Description
The StabiLens Cinematographer Kit features everything you would need to pre-balance two lenses for your motorized handheld gimbal. With two lenses pre-balanced, and a third lens balanced as a reference lens without any Stabilens attached to it, you can be shoot-ready with a total of three lenses. The kit includes two StabiLens rubber lens rings, 20 tungsten weights that are 12g each, 20 steel weights at 5g each, a counterweight clamp for the gimbal motor arm, and four counterweights for the clamp. All this comes in a compact hard case that has a cloth exterior and two zippered pockets inside where you can keep the 40 counterweights.
The StabiLens system is designed to let you balance a lens in advance of a shoot so that during the shoot you can just swap the lens in and begin shooting. The pre-balancing is done with a rubber ring that attaches to your lens or lens hood, and with small counterweights that you insert into slots that are all along the round ring. Depending on the size and weight of your lens, you decide which of these slots you should insert the weights into. In some cases, you may need just a few on one side, while in others you may need some on a different side or even all sides.
To begin the balancing process, generally you would insert one to a few weights in one section of the rubber ring, and then enter some more on the side that you see needs to be counterbalanced. For some lenses, especially larger ones, you may also need an additional clamp to secure to the gimbal's motor arm to complete the balancing process. The Cinematographer Kit includes this clamp in addition to the main components.
The rubber rings are sturdily designed and stretchable to fit lenses (or lens hoods) 58 to 100mm in diameter. The ring can be fit anywhere on the lens where there's space for it. Wherever possible, attaching it to a lens hood instead of a lens is the ideal way, because you'll be able to just pop the hood onto the lens when the time comes to use that lens. In this way, you won't have to keep anything attached to the lens itself and can use that lens in other applications. But in the pre-balancing process, you would need to have the hood attached to the specific lens as you try to balance it with the counterweights. After you find the right balance, just keep the rubber ring with counterweights in all the right spots secured on the hood.
The StabiLens system has been successfully tested with a number of DSLR and mirrorless cameras, lenses, and gimbals without the need for the additional motor arm clamp.
StabiLens Gimbal Ring
The StabiLens Gimbal Ring is the core of the StabiLens counterbalance system. Along with supported StabiLens counterweights and an additional clamp, both sold separately, the ring is designed to let you pre-balance a lens on a motorized handheld gimbal, so you can swap the lens in during a shoot without having to spend time balancing it. This way you can save time as well as be able to jump on an important moment that comes up during a live event or other shoots.
Featuring a very durable rubber design that's built to last, the ring accepts counterweights in its 20 counterweight slots and attaches to your lens or lens hood. The choice between attaching to a lens or lens hood depends on whether your lens provides the space for it as well as other factors (see more about this in the StabiLens Starter and Cinematographer Kit descriptions). The optional weights are to be inserted into the slots based on your balance requirements. In some cases, you would only need to insert a few weights on one side of the ring while in other cases you may need more or fewer weights in the same or different position.
If you'd like to pre-balance multiple lenses for a shoot, you can purchase a separate ring for each lens, pre-balance the lens, and keep the ring attached on it so you can just swap in the lens during production.
Key Features
- Pre-Balance 2 Lenses for Your Gimbal
- 2 x StabiLens Gimbal Lens Rings
- 20 x 12g and 20 x 5g Counterweights
- Motor Arm Clamp; Compact Hard Case