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I finally have an Aaton LTR7 coming...


Zachary Vex

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If you go to Du-All Camera's store page...

 

http://www.duallcamera.com/store/index.shtml

 

... and click "Accessories," then "Video Taps" at the left, you'll see they offer a black and white assist for the Aaton for $700.

 

I've never seen one of these taps or heard of anyone using one. If you try it out, please let us know how it performs.

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To stick a tap on an Aaton viewfinder is an ugly kludge. You'll need to clamp it on somehow, and good luck aligning it an getting any sort of decent image out of it. Look into the various relatively inexpensive options out there. Check the archives for some suggestions. I know of no one who was ever particularly satisfied with any eyepiece tap, especially Aaton users.

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i wouldn't be using it for anything critical. the purpose would be for previewing/rehearsing shots in the case where the talent is directing (music video) and especially when using a crane, where the eyepiece is unavailable to anyone on the ground. just being able to see how things are framed up and how action looks in general is all i'm worried about at this time.

 

go easy on me, okay? 8^) i'm a totally new at this stuff, and i'm just looking at options.

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Still say that for the money you'd spend you should look into more traditional tap options.

 

 

I second Mitch's motion. Even if you're using it the way you say, you still want an operator watching through the eypiece. Video taps are worthless to judge anything by except framing. This means that if you're only watching the tap, you might have everything a bit out of focus or have buzzes gaalore and not know it until you get your negs back. That would really blow, comprende? :P

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You might find a cheaper tap...

Check A Z spectrum...

I know some folks aren't too keen on their taps...

But they supposedly work and aren't a thru-the-eye-peice tap

 

http://hometown.aol.com/azspectrum/

 

http://members.aol.com/azspectrum/ltrvid_c.html

 

 

You could also find one of those old Aaton tube taps really cheap on ebay...

You can get them for several hundred dollars (maybe even less...)

They look just as good as any thru-the-eye-peice tap but they're not....

 

 

Eitherways

Good Luck

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Think about the time lost every time you need to take that tap on & off the eyepiece for "previewing only." Believe me it will take at least 15 minutes every time. You'll quickly wish you had spent the money.

 

It's actually at your shop getting level 4 maintenance right now. serial number 499. what would Abel charge to install a video assist?

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Ahh, Cortland dropped that one off Friday. I'll take a look at it Monday or Tuesday. A Level four only take me half a day so I should have it done before the end of the week.

 

You have a few options for a video assist. You can get a top-handle 'addie' tap which can be $5000 for B+W and or $6000 for color. You can get an old VR30 tube tap from e-bay, but we don't service them, they're 1970's electronics and are evil little buggers to troubleshoot. When Rik brings his rube tap in Monday I'm just going to laugh at him >8) You'd also need the relay optics and pellicule which may add an additional grand to the total. I don't remember 499 having video relay optics. You can get an AZ Spectrum tap or a Visual Products tap. I believe they're both around $2000 but I don't know if that include the relay optics and pellicule.

 

- nathan

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FWIW I've pulled focus off a B&W monitor sucessfully with that Paluche tap on an Aaton ! Plus the mirror/filp the image gag was kinda neat.

 

Also you could pull it off the camera, put on a C mount lens and shoot a B&W "the making of" for your DVD release :)

 

Actually I agree with Mitch though....

 

-Sam

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