Tiffen steadicam aero User manual

Operator’s Manual
LIT-825000
Revision: A

Steadicam AERO Operator’s Manual
LIT-825000
Revision: A
Steadicam®is a registered trademark of The Tiffen Company. Steadicam®AERO™is a trademark of The
Tiffen Company. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Specifications stated within this manual are subject to change without notice.
Please see www.tiffen.com//warranty.html for warranty details.
© 2016 The Tiffen Company. Written by E. Barthelman.

Table of Contents
A Word from Garrett Brown 1
Get to Know the Steadicam AERO 3
AERO components 4
Operating Accessories 7
Setting Up 9
Assembling the AERO Sled 10
Mounting your Camera 13
Balancing 19
Static Balance 20
The Steadicam Vest 27
Fitting the Vest 28
The Steadicam Arm 29
Connecting the Arm & Vest 30
Lifting the System 31
Adjusting the Arm & Threads 32
Steadicam Operating 35
Operating 101 36
Weights & Post Extension 41
Goofy Operating 45
Advanced Operating 47
Dynamic Balance 49
Maintenance 53
Cleaning 54
Electronics & Connectors 55
Contact Tiffen 57

A Word from Garrett Brown
Dear Friends,
Congratulations on your new Steadicam® AERO™.
I’m amazed to say that Steadicam operating is now 40 years old and the equipment is
seventh generation—and both are more sophisticated and more vital than ever!
As each new Steadicam gets better and tougher, as great cameras become ever smaller, our
lightweight versions increasingly resemble our ‘big rigs,’ with the same features and perks
that help top operators nail difficult shots.
The AERO™ is a true Steadicam top to bottom. It’s arguably stronger and more capable than
any rig in its class, and is certainly a user-friendly choice for beginners. If you’re a newbie,
get your hands on The Steadicam Operators Handbook and watch the “EFP Training Video”.
AERO is also a superb ‘run & gun’ rig for veterans and flat-out stunts. It’s rigid and precise
and has all the bells and whistles you're used to. In fact, a lightweight Steadicam, harshly
operated for violent moves, yields much more realistic action sequences than handheld!
And an excessively-light camera (what a concept!) can easily be brought up to inertial snuff
with supplied weights added to the proprietary corner-mounts on the stage. That makes
AERO a terrific rehearsal rig before you have to lug your heavy metal through those 10
minute shots!
In short, the AERO is brilliant –precise, tool-free, super-adjustable and super strong. It has
the same center post that is used on the Steadicam Zephyr model sled, and an even more
rigid stage, so with the A-30 Arm and Vest your AERO can support camera payloads up to 20
pounds!
Good luck with your new Steadicam AERO™ and good shooting!
It’s the best light Steadicam ever!
Best,
Steadicam® Inventor
Philadelphia, 2016
www.garrettcam.com
1

2

Get to Know the Steadicam AERO
Gimbal Handle
Connection to Arm
Control Boom height
Stage
Power and Video connections
Fine balance adjusters
The Steadicam AERO is designed to be precise, user-friendly, and versatile enough to fly a
wide range of cameras for a variety of productions. The AERO is tools-free so you can quickly
make adjustments to your Sled in order to suit the shot or your operating preferences. Take a
moment to familiarize yourself with the components and features of the Steadicam AERO.
Monitor Mount
Pivots for easy viewing
Balance Weights
The Post
Extendable from 22.5” to 35.5”
Indexed sections
Gimbal Grip
Control camera pan and tilt
Knurled grip surface
Battery Mount
Multiple battery mounts available
V-Lock shown in this manual
Post Lock
Locks Post length
Quick Release Plate
Slide-in loading
Safety catch
Cross Rod
The Sled
Base
Quick disconnect from Cross Rod
3

AERO Components
Fore-Aft Knob
Laser etched directions
Graduated Scale
Lock Lever
Secure Quick Release plate to Stage
Side-to-Side Knob
Laser etched directions
Graduated scale
BNC Video Jack
HD-SDI connection to Base
Release Button
Press to free Quick Release plate from
Stage
P-tap Power Jack
12 Volt output
The Stage
Bubble Level
Horizon confidence level
Weight Threads
Four ¼-20 tapped holes
Place Balance Weights at corners
Docking Ring
Rest Rig on Dock here
Fore-Aft scale
Graduated reference scale
4

Get to Know the Steadicam AERO
Gimbal Grip
Control camera pan and tilt
Knurled grip surface
Gimbal Handle
Connection to Arm
Control Boom height
The Gimbal
Quick Release Plate
Balance Weights
.25 lb each
¼-20 threaded
Gimbal Lock Knob
Adjustable clamping handle
Secures Gimbal to Post
Pan Bearing
Center of balance
No maintenance
Rod mount holes
Focus motor mounting
Fore-Aft scale
Graduated reference scale
5

AERO Components
Battery Input 3-Pin Mini-XLR
Plug in battery cable to power sled
5A self-resetting fuse
12 Volt
BNC Video Jack
HD-SDI connection to Top Stage
Base Front
Base Rear
Monitor Mount
¼”-20 threads
Fits most monitors
Angle adjustable
Monitor Power 3-Pin Mini-XLR
Power your monitor
5A self-resetting fuse
12 Volt
Cross Rod Clamp Knob
Loosen to slide Cross Rod in Base
Tighten to lock Cross Rod
Base Locking Knob
Locks the upper Base section to the lower
Base section
Base Release Safety
Depress to unlock the Base
to detach Cross Rod from
Post for storage and
transport
6

Operating accessories that are suggested in order to get the most out of your Steadicam AERO are
illustrated throughout this manual. Please find a list of these accessories here, along with other optional
operating accessories, and consider adding them to your kit if you don’t already own these
components.
Suggested Components for your Steadicam AERO:
Docking Bracket
804-7900 –½” Basic Docking Bracket (comes included with AERO 15 Systems)
807-7920 –½” Deluxe Docking Bracket (comes included with AERO 30 Systems)
Stand
601-7901 –Steadi-Stand
FGS-900073 –American Heavy Duty Stand
Sandbags
FFR-000014 –Steadicam Sandbag (sand not included)
Balance Weights
821-7910 –¼ lb balance weights, ¼-20 threaded (8 balance weights come included with all AERO
configurations)
Monitor
MSC-200595 –7” 3G-HD/SDI/HDMI 1000 nit Monitor (comes included with most AERO configurations)
Battery Mounts (comes included with most AERO configurations)
825-7300-01 –V-Lock Battery Mount with D-Tap
825-7300-02 –Anton-Bauer Battery Mount with D-Tap
825-7300-03 –Sony BP-U Battery Mount
825-7300-04 –Canon LP-E6 Battery Mount
825-7300-05 –Sony NP-F970 Battery Mount
825-7300-06 –Panasonic D28 Battery Mount
Arm Post Adapters
If you already own an arm and vest and purchased the AERO Sled only, you can use your arm and vest
with the AERO sled. Just be sure to use the correct arm post adapter for the ½” AERO gimbal handle.
801-7291 –Pilot Arm Post Kit (adapts Merlin Arms to fit AERO gimbal)
802-7204-01 –G-50x ½” Arm Post
800-7204-04 –G-70x 6” Arm Post with ½” Top
800-7204-05 –G-70x 12” Arm Post with ½” Top
Other
078-7393-01 –Low Mode Kit: F-Bracket & Handle Clamp
825-7420 –AERO Quick Release Camera Plate
078-4122 –12” Video Cable, BNC-BNC
078-1121 –¼-20 Camera Mounting Screw
078-1122 –3/8-16 Camera Mounting Screw
601-7411 –¼-20 to 3/8” Camera Mount Spacer
Operating Accessories
7

Notes
8

Setting Up
Add your choice of monitor by lining up the
registration pins and attaching it to the
monitor mount via the captive ¼-20 screw.
Slide Base together, connecting the Post to the
Cross Rod. The Base only slides in from the
battery side.
Tighten the Base Lock Knob securely.
Note: To disassemble the Sled later, loosen
the Base Lock Knob, then press the Base
Release Safety while sliding the two halves
apart.
The Steadicam AERO arrives disassembled in a compact kit with the optional accessories
you selected. The customizable nature means your rig might differ slightly from the units
pictured in this manual. However, all the major parts and adjustments are the same.
Build the AERO from scratch:
9

Assembling the AERO Sled
Add your choice of battery mount to the
opposite end of the Cross Rod. A complete list
of available mounts is on page 7.
First, remove any weights from the Cross Rod
(your AERO comes out of the box with balance
weights installed on both ends of the Cross
Rod; you may need to reinstall these later
when you balance your AERO).
We suggest operating with the monitor at a
45˚ angle to the Cross Rod. This is adjustable
by loosening the Monitor Mount Knob with one
hand while supporting and adjusting the
monitor with the other.
Once you’ve adjusted the angle to your liking,
re-tighten the Monitor Mount Knob.
Second, remove the Battery Mount Locking
Shaft, slide the Battery Mount onto the Rod
and reinstall the Battery Mount Locking Shaft.
10

Setting Up
Roughly center the Cross Rod to the Post after
loosening the Cross Rod Lock Knob. Make sure
the Lock Knob is retightened.
Start with one weight on each end of the Cross
Rod for most cameras.
Your AERO is now ready to add a camera!
Center the Stage in both Fore-Aft and Side-to-
Side axes by looking at the etched Scales and
dialing the appropriate Adjustment Knob.
11

Assembling the AERO Sled
12

Setting Up
Build your camera setup exactly as you plan to use it. This includes batteries, sound gear,
media cards and any wireless focus or video devices.
Mounting the camera to the Stage is the critical first step to balancing any Steadicam. The
goal is to precisely locate the camera’s center of gravity, or CG, in one precise location on the
Stage. It’s a simple procedure, but take your time here to make balancing the Sled quicker
and easier. Watch the Video: Mounting the Camera
Some Tips on Setting Up:
Use shorter cables to avoid extra loops that you need to tie down.
Secure all loose cables with Velcro or gaffer's tape.
We suggest you keep your flip-out LCD screen closed. The screen can move, which will
upset your balance. It is also safer to view the monitor at the base of the sled, so you can
keep an eye out for where you are walking.
13

Mounting your Camera
Mark this point with a piece of tape on the rear
of the camera.
Find the Center of Balance of your camera
setup.
Use a rod or something cylindrical to find the
Side-to-Side balance point.
Place the camera on the rod with the rod
parallel to the lens. Find the point where the
camera balances left to right.
Rotate the camera 90˚ to the rod and find the
Fore-Aft balance point using the same
method.
14

Setting Up
Mark this point as well.
Note: Some camera setups, such as a DSLR with a zoom lens, may have the Fore-Aft
balance point outside of the camera body. In this case, find the Side-to-Side balance
first, and then mount the Quick Release Plate to the camera and use the base of the
Plate to find the Fore-Aft balance point.
Fasten the Quick Release Plate
to your camera:
Unlatch the Lock Lever and press the
Release Button while sliding the Quick
Release Plate from the Stage.
Then, remove the two included
camera screws.
15

Mounting your Camera
Center the camera on the Quick Release Plate
using the Fore-Aft and Side-to-Side balance
point marks you made.
Note: The Quick Release Plate should be
mounted with the Rod Mount holes forward.
However, it will work in either orientation if
necessary.
Fasten with the appropriate camera screw in
the nearest opening. Do not over tighten, but
ensure the camera will not rotate.
Mount the camera to the Stage:
Slide the Quick Release Plate into the Stage
and position your Fore-Aft mark about 1/4” (6
mm) behind the center of the Post.
16