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Boom pole favorite?


11miles

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Hi guys,

Salute from Europe,

About to go on a project, i just realized i am short of some equipment.

Also feel it is a great timing to get rid of my old boom pole and buy something solid.

I have been checking the rycote ones, how come they don't make them longer than 3 metres?

Ambient one would be my first choice, but am also looking for a nice backup shotgun and a wireless kit, so don't want to spend all my money at once:-))

Any favorites?

Also, what is your opinion on internet cabling?

i had a chance to use a rode boom pole with internal cabling, wasn't happy with the handling born noise..

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Hello, and welcome...

" how come they don't make them longer than 3 metres? "

I'm going to suggest something real obvious...

you'll have to ask them. 8)

all the rest of your question is frequently and even currently being discussed in various threads on jwsoundgroup.

and why are you selling a top choice mic ?? ???

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LOON all the way!!!! IMHO THE BEST POLE EVER MADE.

I had to work with Ktek on a NBC show 2 weeks ago and could not understand why it needs so many twists to open and close.

I have seen plenty of VDBs lock. ALso VDB is very noise when you slide/extend.

Never seen a PSC.

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Rado,

I've got to say, you had amazing courage to send Loon a check in the hopes of receiving a pole. It worked out for you - especially considering they haven't cashed your check. But the future of the company and support for the product must be considered iffy at best.

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I find it very valuable for a boom to have that magic ability to easily half lock where there can be sufficient friction to stop say a 416 size mic in full Rycote basket with windjammer from twisting but loose enough to pull each section of the pole out without messing with the collars. It's so much faster in quick changing scenarios.

My VDB's can do this which is why I buy/like them but the K-Tek I bought definitely cannot.

I think Rado might be implying that Loons can do this but more quietly than VDB's.

Anyone else know whether Ambient, Gitzo, Loon, PSC, Rycote, Panamic have this property as well?

I use internal cabling on all my VDB's stereo and mono (except a 21 foot one) and it works very well and once again is great for speed.

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I have both an Ambient and Vdb pole. With the Ambient you don't even need to tighten the collars and it will hold fine. The thing is also built like a brick poop house. My Vdb is my 'feature' pole, its light long and a superb performer. I think Rado was premature to characterize one pole as the 'best'. It depends what you are working on. I normally work eng and doc jobs with my Ambient QX 550 because its very short (I can take it in a taxi without complications) and extends to an appropriate size. For Narrative or stage work I use my Vdb L because it give me a lot of reach and I generally know how I'll swing it for a specific scene. I personally don't like cabled poles, I prefer wrapping with my poles with starquad cable cut to an appropriate size. In the end its personal preference, you're going to have to hold that thing all day.

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Rado,

I've got to say, you had amazing courage to send Loon a check in the hopes of receiving a pole. It worked out for you - especially considering they haven't cashed your check. But the future of the company and support for the product must be considered iffy at best.

I waited for the product to arrive before I sent the check. I have 3 loons and with proper care I hope to last for a long time.

Sent from my HD7 T9292 using Board Express

Somebody should buy loon. GLEN TREW?????? (:

Sent from my HD7 T9292 using Board Express

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All K-Tek poles, if properly taken care of, should only require a quarter to half turn to loosen the collar enough so you can move each section and tighten it again. Rado, if you were using a K-Tek pole from someone else that required you to turn the collars a lot to get them to loosen up, then you might want to inform them it needs service. I've seen poles come in for service from time to time that have this issue.

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Why did Gitzo get such a bad name is the film world? Growing up my dad had Gitzo tripods (including one of the first carbon tripods), and I own two Gitzos for my still cameras. I always though they made superb equipment. Gitzo makes a little 6 section pole that looks like it will collapse to fit in a daypack, I'm actually flirting with buying one.

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I would not have noticed it if I did not have to lock unlock more then 100 times running like crazy with American ninja warrior contestants.

All K-Tek poles, if properly taken care of, should only require a quarter to half turn to loosen the collar enough so you can move each section and tighten it again. Rado, if you were using a K-Tek pole from someone else that required you to turn the collars a lot to get them to loosen up, then you might want to inform them it needs service. I've seen poles come in for service from time to time that have this issue.

Sent from my HD7 T9292 using Board Express

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Why did Gitzo get such a bad name is the film world? Growing up my dad had Gitzo tripods (including one of the first carbon tripods), and I own two Gitzos for my still cameras. I always though they made superb equipment. Gitzo makes a little 6 section pole that looks like it will collapse to fit in a daypack, I'm actually flirting with buying one.

I always dreamed of a small carbon C-Stand when I have to walk a mile with all my gear, C-Stand and sand bag....

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I think that boom poles are, like a lot of equipment we use, purely down to personal choice. I have used (or at least held) poles from K-Tek, Ambient, Loon, PSC, VDB, Gitzo, Rode and the fantastic british made Panamic boom poles. All have their pluses and minuses.

As far as the Loon debate goes, their poles are very nice. I had the opportunity to work with one on a feature I was booming last year (it was the mixer's pole). Fantastic pole. The "wing" was damaged so we didn't use it, but despite this having a nice pole in my hands made the job so much easier, to the point where I spent a good chunk of my wages from that project on a new pole.

I now own a PSC Elite pole, which I consider to be very close to the Loon in terms of design and feel, but it was stocked at a supplier here in the UK.

My pole is internally cabled, and it is handy, especially for ENG style one-man band work. The problem is, I have to be careful not to move too hastily, especially at close to full extension, in order to avoid cable rattle inside the pole. And if I have to physically run, I have to get the old uncabled pole out.

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Why did Gitzo get such a bad name is the film world? Growing up my dad had Gitzo tripods (including one of the first carbon tripods), and I own two Gitzos for my still cameras. I always though they made superb equipment. Gitzo makes a little 6 section pole that looks like it will collapse to fit in a daypack, I'm actually flirting with buying one.

I own a gitzo pole, and there are things I like about it. The segments don't twist amongst each other which is really nice. The tubing they use however, especially on the last two sections has a small diameter, and flexes a lot with a heavy mic like a 416. There is no coiled cable option, which is something I really like. The real reason I stopped using it in the end was because the threaded tip came un glued from the pole.

I own two ambients, and personally find them to be if much higher quality all around. I love my gutzo tripod, but I find their boom pole designs to not be very well refind.

Just my experience.

Wandering Ear

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great response thanks so much,

i am however limited to Eu makers, as some manufacturers (e.g.Loon) have difficulties responding in time.

Or cooperating with exchange and repairs. A Uk dealer mentioned it, anyway..

I am still not decided is the internal cabling an option or not?

with some lo price poles e.g. Rode the internal cabling was more of a nuisance than a problem solver?

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