SRI with Video Tap?

Jeff Hayford · October 15, 2006

Can the SRI use a color video tap, or is there any way to get a video pickup on the SRI? We need to put the camera on a jib and see the frame.

Jeff

Tim Carroll · October 15, 2006

The video tap just feeds the image to the video camera attached to it. If you want a color picture, attach a color video camera.

There are a number of video taps available for the SR1. There is the ARRI factory T-Bar, and the very popular (and unfortunately now discontinued) Jurgens video tap, and Visual Products makes a tap that goes in place of the APEC system on the camera.

Your best bet may be to see if one of the rental houses has the ARRI T-bar, or possibly a J-bar with a Jurgens tap already installed.

Good Luck,

-Tim

October 15, 2006

Anybody have or used the visual products video tap? Any pros/cons?

Thanks,

Chris

Brad Grimmett · October 15, 2006

An eyepiece tap is probably the easiest and cheapest. You can rent one for very little money. Check around with some rental houses.

October 16, 2006

An eyepiece tap is probably the easiest and cheapest. You can rent one for very little money. Check around with some rental houses.

Thanks for the response.

OK, I'll check around some more. Seems like most eyepiece taps rent for 400/day at most places I've seen (am I missing something?)

Brad Grimmett · October 16, 2006

$400? Really? That surprises me. It's been a while since I needed one, but I thought they were quite a bit cheaper than that. Maybe my memory is off. You can probably find one cheaper from an individual that owns one I would think. Maybe ask around.

October 16, 2006

I think it might just be better to get one for the camera, it would allow me to keep the money on a rental to recoup the costs faster. That's why I'm wondering about the Visual Products's Video Tap. Anyone used it or heard anything about its quality?

Thanks,

Chris

Chad Stockfleth · October 16, 2006

The Jurgen's tap works very well. We have one included with a 16SR package that we are selling. $4000 for the whole package, but willing to negotiate. PM me with questions.

Joshua Reis · October 22, 2006

Hi, yes there are a number of different video taps for the SR 1. I have a Jurgens J-cam color CCD unit. Jurgens is good, but one would have to find used units since he does not manufacture them anymore. CEI is another great manufacturer of flickerless video assists. Visual products makes their own which are more affordable, however i do not have any first hand experience with them. PS technik video assist upgrades the SR 1 or 2 optics to an SR3 and is probably the best out. However, it is the most expensive option. Some video assists have footage counters, are flickerless, generate frame lines, and offer more image controls than others. Its best to contact each vendor directly to find what models are best for you and your camera.

http://www.jurgen.com/

http://www.ceitechnology.com/

http://www.visualproducts.com/

http://www.pstechnik.de/

Jeff Hayford · October 23, 2006

I was told by my local renting house that the video tap shorts out the camera. Does anyone know what Boston Camera Rental Company might be referencing? Does anyone know of a specific video tap shorting out the SR1?

Mitch Gross · October 23, 2006

There are lots of 3rd-party gear that can be incompatible with certain cameras. I do know of certain instances, but it was usually from someone using a device as not intended. I also know that there are color taps out there that do work with the older SR cameras. Check the links previously mentioned.

I recall David Mullen once describing an Arri 2c with a tap that gave him a shock every time he put his eye to the finder. That's "suffering for your art!"