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Boompole length preference


Sarvic

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Sooo, I was looking at the ktek poles and was stuck between getting the 152CCR (13') and the 202CCR (16').

What do you guys recommend? Is the extra 3' worth the cost or is 13' good enough for most?

Thanks!

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Strange as it sounds, I've definitely needed an extra two or three feet before on a ~12ft pole. Many factors to judge, but also remember you'll have more than one boom before it's all said and done, so why not get what best suits you now and add to the collection later?

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Depends on what game you are in. In Features n TV n Commercials longer is better. If you are a one man Bagger I'm sure there is a sweet spot regarding length. One thing to remember is you can always make them shorter up to a point. A 13 footer can never be longer.

CrewC

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I consider myself a multi-faceted mixer, and before I turned around, I'm rocking 3 different poles. I have a 6' Traveler, a 12' and an articulating (9'-12'). Anything I've done thus far that was too far away (or just too damn wide) to use any of those... Even a 20' pole would have been pointless because they were SO wide. There comes a point where you have to just accept that wireless is your answer, because if the HEAD is forced to be 10 feet away to stay out of frame... Well, you are getting LOTS of wide perspective now, aren't you? Is that what you want? Yes, the correct answer is "Maybe!"

For me, I'm OK with a 9-12' length, most of the reality gigs I have been doing, I've been JUST FINE using even the little 6' pole, which is partly why I got the articulating - Much more flexibility in tight spaces.

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working on a "scripted" show at the moment; I regularly find myself fully-extended on a panamic 16ft Super-maxi, and would gladly use an additional few feet if possible.

Some set-ups, it's time to break out the 2ft "fore-arm" boom, and squeeze under a desk/etc...

For some reason I've always had a preference for using a "longer" pole than others (or so I've been told), as I felt it gave me a better view of the action, and more room to move (don't get too close to the camera ops).

for docos and reality/ENG, I sometimes find the drama-length pole to be "in the way" even when fully collapsed, and would most likely be picking up yet another pole if I found those types of jobs becoming my future.

all the best

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I use the 152CCR for reality shows and it's always been the ideal length.

If your doing reality shows, I wouldn't hesitate about buying the 152CCR.

Features or drama def need a long a pole as possible.

News and a current affair type shows can usually get away with a relatively short pole although when I did news many many years ago, I prefered a longer pole to get over the scrum without having to fully stretch myself. Nothing worse than trying to muscle in to the scrum when you could hang back and simply extend over everyone else.

Hope that helps

Cheers

Mega

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Go for the 16 foot you'll use it and it still gets pretty short. I like straight cabled poles as a boom op, but I am considering recabling my 16' pole( my short pole) with a coiled cable because if I do bag work the straight cable is a pain. In my opinion 12' is too short or too long. I agree with the above your going to end up with multiple poles. The perfect setup would be a short pole("elevator pole" as I call it) 6'-9' collapses to 1'-2', then the 16' pole, then a 21'. I have two long poles, a 21' k-tek that I love but it is not stiff enough at full extension to use in heavy wind or fast cueing situations. For those times I break out my ambient 22' qp-4140 with an extension. It's heavier but it rocks!

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I'm with Jim -- I have three separate K-Tek poles (7', 12', and 20') which I'll haul out for different situations. No question, the 12' 152CCR (right angle XLR) gets used the most by far.

You can get into a philosophical debate on what's better -- going with a long boom or just giving up and going with a wireless lav -- but I think giving the post crew more choices on sound perspective is the best approach for me, and I go for both if I have the option. And I know from experience that some non-technical people will freak out in dailies if they see a wide shot and can't hear clean dialog, whether or not it's really going to be used from that angle.

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I agree with Jim and Marc, 3 poles is sort of the sweet spot for getting a suitcase packable reality friendly pole (internally wired), having a really long one for extreme situations (you'll be the hero and go where others cannot), and then a 3rd that fits the happy medium for everyday narrative work.

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I was once told if a 12' pole isn't long enough, then the shot is too wide. I agree. I can't justify the cost of getting another, longer pole for those silly shots when I am completely happy with the pole I have now. Lavs, and/or close-up coverage have done fine for me so far.

Again, it all depends on your arena. As a boomer I did 1000's of shots where I needed every bit of my long pole on films, TV, and commercials. I have a national spot running now where we used 19 of the 20 feet with a Senn 70 in a full wind gag in 30 mph winds and it sounded great. Thank goodness I had a boom op who could do it that day. We had We had a radio mic and a boat load of wind protection on it but the radio sounded like hell compared to the shotgun. Not to knock the person who told you that 12' was enough, but I'd like to suggest that it is until it isn't long enough.

CrewC

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I have the 13', and I frequently feel too short on bag work. I tend to use a little extra as a counterweight when I have the space. I'd go for as much as you can, vary it up later as the bankroll allows. You won't really be annoyed at having options with long length, and later on if you want something shorter and lighter you can vary it up.

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If your working as a boom op or utility on movies and television and ust buying one pole I would go with the 202. You will need the length I own a 152 thats at least 7 or 8 years. 95 percent of the time the 152 is the perfect size. I got the 152CC and then bought the right angle piece separate so I could keep the pole a little shorter for traveling.

Brian

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