Ideas for a tripod /fluid head for a Beaulieu 4008zm4

Glen Wooten · June 18, 2008

Hi,

looking for ideas to help me find a good tripod/fluid head combo for my 4008 ZM4 I bought last weekend ,Made a few films years ago and am keen to make a real film this time, If I had the money would a "Miller DV 5" work ? I am looking for a miller super 8 fliud head, Is it worth the trouble ? I will settle for any cheepish set up that would get me going now . regards , Glen

June 18, 2008

The Miller Junior fluid head is light and compact, making it a good complement to your 4008 ZM4, and examples appear with regularity at eBay. I've used that head and the companion Miller metal tripod with my Beaulieu cameras with good results. A larger fluid head might give marginally better performance, but the weight penalty needs to be considered if you're schlepping the gear in the field. Some of the older Miller fluid heads (e.g., the 'F' and 'LP') would be a good choice if they're in good working condition, but I would avoid those lacking a disc brake tilt lock. These fluid heads are plentiful at eBay and usually not much more expensive than the Junior.

Michael Lehnert · June 18, 2008

I will settle for any cheepish set up that would get me going now . regards , Glen

DO NOT settle for any cheapish set-up when it comes to camera support systems, particularly if you are dependent on one tripod only!

You can have the greatest story, the best gear and most superb light - if your pan is stuttering along because you have only one or two fluid stops, or none, you would be better off shooting handheld and doing that naturally well.

Miller are excellent fluid-heads & tripods, and were on my list before I got smitten by Ronford-Baker. The Junior system and DV 5 are very well suited for cameras of the size and weight-class found in the Super 8 format. If you have 16mm gear or use a S8 cam with interchangeable lenses of greater weight, always go for the higher weight class in the support.

A 2nd-hand Sachtler or Ritter tripod (ebay.de) is also something worth considering. If wood is your thing, then Berlebach is pretty much unbeatable. Personally, I swear to Ronford-Baker, by due to the nature of their pan and tilt-system, they offer a cinematographic aesthetic that might not be everyone's gusto. They are also quite heavy and go more into the Arrihead territory, but you can use them with both Super 8 and Super 16 gear alike, which is good if you want to have a one-for-all solution in your studio.

Paul Bruening · June 18, 2008

I agree with Glenn. I've got a Miller Junior for my XLs and love it. I was using a Velbon POS video head/tripod at first but the pans and tilts stunk as well as the whole unit flexing on moves. Sure, it was cheapish. But, so were the shots I was getting with it.