Contents. Operating Manual. p/n LIT

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1 Contents Operating Manual p/n LIT

Table of Contents Overview 3 Identify the Parts 4 Prep Work 6 Basic Assembly 10 Pan Cable 14 Balance the Spar 16 Operating and Practice 18 Cases and Packing 20 NEW! Go to tiffen.

2 Table of Contents Overview 3 Identify the Parts 4 Prep Work 6 Basic Assembly 10 Pan Cable 14 Balance the Spar 16 Operating and Practice 18 Cases and Packing 20 NEW! Go to tiffen.com/steadicam_tango_video.html for the Tango Quick Start Video by Garrett Brown. Overview Tango assembly and balancing: The Tango rig must be attached to a Tango -ready Steadicam sled such as the Zephyr or Archer 2. Tools required: Screwdriver (for mounting the cameras to the dovetails), two (or more!) spirit levels, and many small zip ties with snips. Some key concepts: It s very important to make the main spar and the tie-rods the same length, so that the master and slave sled posts are perfectly parallel to each other. Balance the slave sled laterally and as neutrally as possible top to bottom. Add or remove weights as necessary. The Tango rig works best if the slave camera is both light and has low inertia (i.e., it is compact). Heavier cameras make balancing harder, and more inert (spread out) cameras may slip out of registration when panning rapidly. Don t over-tension the pan cable as this increases friction. These instructions assume you have lots of experience balancing and operating a Steadicam stabilizer but please read through the entire set of instructions first as there are a few not-so-obvious steps and tricks that will make setting up and using the Tango rig easier. Glossary: Boom the same action as with a regular Steadicam sled, but it isn t the sled that lifts up and down, it s the center of the spar. Elevation tilting the spar up and down using the handle. Ideally this is combined with a boom move, to get maximum lens height. STEADICAM TANGO Operating Manual The Tiffen Company 90 Oser Avenue Hauppauge, New York fax steadicam@tiffen.com Traverse sweeping the spar laterally using the handle. In close quarters, this can provide ultra-smooth mini-tracking moves since your feet can stay in one place. Tilt the same action as with a regular sled, but it is limited to ±90 Pan the same action as with a regular sled... limited to ± two turns depending on the cable wraps at each end. STEADICAM, Steadicam Tango, Zephyr, Archer 2, and are trademarks of the Tiffen Company, LLC. Technical Support ext.7917 Manufactured in the United States of America The Tiffen Company, LLC, written by J. Holway & L. Hayball The Tiffen Company, 90 Oser Avenue, Hauppauge, NY Tiffen Steadicam Operations, Glendale, CA

3 Identify the Parts Large weights Secondary monitor Small weights Pulley tree Pulley tree Slave sled weights Master fishmouth connector Active gimbal Telescoping spar Slave fishmouth connector Tango dock Primary monitor Slave sled Master sled Slave stage Pan cable (3 lengths) Pulley tree idler Tie-rod and pulley tree assembly A Tango -ready Steadicam sled such as this Zephyr serves as the master sled. 4 5

Prep Work Where to Start: Prep Work There are several preliminary steps that can be done in any order.

Since the camera will be on the slave sled, we need to add weights, a weight cage, or a dummy camera to the master sled.

receivers, etc., as part of the dummy camera weight. If the camera is self-contained, like a DSLR, use the large weights as shown.

You may find it easier to mount the camera upside down (as shown) and flip the image in post production.

In general, a slightly longer sled, with a larger than normal gimbal to camera distance, works better.

After the master sled is balanced normally, remove the curved portion of the gimbal handle from your sled and set it aside.

4 Prep Work Where to Start: Prep Work There are several preliminary steps that can be done in any order. Master sled Before assembling the Tango components, it s best to balance the master sled, both statically and dynamically. Since the camera will be on the slave sled, we need to add weights, a weight cage, or a dummy camera to the master sled. With any separated lens/chip and CCU camera, such as the SI2K, use the CCU/computer and any other ancillary gear, such as microwave transmitters, lens-control receivers, etc., as part of the dummy camera weight. If the camera is self-contained, like a DSLR, use the large weights as shown. Slave sled Attach the camera (typically in low mode) with all accessories on board. Try to get the camera s c.g. directly in line with the centerpost. You may find it easier to mount the camera upside down (as shown) and flip the image in post production. Balance normally: set inertia, post length, monitor position, etc. In general, a slightly longer sled, with a larger than normal gimbal to camera distance, works better. Placing the gimbal in the center of the stage and base optimizes the clearance to the tie-rods. Dynamically balance as well. After the master sled is balanced normally, remove the curved portion of the gimbal handle from your sled and set it aside. The handle unscrews via a knurled blue knob. Place the gimbal in the center of the centerpost. Add the slave weights - the smaller diameter ones - and, holding the gimbal yoke by hand, balance the sled neutrally top to bottom. Roughly pre-balance side to side and fore-aft as well. Soon the slave sled will be coupled to the master sled, so you don t need to be too precise with your balancing at this point. Docking mount Attach the Tango docking mount to a heavy-duty stand with plenty of sandbags. If you do not have two stands, set up and balance the master sled first, put the master sled aside, then set up the docking mount. 6 7

Prep Work Telescoping spar The active gimbal s

the center of the spar (towards the slave end).

the fishmouth aperture at the slave end, and

Gimbal handle set up for regular operating If

proper side for regular or goofy operating.

on the spar; just flip Here we are threading

have to thread several cables through It s

Use the witness marks and line the sections up

5 Prep Work Telescoping spar The active gimbal s clamp should be installed with the clamp towards the center of the spar (towards the slave end). Feed the proper cables for your camera through the fishmouth aperture at the slave end, and pull them free at the master end of the spar. Do not secure them yet. Gimbal handle docked for regular side operating Gimbal handle set up for regular operating If necessary, set the spar gimbal handle to the proper side for regular or goofy operating. Remove the four screws as shown below to flip the handle. Do not flip the orientation of the active gimbal on the spar; just flip the handle. Here we are threading the combination power and video cable through the spar. You may need special cables for your camera, or have to thread several cables through the spar. It s easiest to do this before adding the slave or master sleds. Set the spar length: short, normal, or long. Use the witness marks and line the sections up as best you can, nice and square. You will test for squareness again later. Gimbal handle docked for goofy operating Gimbal handle set up for goofy operating Flipping the handle for goofy: 8 9

Basic Assembly Putting the parts together Secure the

secured, attach the master sled to the master end

Regular operating Rebalance the sled now, but

You must pan the slave sled 90 degrees to balance

Adjust the top to bottom balance to nearly neutral

Attach the slave sled First, insert the slave sled

Notches will register the spar with the gimbal yoke.

6 Basic Assembly Putting the parts together Secure the Tango spar in the stand with the fishmouth openings facing down. Reverse the direction of the spar if operating goofy; i.e., the spar must dock with the gimbal handle facing towards you. Attach the master sled After the slave sled is secured, attach the master sled to the master end fishmouth as shown. Regular operating Rebalance the sled now, but remember that it is not free in one axis. You must pan the slave sled 90 degrees to balance both fore-aft and side to side. Adjust the top to bottom balance to nearly neutral (i.e., use a very long drop time). Attach the slave sled First, insert the slave sled into the slave end fishmouth. Notches will register the spar with the gimbal yoke. Screw the parts together using the large blue knurled knob. Be sure the parts are square so you don t cross the threads. To insure the connection is secure, the additional setscrews can be tightened also. Goofy operating Balancing fore and aft: Balancing side to side: Testing the drop time of the slave sled before adding cables or tie-rods: Check that you have sufficient clearance above and below the slave gimbal to avoid collisions at extreme spar elevations. As necessary, add or subtract the small weights for balancing. These weights will not hit the tie-rods at extreme elevations of the spar

Basic Assembly Tie-rods Set the tie-rods to the same

Pulley tree idlers Attach the two pulley tree idlers to

Slide them gently upwards so the rollers just contact

Spin each of the sleds to be sure they still pan freely.

Like any cable, these cables will have an effect on

Plug in all connectors, wind the cables up a couple of

pulley tree and yoke, leaving a small loop as shown

Be sure the cables will not contact the Vectran pan

It is best to wind the cables so that panning in one

7 Basic Assembly Tie-rods Set the tie-rods to the same length as the spar (short, normal, or long). Pulley tree idlers Attach the two pulley tree idlers to the master and slave pulley trees as shown. Slide them gently upwards so the rollers just contact the centerpost. Spin each of the sleds to be sure they still pan freely. Add the pulley trees to both the slave and master sleds using the three thumbscrews. Cables Important: You must adjust the tie-rod length to exactly match the spar length. Have your assistant hold or secure the master sled vertical use your spirit levels. Extend or contract the tie-rods or the main spar so the slave sled is also vertical. Attach and secure the electrical cables. Like any cable, these cables will have an effect on operating and balance, so it s best to have flexible cables properly laced and secured. Start at the slave end. Plug in all connectors, wind the cables up a couple of turns, and secure to the yoke and fishmouth with small zip ties. Remove the excess slack and secure the cables to the pulley tree and yoke, leaving a small loop as shown (right). Be sure the cables will not contact the Vectran pan cable. It is best to wind the cables so that panning in one direction winds the cables on the master sled while unwinding the cables on the slave sled. In this way, the force to wind one cable is cancelled out by the other end unwinding. One and a half to two turns are sufficient for most work. At the master end, thread the cables through the pulley tree as shown above and loosely secure them with the cable ties. Wind the cable around the post and plug in all connectors. If you can, plug in all cables to the top of the sled

Pan Cable Monitor If you have one, secure the additional monitor to the

Turn everything on and be sure it all works!

Rotate the master sled until it is in line with the slave sled.

cable, short, medium, and long. Choose the one that is matched to your setup.

secure this end on the crosspiece. Re-trim with the master sled.

master sled 90 degrees to trim both axes and set your normal drop time.

through the fixed loop, and secure the tensioner back on the line as shown.

out of registration with the master sled.

8 Pan Cable Monitor If you have one, secure the additional monitor to the desired attachment point and plug in its cables. Turn everything on and be sure it all works!! Register the slave camera and sled to the master sled Aim the slave camera directly along the spar. Hold the pan cable fast to a tie-rod with your finger. Rotate the master sled until it is in line with the slave sled. Lace the pan cable around the pulleys There are three lengths of Vectran pan cable, short, medium, and long. Choose the one that is matched to your setup. Start with the loop end roughly in the middle of the tie-rods it s easy to secure this end on the crosspiece. Re-trim with the master sled. Remember, one axis is not free while the Tango rig is docked, so rotate the master sled 90 degrees to trim both axes and set your normal drop time. If you did your prep work carefully, there should only be minor tweaking of the trim at this point. Keeping light tension on the line, follow the pulley path until you return to the starting point. Remove the loop from the cross piece, slip the end with the tensioner through the fixed loop, and secure the tensioner back on the line as shown. Note that while operating, the pan cable may slip and the slave sled will go out of registration with the master sled. For instance, it might happen if you bump the camera against an object of the set, or if the cable is too loose and you execute a fast whip pan. This lining up procedure will become second nature to you and can be done easily while operating. 14 Do not overtighten the loop. Double check that the line has not slipped off any pulley. Panning the master sled should now pan the slave sled. 15

Balance the Spar Balancing the Tango spar This is best done the

stud, elevate or crane the rig up and down.

how the electrical cables behave as you move the rig around.

Do not spin the docking mount or the Tango rig around, but lift

Keeping the spar horizontal, unclamp the active gimbal.

It should feel just like your normal Steadicam sled.

If it feels nice and free, try a couple of back and forth whip

If the slave camera slips, you need to add more tension to the

Pan cable tension will always be a compromise between these two

Decide what s most important for the shot.

9 Balance the Spar Balancing the Tango spar This is best done the first few times with an assistant. With one arm, cradle the sled. Test the system on the balancing stud While on the balancing stud, elevate or crane the rig up and down. You want to check clearances at the extremes of elevation, and how the electrical cables behave as you move the rig around. With your free hand, grab the active gimbal handle as shown. Do not spin the docking mount or the Tango rig around, but lift and carry the unit straight back and secure the spar gimbal handle on the balancing stud. The Tango spar is now ready to balance. Keeping the spar horizontal, unclamp the active gimbal. Pan the sled slowly. It should feel just like your normal Steadicam sled. If it is sluggish, there is too much tension in the pan cable. If it feels nice and free, try a couple of back and forth whip pans with hard stops. If the slave camera slips, you need to add more tension to the pan cable. Pan cable tension will always be a compromise between these two concerns friction and registration. Decide what s most important for the shot. Note that the pan cable was chosen as the means for pan connection for it s minimal added friction. Again, smaller, lighter, and less inert (more compact) cameras work best with the slave sled as they require the least tension to hold registration. Re-dock the Tango rig in its dock. Again, use the cradle method. Slide the gimbal until the Tango rig is neutrally balanced along the spar. Re-clamp the gimbal

Operating Mounting the sled on the arm Put on your vest and arm and lift the Tango rig out of the

Operating and Practice A large part of learning to use the Tango rig well is discovering what

One big choice is where to place the system c.g. vs. the master sled some ops want the c.g. closer to the normal position of a sled, with the master sled more to the rear.

Experiment. Set the arm tension to carry the load.

across your body, but there are many new choices (see the operating section).

you will have to tweak your balance, just as you would on a regular Steadicam system but this time

If you change something on the slave end, slip the pan cable off a pulley and rebalance the slave

Tweak the balance with the master sled again, remember that one axis is not free.

Just tweak the balance with the master sled.

horizontally, noting that it back pans perfectly.

10 Operating Mounting the sled on the arm Put on your vest and arm and lift the Tango rig out of the cradle. Operating and Practice A large part of learning to use the Tango rig well is discovering what positions you can get into (and out of!) where things collide, when to look at each monitor, etc. One big choice is where to place the system c.g. vs. the master sled some ops want the c.g. closer to the normal position of a sled, with the master sled more to the rear. Others may opt for the master sled being in the same position as a regular sled, but with the c.g. further forward. Experiment. Set the arm tension to carry the load. Typically you will work in the Missionary position with the Tango spar at an angle (see photos) across your body, but there are many new choices (see the operating section). As you operate, and change lenses, filters, etc. you will have to tweak your balance, just as you would on a regular Steadicam system but this time you have three sleds to adjust. If you change something on the slave end, slip the pan cable off a pulley and rebalance the slave sled as you did originally. Lace the pan cable again, re-tension and re-register the pan angle. Tweak the balance with the master sled again, remember that one axis is not free. When you pick the Tango rig up to operate, slide the spar gimbal to reset neutral balance as necessary. If you make changes to the master sled, you do not have to slip off the pan cable to rebalance. Just tweak the balance with the master sled. When you pick the Tango rig up to operate, slide the spar gimbal to reset neutral balance as necessary. Aside from the new lens heights, explore the Tango rig s ability to traverse or sweep across space horizontally, noting that it back pans perfectly. Practice moving your body so that the arm sweeps along a straight line, not just in a big arc. It s a whole new line dance! One exercise we like is booming from the lowest lens height to the highest while near someone and tilting radically to hold headroom. Do it slow, do it faster, and get closer to the subject to make the move more radical. Stops and starts are just as important as in regular operating. We find that starting and ending a move spatially (kissing it off) works for Tango operating just as it does for regular operating. For instance, a big boom and tilt typically works best by booming first, then elevating and tilting, then ending the tilt and elevation, then finishing the boom to kiss off and lock the frame. Going through doors and around corners can be tricky, so practice these moves a lot

11 Rest positions Operating More vertical docking Docking the system vertically saves space on set, avoid collisions, etc. when not using the Tango rig

Packing in the cases Cases & Packing 22 Disclaimer: There is

The Tiffen Company, 90 Oser Avenue, Hauppauge, NY 11788

12 Packing in the cases Cases & Packing 22 Disclaimer: There is no implied or expressed warranty regarding this material. Specifications, accessories, etc.are subject to change without notice. The Tiffen Company, 90 Oser Avenue, Hauppauge, NY Tiffen Steadicam Operations, Burbank, CA

Accessories Optional Accessories The Steadicam Operator s LIT-900000 Handbook Dovetail plate assembly 802-7417 Low Mode Kit 078-7393-01 Video Low Mode Cage

Steadistand 601-7910 Flyer mounting block 803-7801 Thumb screws for block 078-0627-01 Long straps for vest 803-7817 Cable, 12V power, spare 078-7351-01 Cable, 3

Bag-Sand bag/portfolio Cap, Steadicam Trolley for system Soft Case FFR-000013 FFR-000014 FFR-000021 DAA-22B Also Recommended: Wireless follow focus system and

recording system Cases & packing When repacking the sled into the case, make sure the gear gets wiped down and not put away wet. The batteries are removed.

The arm should be packed inside the vest to keep things compact.

Bauer Dionic 90 FFR-000048 (Li-Ion) battery Anton Bauer Hytron 50 FGS-900077 (NiMH) battery Anton Bauer Dual charger, FGS-900095 Titan Twin Anton Bauer Quad

13 Accessories Optional Accessories The Steadicam Operator s LIT Handbook Dovetail plate assembly Low Mode Kit Video Low Mode Cage F-bracket for Low mode Merlin Start weights (4x) Merlin Middle weights (4x) Vehicle Kit, Flyer Steadistand Flyer mounting block Thumb screws for block Long straps for vest Cable, 12V power, spare Cable, 3 ft video /4-20 camera screws /8-16 camera screws Adaptor, Phono-BNC JCK Adaptor, BNC-RCA JCK Tool pouch Saddle Bag-Sand bag/portfolio Cap, Steadicam Trolley for system Soft Case FFR FFR FFR DAA-22B Also Recommended: Wireless follow focus system and brackets Video transmitting and receiving system Wired zoom control system Camera specific low mode brackets Inertial augmentation (Antlers or Gyros) Video recording system Cases & packing When repacking the sled into the case, make sure the gear gets wiped down and not put away wet. The batteries are removed. Don t leave any loose components in the case as they may work their way over to the monitor and scratch the display. The arm should be packed inside the vest to keep things compact. Most operators have several other cases for their accessories, tools, low mode brackets, video recorders, video transmitters, diversity receivers, remote focus equipment, etc. Batteries PowerCube TM Battery FFR PowerCube 2+2 Starter Kit* FFR IDX VL-4S battery charger FFR PowerCube battery hard case Anton Bauer Dionic 90 FFR (Li-Ion) battery Anton Bauer Hytron 50 FGS (NiMH) battery Anton Bauer Dual charger, FGS Titan Twin Anton Bauer Quad charger FGS with LCD display Zephyr system shown with the optional low mode kit. Disclaimer: There is no implied or expressed warranty regarding this material. Specifications, accessories, etc.are subject to change without notice. 24 Visit for a complete list of Steadicam accessories. The Tiffen Company, 90 Oser Avenue, Hauppauge, NY Tiffen Steadicam Operations, Glendale, CA

QuickStart Guide. Contents

QuickStart Guide. Contents Contents QuickStart Guide The Tiffen Company, 90 Oser Avenue, Hauppauge, New York 11788 631-273-2500 800-645-2522 www.tiffen.com Tiffen Steadicam Operations, Glendale, CA 818-843-4600 1-800-593-3331 www.steadicam.com