Above image courtesy of John Kopec
Another Steadicam tool for the serious operator...................
For many years, Kenyon gyros have been used on various types of Steadicam rigs to get more stable footage while under the most challenging conditions. The demands of outdoor filming, in all kinds of weather, can certainly frustrate the best of operators. Our gyros can provide a little bit of help or a whole lot of help, depending on which gyro or gyros you chose to use. And any good operator knows that they need to have the right tools available at all times and be ready for any situations or conditions.
Photo courtesy of P. Scott Sakamoto using his KS-4 Gyro on his rig
Photo courtesy of M. Dean Egan using his KS-4x4 gyro on his rig
Myths, misconceptions and other musings..........
1) Gyros are noisy.......yes, they can get noisy.
Sometimes, the gyro takes a beating and the precision bearings inside get worn and the wheels get out of balance.
But we can fix that! And you can call or email and you will always get a human on the other end to try and help you out......
When we make (or repair) a gyro for an operator today, we make every effort to make the gyros especially quiet and perfectly balanced for smooth operation.
In the olden days, the gyros were made much differently. They were also very difficult to build with the type of machinery available at the time. Every gyro was and still is hand built to very specific dimensions for precision operation.
We have seen 40 year old gyros come in, original everything and they still run perfectly quiet and smooth.
When those come in to the shop, we treat them with great respect, like an elderly friend with many stories and adventures to tell. Some have skid marks, deep gashes, most of the paint is gone, dented end caps, covered in gaffers tape, you name it, we've seen it. The gyros come in to the shop from all around the world, sometimes from someones grandfather.
But further to the answer, a 2 axis gyro has two metal spinning wheels, that work together at 20,000 rpm and once full speed is achieved, you can hear the wheels sing.........some have described it as a pleasant whirr............
some have described it as sensual...............
Sometimes, the gyro takes a beating and the precision bearings inside get worn and the wheels get out of balance.
But we can fix that! And you can call or email and you will always get a human on the other end to try and help you out......
When we make (or repair) a gyro for an operator today, we make every effort to make the gyros especially quiet and perfectly balanced for smooth operation.
In the olden days, the gyros were made much differently. They were also very difficult to build with the type of machinery available at the time. Every gyro was and still is hand built to very specific dimensions for precision operation.
We have seen 40 year old gyros come in, original everything and they still run perfectly quiet and smooth.
When those come in to the shop, we treat them with great respect, like an elderly friend with many stories and adventures to tell. Some have skid marks, deep gashes, most of the paint is gone, dented end caps, covered in gaffers tape, you name it, we've seen it. The gyros come in to the shop from all around the world, sometimes from someones grandfather.
But further to the answer, a 2 axis gyro has two metal spinning wheels, that work together at 20,000 rpm and once full speed is achieved, you can hear the wheels sing.........some have described it as a pleasant whirr............
some have described it as sensual...............
2) Gyros are heavy...........yes, they can be, but not all are.
There are many sizes, weights and gyro configurations to choose from. And basically, the heavier the gyro(s),
the more stabilization effect you will realize. The other side of the argument then asks the question, "Well, how much more weight are you willing to add to your rig?"
Starting with the KS-4 gyro, weighing in at 2.4 lbs, and the inverter weighing in at about a half pound, this combo will give you a little bit of help. Add a second KS-4 in another axis and you add to the effect for just a wee bit more help.
Instead of two single KS-4 gyros, choose the KS-4x4 gyro for more localized stabilization effect, especially at the bottom of your rig. The KS-4x4 (which weighs twice of what the KS-4 weighs at 4.8 lbs.{it's 2 gyros in one!}) is considered a 3 axis gyro and has 4 heavy metal wheels spinning and working together to resist movement.
Okay, so now you get the drift............the next weight class is the KS-6 gyro, weighing in at 3.6 lbs and the inverter weighing a tiny bit more than the KS-4 inverter.
Or you can use two KS-6 gyros (and we can discuss daisy chains later)
or a KS-6x6 gyro (6.8 lbs) using the same inverter as a single KS-6.
Long ago, George Paddock of GPI embraced the dual KS-6 gyro set up for his rigs back in the 1990's. He also designed specialty gyro mount solutions for mounting to the rigs that are no longer made today. We have started to come out with some simple, and some more complicated prototype solutions, to give other mount options. Just ask!
Then there is the KS-8 gyro. It is like a bull. It weighs in at 5.5 lbs and can stabilize like the dickens! Two KS-8 gyros is not unheard of and only a few dare use the KS-8x8 gyro, weighing in at 10.8 lbs., and not for the fainthearted! These gyros are used in extreme conditions and in vehicle shooting. They offer rock solid stabilization.
3) Gyros are expensive to buy - yes, they are expensive to make, too!
Here at Kenyon Labs, we have tried hard to continue to constantly make improvements to our gyros, but not charge higher prices for them. We make just about everything in house so we can maintain quality and control. We do not buy "cheaper materials" from other countries to save a buck. There is no long conveyor belt spitting out gyros by the thousands per day. They are hand built by humans, a small dedicated crew of humans specially trained to build a precision product. Only US made materials are used. We produce our own AC motor systems, they are the most efficient motors for the purpose they are intended for. And no, you can' t just buy them from some other company. There is a reason why nobody makes the same gyros we do, it's complicated, it's expensive and it requires precision manufacturing and attention to detail. With the market being flooded with cheap knock offs of other products that were once made here with quality and pride, it's no wonder why the consumer gets confused and thinks that a copy is as good as the real thing, or better, just because it was cheaper.
We are the sole manufacturer and repair facility of our gyros and support equipment and are located in Higganum, Connecticut, USA.
There are many sizes, weights and gyro configurations to choose from. And basically, the heavier the gyro(s),
the more stabilization effect you will realize. The other side of the argument then asks the question, "Well, how much more weight are you willing to add to your rig?"
Starting with the KS-4 gyro, weighing in at 2.4 lbs, and the inverter weighing in at about a half pound, this combo will give you a little bit of help. Add a second KS-4 in another axis and you add to the effect for just a wee bit more help.
Instead of two single KS-4 gyros, choose the KS-4x4 gyro for more localized stabilization effect, especially at the bottom of your rig. The KS-4x4 (which weighs twice of what the KS-4 weighs at 4.8 lbs.{it's 2 gyros in one!}) is considered a 3 axis gyro and has 4 heavy metal wheels spinning and working together to resist movement.
Okay, so now you get the drift............the next weight class is the KS-6 gyro, weighing in at 3.6 lbs and the inverter weighing a tiny bit more than the KS-4 inverter.
Or you can use two KS-6 gyros (and we can discuss daisy chains later)
or a KS-6x6 gyro (6.8 lbs) using the same inverter as a single KS-6.
Long ago, George Paddock of GPI embraced the dual KS-6 gyro set up for his rigs back in the 1990's. He also designed specialty gyro mount solutions for mounting to the rigs that are no longer made today. We have started to come out with some simple, and some more complicated prototype solutions, to give other mount options. Just ask!
Then there is the KS-8 gyro. It is like a bull. It weighs in at 5.5 lbs and can stabilize like the dickens! Two KS-8 gyros is not unheard of and only a few dare use the KS-8x8 gyro, weighing in at 10.8 lbs., and not for the fainthearted! These gyros are used in extreme conditions and in vehicle shooting. They offer rock solid stabilization.
3) Gyros are expensive to buy - yes, they are expensive to make, too!
Here at Kenyon Labs, we have tried hard to continue to constantly make improvements to our gyros, but not charge higher prices for them. We make just about everything in house so we can maintain quality and control. We do not buy "cheaper materials" from other countries to save a buck. There is no long conveyor belt spitting out gyros by the thousands per day. They are hand built by humans, a small dedicated crew of humans specially trained to build a precision product. Only US made materials are used. We produce our own AC motor systems, they are the most efficient motors for the purpose they are intended for. And no, you can' t just buy them from some other company. There is a reason why nobody makes the same gyros we do, it's complicated, it's expensive and it requires precision manufacturing and attention to detail. With the market being flooded with cheap knock offs of other products that were once made here with quality and pride, it's no wonder why the consumer gets confused and thinks that a copy is as good as the real thing, or better, just because it was cheaper.
We are the sole manufacturer and repair facility of our gyros and support equipment and are located in Higganum, Connecticut, USA.
4) With so many used gyros out there, why should you buy a new one from Ken Lab?
Yes, with many for sale on ebay and other forums, it is tempting to believe that you will be getting a bargain.
But, unless the gyro has been certified by Kenyon Laboratories, you really won't know what you are getting. And even then, once it leaves our shop and doesn't go directly to you, we cannot guarantee the condition.
Since we have been making gyros for almost 60 years, there are still a lot of really old gyros out there. Many have been rebuilt over time, some have been rebuilt many times. If a gyro gets rebuilt too many times, it starts to get less effective due to the fact that we remove material from the wheels to rebalance them. And remember, it is the spinning mass of the wheels that give you the stabilization effect. Less weight, less effect. We don't remove a lot of material, but after a lot of rebuilds, it will make a difference. The KS-4 gyro in particular had lighter wheels before we redesigned the gyros and many of the really old KS-4 gyros that are out there were rebuilt numerous times, like the hundreds of KS-4 gyros that were sold to the military and police forces, mostly to be used on binoculars.
Over all the years, we have made many changes and improvements inside and out. The old gyros were made of rough aluminum castings that were then machined individually, sent out to get double impregnated with an epoxy to fill in any air pockets in the casting and then they were fully assembled and painted with an expensive (and toxic) painting process. This whole process was expensive and labor intensive, even in the old days. The hundreds of tiny internal parts that it takes to make one gyro were all made by hand or on old manual machinery using jigs. The tungsten wheels came in as rough lumps and were carefully machined on a manual lathe spitting out hot, gnarly chips that could burn a hole right into your arm (or hair) if you weren't careful!
It could take a week to build one gyro! And remember, this all happened before personal computers, the internet, cell phones even fax machines!
Once we were able to invest in a couple CNC machines, everything got redesigned. We were then able to make perfect parts consistently and in a shorter amount of time. The gyros are still built by hand, but at least with all the improvements we were able to make, it became just a little bit easier.
So, to answer the original question, a new gyro is definitely better than an older gyro. With all the redesigns, the gyros are much hardier than they ever were and you know that with a new one, you will get a warranty from Kenyon. You won't get that if you buy an old used one from someone else. You have to also consider that if it is a really old gyro, it will be expensive to rebuild, since we have to replace almost everything. Please click on this link Kenyon Gyro Repair Info to find out how to determine the age of a gyro and the cost to rebuild.
5) Here are a few things to think about before purchasing a gyro package
(If you already know what you would like to purchase, just tell us what it is, where to ship and we will work up a quote)
*Which model gyro are you interested in using?
-Consider the additional weight to your system and what axes you would like the gyro to stabilize.
*Are you looking for two axis or 3 axis stabilization?
*Do you already have another stabilization solution and just need a little bit more in one other axis?
*Do you do a lot of vehicle shooting or need to shoot in extreme weather or other rough conditions
-Consider a heavier gyro, (there are no lightweight steam rollers, either)( And sometimes, don't you want the big guy to be on your team and watching your back?)
*Where would you like to attach the gyro?
-Consider it in place of one of your batteries, on your post, somewhere around the camera, clamped to your dovetail plate, using a quick release clamp somewhere else or attached to a cheese plate of some sort.
So many possibilities!
Use your imagination. Or take a look at the picture gallery of recent prototype solutions we have made below.
*Where would you attach the inverter (we'll give you industrial strength velcro, of course)
* Once you have decided where the gyro and inverter will be placed you need to consider the length of your cables.
-Consider that one cable will go from the inverter to the gyro (for AC power out) and the other will go from your on board battery power to the inverter (DC power in). The gyro requires 115 VAC 400Hz power to drive the wheels inside.
The inverter takes your 14 volt DC battery power and converts it to the AC power needed.
*And then there is the decision of what style connectors you would like to fumble with.
-Consider the pros and cons of two of the most popular styles of connectors.
-Lemos: Small, lightweight, expensive, sometimes hard to find & vulnerable to being crushed in a carrying case They can be a real @#$%$ to assemble, but that is our problem, not yours, until one breaks on you....
Lemos are usually preferred by most operators, we understand that, we use only genuine Lemo brand.
We use 2 pin 0B size and 2 pin 1B size, male and female, usually straight. If right angle connectors are requested (groan....), those are even more expensive and hard to find. But we'll do whatever you desire.
-XLR: Clunky, heavier, but really, really rugged. These are far easier to find and far less expensive.
Even the right angle connectors are fairly easy to get and inexpensive compared to Lemos.
They are less prone to failure in the field. Better for big hands....sausage fingers.....
We use genuine Neutrik and Amphenol brand 3 pin XLR (for AC) and 4 pin XLR (for DC) connectors.
-Now consider how you will plug into your power source. XLR 4 pin? Lemo 1B 2 pin? P-Tap?
We can make the cable with any of those choices. We use genuine Anton Bauer P-Tap (D-Tap) connectors
4 pin XLR polarity - pin #1 is negative and pin 4 is positive
Lemo 2 pin 1B polarity - pin closest to the little red dot is positive
* And here's just one more thing to consider - what style cables? Straight or coil? How long do they need to be?
We use genuine straight Canare and Mogami cable. Or our standard coil cords that we use for our gyro kits.
For both the AC and the DC coil cords, they are 36 inches long (relaxed state) and have a 6 inch straight
section on both ends. Cord can be cut to a shorter length and still have one end a 6 inch straight section.
And do you want the gyro cable to be hardwired to the gyro or detachable from the gyro?
*Oh. And another thing,..............the inverter, what connectors do you need to match your cables?
We can do all lemo, all XLR, lemo in, XLR out or XLR in, lemo out.....................whaddya like?
So there it is, ...................sooo many things to consider........................
Post Clamps and How to Determine What You Need
We make 3 different size diameter post clamps. We offer a 1.5", a 1.75" and a 2.0". We also make black plastic delrin 2-piece reducer bushings if you have a post that falls in between any of those diameters. We have found that there are many different brands of Steadicam rigs that use many different size posts. The list is too long to know them all, so if you do need the reducer, you will need to measure the post you would like to use and provide us with the dimension. You can always buy a cheap pair of calipers from a home depot type store or online if you cannot find out the measurement. Or ask a friend or a machinist. There are 3 pieces necessary to be able to use the post clamp system, see photo below. The reducer bushing is sold separately.
We make 3 different size diameter post clamps. We offer a 1.5", a 1.75" and a 2.0". We also make black plastic delrin 2-piece reducer bushings if you have a post that falls in between any of those diameters. We have found that there are many different brands of Steadicam rigs that use many different size posts. The list is too long to know them all, so if you do need the reducer, you will need to measure the post you would like to use and provide us with the dimension. You can always buy a cheap pair of calipers from a home depot type store or online if you cannot find out the measurement. Or ask a friend or a machinist. There are 3 pieces necessary to be able to use the post clamp system, see photo below. The reducer bushing is sold separately.
Gallery of Ideas for Stabilization Solutions for Steadicam Rigs
More pictures to come! So visit this page again.
We have a full machine shop and can work with you in deciding what may work best for your needs. The plates you see below are becoming very popular, so call or email us for more info. Or just ask your fellow operators for recommendations.
These are all still prototypes and were made on the fly! Someday, we will craft them in small batches and then have them black hardcoat anodized like how the outside of our gyros are treated...... Someday..........In the meantime, we keep making changes and redesigning these.
Resistance is not futile!
A gyro will resist movement, it wants to stay on target and will offer stabilization effect against outside forces.
A heavier gyro will resist more extreme outside influences.
A gyro will resist movement, it wants to stay on target and will offer stabilization effect against outside forces.
A heavier gyro will resist more extreme outside influences.
For more info on what a Kenyon Gyro actually is, click here What is a Kenyon Gyro
For more technical info, such as drawings, click here Technical Drawings & More
For more info on the different stabilizers, click here Stabilizer Guide
For more technical info, such as drawings, click here Technical Drawings & More
For more info on the different stabilizers, click here Stabilizer Guide