for a single finger or hand action to undo the safety catch and open the lever, which speeds location changes in the field.
The new fluid head’s platform now features dual platform scales, one on each side, and four handle rosettes to allow operation from either side of the head as well as front or back handle mounting. It weighs the same 22.9 pounds as its predecessor, carrying the same payload of up to 87 pounds.
Vinten (www.vinten.com), another veteran camera support manufacturer established in 1910, has introduced the Pro5 Plus pan and tilt head for smaller cameras and camcorders. It includes a switchable counterbalance spring for smoother, controllable tilt movements, separate pan and tilt locks, and continuously variable pan and tilt drag for smoother panning.
Vinten’s new model includes a 75mm spherical base and leveling bubble for rapid setup, a quick release, sideload camera attachment system for rapid attachment and release from the head, and a fixed length pan bar that can be positioned for any preference.
Despite its 12 pound weight, Vinten said no compromises were made in the unit’s stability. With a single-stage Pozi-Loc aluminum tripod and lightweight floor spreader, the company said the Pro-5 Plus offers rigidity with maximum control.
The system offers two levels of counterbalance; position one for the smallest of camcorders requiring no counterbalance and position two for camcorders up to a maximum of 9.9 pounds. The head includes its own Petrol transport case.
 Sachtler (www.sachtler.us) has introduced several new models, including the Cine 7+7 HD Fluid Head System that includes a front pan bar and supports cameras weighing from 4.4 to 48.5 pounds. The 100 mm system handles a variety of packages from small camcorders to full-sized cameras loaded with accessories. Yet, at 7.3 pounds, the location-ready Cine 7+7 HD is one of the lightest weight heads in its class.
The new fluid head is equipped with a sideload clamp for the camera plate. The six-inch wide displacement area of the camera plate offers lateral loading of the head via the pre-mounted camera set-up. The Cine 7+7 HD’s brake lever and swivel arm employ a dual compound molding procedure to promote a sure grip, significantly minimizing the risk of slipping.
The payload can be switched between “High” and “Low” with a Boost Button. Seven each horizontal and vertical adjustable levels of drag (plus 0) ensure jolt-free pans and tilts. The 7+7 HD offers a temperature range from -40 to +140 degrees, making it ready for use in extreme climatic zones.
 Sachtler also introduced the FSB8 and FSB4 fluid heads, which cover a range from the smallest to camcorders weighing 20 pounds. The larger 75mm FSB 8 features Speed Balance, which reduces the minimum payload for a head allowing an operator to use a camera weighing as little as two pounds. With a payload ranging from zero to 8.8 pounds, the FSB4 offers aluminum housing, three-step damping, and five-step counterbalance.
Finally, Sachtler has introduced the smallest 100 mm bowl-mount head in the Sachtler DV line. The DV10 SB has a 12-step counterbalance as well as five horizontal and five vertical levels of drag plus “0.” It features SpeedBalance technology and has a payload range from two to 26 pounds and a tilt range of +90 to -75 degrees.
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