Favorite Short Jib Arms?

Jay Hunter · July 8, 2008

Can anyone suggest their favorite short jib arms that are available for purchase?

I'm primarily interested in purchasing a short arm (4-8ft) that would typically have a lambda and/or weaver head underslung. I like to incorporate a slider into the mix as well. Typically using it in small spaces to give me a little bit more flexibility.

I like the "Aerocrane Jib Arm" but I'm pretty sure it's for rental only.

Ideas?

-Jay Hunter

Darryl Richard Humber · July 8, 2008

Can anyone suggest their favorite short jib arms that are available for purchase?

I'm primarily interested in purchasing a short arm (4-8ft) that would typically have a lambda and/or weaver head underslung. I like to incorporate a slider into the mix as well. Typically using it in small spaces to give me a little bit more flexibility.

I like the "Aerocrane Jib Arm" but I'm pretty sure it's for rental only.

Ideas?

-Jay Hunter

You can buy Aerocrane jibs. I've worked with a Dp and a key grip who both owned their own. It's a good arm, though a little tedious to put together.

Brad Grimmett · July 8, 2008

I like to incorporate a slider into the mix as well.

I like the "Aerocrane Jib Arm" but I'm pretty sure it's for rental only.

Ideas?

-Jay Hunter

How does a slider help you when using that type of arm? I'd think it would be more of a hindrance than anything else. You can do the same move with the arm as you can with the slider, but the slider is more temperamental and harder to control.... Just curious. Sorry to hijack your post, but my curiosity got the best of me.

ian mussell · July 8, 2008

the aero jib when used with the aero slider is great,

also have a look at the egripment jan jib, i haven't used one for years but i remember them being pretty cool.

the alpha jib is not available for sale but is by far the best jib out there worth taking a look at!

http://www.alphagrip.co.uk/products/tour2/tour-1.htm

Bob Woodhead · July 8, 2008

Ditto... also in the market for a short jib (US vendor though, don't need to pay overseas shipping).

I've been using the Seven Jib (a friend's), but thinking of buying the EZFX, due to it's flexibility. The only issue I have with the Seven is the small bounce you get at the end of a move sometimes. There's no pan drag, so when you're coming to the end of a fast swing, it's hard to feather it to a stop... often I end up with a bit of bounce-back - small, but noticeable. I don't think the EZFX addresses this either, but don't think any in this price range do.

Christopher Santucci · July 8, 2008

Trovato.

.

Christopher Santucci · July 8, 2008

Trovato.

The Stinger jib is awesome but I'm not sure you can buy it.

.

Jay Hunter · July 8, 2008

Anyone played with the intelli-jib? I'm thinking that it's not beefy enough for 35mm & sliders but....

Vincent Sweeney · July 8, 2008

I just finished looking at a bunch of the $1-2K priced jibs and finally settled on a VanceJib for testing. The ease of set-up, camera load capacity (I've got a loaded Aaton on the end) and how small it can travel were important to me. It's also mostly steel so flex is kept to a minimum. It may not be quite as heavy duty as a couple of the others but you can tell more actual design work went into which keeps it lighter weight and easier to handle by one person.

The other jibs didn't give an option on boom length which is a must for me for indie film work. What if you are just a few feet from the action in a small room and want to do a subtle move? This one lets me take in the boom with ease to any length needed which was unique from the others I worked with. It also rises something like 7.5 feet which is better than others I was exposed to, even more so if you consider it folds down to about 48". It's like having a short and medium in one unit. I can also change the angle of the head and it has a built in trim weight.

All of the small jibs are tough to get to stop without slight bounce but this one did a better job than the Miller jib I was testing, for example. It also has basic drag controls.

I believe they are coming out with a beefier underslung bracket soon too.

And one other thing I liked about it was there are no loose parts or tools to worry about.

Vincent Sweeney · August 5, 2008

I felt like I should add this to my old post.

Dan just sent me this picture to show how he tests his design work.

robert duke · August 5, 2008

I've worked with the intellajib. It is a pretty solid jib and I have put a panavision gold with a 400' mag on it with a oconnor 1030 head. It is a pretty solid jib. it is super easy to assemble and dismantle. It does feel like it shouldnt take the weight but it does with flying colors. I didnt care for the safety latches on the arm but they were really just backup. I dont think the intellajib would take a slider and a head and camera, but depending on the size of slider and camera...

I used to own a EZFX jib. It was a pretty solid lightweight jib. It had a nice capacity and assembled super fast and easy. I know that it has been improved since I had mine, but for DV-to Small HD it is a wonderfull jib. I had put SR3 on it but that is about the same as a betacam.

Has anyone used the jonyjib?

Tonis Liivamagi · August 11, 2008

We have this Porta-Jib Traveller as I could not imagine using anything of lesser quality.

The ability to compensate with the extra weight on the shortened back in really tight situations made it a winner too.

See here for my first job done with Porta Jib I wish I could operate the JIB without much practice but I'm still learning - any good technique advices?

Cheers,

T

Tshaka · August 12, 2008

Can anyone suggest their favorite short jib arms that are available for purchase?

I'm primarily interested in purchasing a short arm (4-8ft) that would typically have a lambda and/or weaver head underslung. I like to incorporate a slider into the mix as well. Typically using it in small spaces to give me a little bit more flexibility.

I like the "Aerocrane Jib Arm" but I'm pretty sure it's for rental only.

Ideas?

-Jay Hunter

I like the Straight Shootr? (www.straightshootr.com) especially for the configuration you've described. It's solid and easy to setup but it's one piece (8ft long) , not including weight bar with free weights, and takes 2 people to setup. Linear Slider is built in and Mitchell Mount is easily switched from standard to underslung configuration in seconds.

Maximum capacity is 100lbs for the Camera and Nodal Head Combination (2 Axis Weaver/Steadman 18lbs, 2 Axis Lambda 46lbs).

I don't like the Intel-A-Jib, the EZFX Jib or the Porta-Jib for this configuration when there are more rigid alternatives available. Never used the Trovato but it looks similar to the Porta Jib.

Although I've never worked with the Aerocrane Jib it looks very capable and seems to be on par with the Straight Shootr. It also has an Aeroslider option which is great. It seems more versatile than the Straight Shootr. Seems like you should be able to buy it.

I also like the Chapman Stinger Jib System and the the JL Fisher line of Jibs but those aren't for sale; lease only.

james fotherington · July 28, 2010

I like the stinger and the aerojib . I have used pretty much every arm out there many times and these two are my favorites . I think the travato is a little underbuilt for 35mm cameras as well as the portajib . The telejib is a very heavy device that doesn't work very well at all and cannot do what they claim . I've used the straight shooter probably a hundred times over the years but don't any more because I believe the first two I mentioned are superior . I do like fisher jibs the 21-24 are all very well built and sturdy .Also pretty straight forward to put together . I have also used anti grav arms and pretty much everything else you could think of . If you need any specifics or quirks about any of these arms pm me and I'd be happy to help any way I can .