studiomprd Posted May 4, 2012 Report Share Posted May 4, 2012 (edited) " Eu makers, as some manufacturers (e.g.Loon) have difficulties responding " Loon has been non-responsive worldwide... " with some lo price poles ... the internal cabling was more of a nuisance than a problem solver? " with all lo price poles the issues still amount to the rule: Generally speaking, you get what you pay for. " I am still not decided is the internal cabling an option or not? " this, along with size, is probably a decision you need to take before deciding on a brand of pole... I get the feeling you still need to do some further research, especially making arrangements to try out some poles, to see what you like, as mostly this is a subjective, personal decision. Edited May 4, 2012 by studiomprd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Blankenship Posted May 4, 2012 Report Share Posted May 4, 2012 Of the half dozen or so poles in my collection, I mostly use either one of my VDBs or a K-Tek. The Gitzo -- an aluminum one -- is cheaply made, IMO, and serves as a loaner for times when I don't want to worry about how someone else is taking care of my investment. My 8 ft VDB (an early version) is one of my favorites for run-n-gun. Three of my four main poles are internally cabled. I use mostly 12'-13' ones on the cart. One of the things I like about the VDBs is they have an additional section which means that they collapse to a shorter length. This works nicely for allowing me to keep three boom poles mounted on the cart, even during transport -- usually, one K-Tek and two VDBs. Four of the six pole mounts on my latest cart build are shorter than the other two, so combined they carry: an internally-cabled 13' K-Tek, two 13' VDB poles -- one internally cabled, one not -- a C-Stand upright, an antenna mast, and a collapsed umbrella. All of these can stay mounted on the cart even during transport with the cart lying on its back in an HHR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olle Sjostrom Posted June 28, 2012 Report Share Posted June 28, 2012 I love my PSC Elite pole Large. I love its quick release and the collars (however nothing beats a K-tek on the collars..) and its lightness, and the fact that it doesn't flex as much as other poles.. One thing happened to me today though that made me worried. And a bit embarassed. When I walked around very gently with my pole mounted with the Rode Blimp, the quick release tip fell off with the blimp on it TWICE! It would seem the Blimp is too heavy for the tip that holds the mics. Yikes. I need to get a new zepp.... What if that fell onto the actors? :S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimPitot Posted June 28, 2012 Report Share Posted June 28, 2012 You think the PSC is light?! Dude, I have one and that thing is HEAVY! I do love it though - best pole I have ever had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olle Sjostrom Posted June 28, 2012 Report Share Posted June 28, 2012 What without the coiled cable it's lighter than any pole I've ever used. For fiction indoors, I never want to have a coiled cable... For exteriors though, yeah sure it's a bit heavy but not heavier than a K-tek IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimPitot Posted June 28, 2012 Report Share Posted June 28, 2012 Mine is cabled, maybe that's it! Can't go back to uncabled poles now though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filmfreak Posted June 28, 2012 Report Share Posted June 28, 2012 Loon ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vincent R. Posted June 28, 2012 Report Share Posted June 28, 2012 Mine is cabled, maybe that's it! Can't go back to uncabled poles now though Internal or external cable shouldn't really make that much of a difference? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olle Sjostrom Posted June 28, 2012 Report Share Posted June 28, 2012 Yes it does.. A coiled internal cable has much more dead weight than a straight one. Uncabled poles (i.e cable on the outside) are my favorites on fiction. I use a coiled cable on run n gun stuff and in the streets so people who are not working on set don't trip over my cables... and on ENG/Reality/doco stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vincent R. Posted June 28, 2012 Report Share Posted June 28, 2012 Yes it does.. A coiled internal cable has much more dead weight than a straight one. Yes but what are we talking about? In grams of difference right? And in that case every brand might have the same disadvantage between coiled or external. Or one brand provides a lower weight coiled cable than the other, that can be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olle Sjostrom Posted June 28, 2012 Report Share Posted June 28, 2012 I think it has a lot to do with weight distribution, that even if the cables are indeed the same weight (which I highly doubt...) the way they sit in or on the pole will distribute the weight differently. Also the real weight is in the mic and its suspension. IMO, internal coiled cable is much heavier than external straight cable just wrapped around the pole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted June 28, 2012 Report Share Posted June 28, 2012 " IMO " & " IMHO. " how much something weighs is not an opinion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfisk Posted June 28, 2012 Report Share Posted June 28, 2012 Coiled cable, no matter who makes it, is going to be heavier than either a straight internal cable, or externally cabling your pole. The reason for this is pretty simple, there is physically more cable with a coiled cable than with a straight cable inside (or wrapped around the outside) of your pole. Now, on shorter poles, like say a 9 or 12 foot pole, it's not much of an issue because the difference in weight isn't that much. It's on the longer poles, like 16 or 20 feet that the weight can become and issue, which is why I tell people to try and stay away from an internally coiled cabled 20 foot pole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vincent R. Posted June 28, 2012 Report Share Posted June 28, 2012 ... there is physically more cable with a coiled cable than with a straight cable inside (or wrapped around the outside) of your pole.... But, but, but... When you extract a pole with internal cable, it's somewhat the same length as an external cable. At least that's what i saw when recently fixing a ambient boom, that the coiled cable is stretched out entirely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olle Sjostrom Posted June 28, 2012 Report Share Posted June 28, 2012 " IMO " & " IMHO. " how much something weighs is not an opinion! Yes cus people experience weight differently depending on muscular build. We are not scales mr Senator Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfisk Posted June 28, 2012 Report Share Posted June 28, 2012 But, but, but... When you extract a pole with internal cable, it's somewhat the same length as an external cable. At least that's what i saw when recently fixing a ambient boom, that the coiled cable is stretched out entirely. This is true. It depends on your extension. If you are fully extended, there is a little more cable in the coiled cable than the straight cable, but I would imagine the difference in weight would probably not be noticeable if you are fully extended on a 16 foot or 20 foot pole with a full zeppelin package on the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted July 3, 2012 Report Share Posted July 3, 2012 " people experience weight differently " sorry to be so, well, so Senator about this, but how heavy something seems to be may not be the same as how much it weighs... K-Tek offers Hodges Effect accessories that make heavier poles "seem to be" lighter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OmahaAudio Posted July 4, 2012 Report Share Posted July 4, 2012 " people experience weight differently " how heavy something seems to be may not be the same as how much it weighs... Which is another way of saying " people experience weight differently ". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfisk Posted July 4, 2012 Report Share Posted July 4, 2012 K-Tek offers Hodges Effect accessories that make heavier poles "seem to be" lighter Actually...we don't. When they were first made, Manfred had a big run of them done to get a lower cost on a large quantity, and they lasted in stock for..well..years. I'm not exactly sure how long, but we sold our last one earlier this year, and when we looked at getting more made, it was cost prohibitive. The cost of brass is very high, and we sold so few per year that it just wasn't worth making more. In the time I've been at K-Tek, the one we sold earlier this year is the only one we've sold. The idea behind them is quite clever. They put weight at the back of the pole, reducing the amount of torque experienced by the boom operator, thus decreasing the amount of work. Overall, it was heavier, but the amount of work required to hold the pole fully extended was less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Davies Amps CAS Posted July 4, 2012 Report Share Posted July 4, 2012 I own both Panamic and Ambient poles and without a doubt the Panamics are superior to the Ambient. Panamic are made here by one of our largest audio companies and there is never a supply shortage. There doesn't seem to be a lot of poles in use here in the UK with internal cables apart from the ones used by the run and gun, ENG guys. Malcolm Davies. A.m.p.s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saadasound Posted July 4, 2012 Report Share Posted July 4, 2012 I started off with a ktek, but just got a used VDB 18' with internal coil. It was way to noisy, so I pulled that out and ran a 25' straight through it and it's the best I've used so far. Got hooked on them while 2nd booming on "House of Cards" with Mike Primmer and Mark Weingarten. Great poles, as long as they're the right model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyHall Posted July 4, 2012 Report Share Posted July 4, 2012 I started off with a ktek, but just got a used VDB 18' with internal coil. It was way to noisy, so I pulled that out and ran a 25' straight through it and it's the best I've used so far. Got hooked on them while 2nd booming on "House of Cards" with Mike Primmer and Mark Weingarten. Great poles, as long as they're the right model. I was thinking the coil in my K-Tek is way too noisy, and might just have to remove it in favor of a straight cable. More soldering ahead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Pender Posted July 5, 2012 Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 I have a PSC and an Ambient. The ambient developed cracks in one of the sections so I bought the large PSC internally coiled cable. I found the cable to be to noisy in some circumstances so I recently removed it, in doing so I removed the final section of my ambient and fitted it into the PSC. I now have a six section Large PSC reaching 4 Metres. I can remove the last section if its not needed within minutes and I have found the extra length really usefull. Still really stiff and works as it should. I also used the ambient rubber end for the base after I had to take out the xlr section. Anyone else trying hybrid poles? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBlimp Posted July 5, 2012 Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 After using a shorter Ambient pole for 3 years (mostly ENG), I decided I need a longer pole for scenic work and got a Panamic. I ordered mine from a seller in the UK, much cheaper than at the local dealers'. The Panamic is absolutely fantastic, feels like a piece of art, and makes the Ambient look like an extendable baseball bat. The Ambient is really rugged, that's what I got it for, but I don't like the locks - they need a hard twist to hold the sections in place, and the general grip feel is just "sticky" somehow. The Panamic works just like it should: A small twist, extend, small twist, lock. The smooth handling feel is just great. I only worked with VDB poles for the rest, and the Panamic makes both VDB and Ambient look pale in comparison. But to each his own, I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Li Posted July 5, 2012 Report Share Posted July 5, 2012 After using a shorter Ambient pole for 3 years (mostly ENG), I decided I need a longer pole for scenic work and got a Panamic. I ordered mine from a seller in the UK, much cheaper than at the local dealers'. The Panamic is absolutely fantastic, feels like a piece of art, and makes the Ambient look like an extendable baseball bat. The Ambient is really rugged, that's what I got it for, but I don't like the locks - they need a hard twist to hold the sections in place, and the general grip feel is just "sticky" somehow. The Panamic works just like it should: A small twist, extend, small twist, lock. The smooth handling feel is just great. I only worked with VDB poles for the rest, and the Panamic makes both VDB and Ambient look pale in comparison. But to each his own, I guess. Agree. My ambient boompole is built like a brick truck and rigid as a rock, but the locking mechanism leaves much to be desired. Got to try out my boom ops new panamic boom pole (she got for free... what the hell?!) and its pretty amazing. love the locking mechanism , and the thought putting in adjustable end stops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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