ProLine final price update

The final price for the ProLine T2000 is updated in the original offer. The password for the webshop will be posted here later today or tomorrow.

Action Products Offer

Action Products, the well known Swiss company, also sent me an offer for their new product, the ActionCam Raptor, which will be ready to ship around NAB2013.

Action Products was one of the first companies I contacted concerning this group buy, since they already created once a special RED edition of their ActionCam for redusers.

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Pros & Cons - ProLine vs. L'Aigle

Please leave comments about other pros and cons and I'll add them to the list.

L'Aigle

+ Latex system is silent
+ Experience (10 years in the market)
+ Made in France
+ vastly improved over last version, i.e. easy tension adjustment via knobs (see reviews on HomeBuiltStabilizers and NAB2009 article which I posted earlier)

+/- Cables can be run through the pole, so it's an open system
+/- double V-mount / AB-mount battery plate
+/- Payload adjustments from 4kg to 12kg / 8.8lbs to 26.4lbs
+/- trolley suitcase with three compartments
+/- warranty (2 years for everytihing and 10 years for latex)

- arm is mixed folded metal and cnc machined
- no cables included
- no J-Box (upper junction box)
- no D-Box (lower junction box)
- no low mode (low mode cage available for 349€; will ask for a discounted price)
- thin(ner) pole (than ProLine)
- not well known outside Paris...

ProLine

+ Payload adjustments from 0.45kg to 20,4kg / 1lb to 45lbs (2 sets of caliper springs)
+ arm completely cnc machined
+ custom made 6pin LEMO power cables for the RED one and Epic / Scarlet are included
+ 4x 12v and 1x 24 volt power cables
+ 12 / 24V for RED and film cameras
+ J-box with LEMO / HD-SDI conenctors
+ D-box with LEMO / HD-SDI conenctors
+ Arm and Sled made in Argentina and the US
+ possibility to pay via monthly installments
+ tripple V-mount / AB-mount battery plate
+ low mode

+/- Cables can be run through the pole, so it's an open system
+/- classic spring system
+/- Vest made in India, but modified in US
+/- young company
+/- 2 years warranty

- the spring system could be noisier (mechanical springs vs. latex bands)
- not well know either
- fly case not included for the two lowest prices (extra 150USD for the case)

L'Aigle test in Paris

Quentin Devillers will test the L'Aigle unit on Monday the 11th in Paris. Contact him on REDuser, if you want to join him.

EDIT: The test was postponed!

Side by Side Test - ProLine & Laing

UPDATE: The group buy is over, but you can find more info about the steadicam rig on my store, where you can also order it. Please send me a mail if you any questions about this or other ProLine products. 

There will be a test this Saturday the 9th of the ProLine and Laing units in LA at ProLine's office. I'll update this blog post with all the information, as soon as I get them. If you want to join the test, you can directly contact Luciano at ProLine.

Update #1

Info on the LA side-by-side ProLine and Laing test are posted in this thread. Contact nickmilo for more details.

Update #2

Nick wrote on REDuser

Finalized meet date/time/location:

3:00, this Saturday 2/9 @ Civic Center Park in Irvine.
(Entrance at corner of Harvard Ave and San Juan)

google maps

Two rigs will be there:
Laing/Scarlet: David Winters setup
Proline/Red1: Proline will bring their setup, and we’ll mount my R1 on there, and try a light and a heavy config...

I’ll be filming the whole thing, being sure to capture and compare a lot of the things brought up in the thread. If any RedUsers had any specific requests/tests or things to document on the rigs, please let me know (either on this thread or via PM) and I’ll be sure to cover it…

Update #3

Nicky Milo posted the results on reduser

So, here is the video from the PROLINE / LAING test... word of warning: they are LONG. It's not a polished edit, it was all whipped together rather quickly from a crazy long day of running around and testing -- but I figure, the more footage the better...

I just tried to do my best of getting all the info on there-- the first two are overviews of each system, and the last video is the raw footage straight out of the cameras: No CC, so please excuse the glaring differences in footage, especially the exposure differences towards the end of the day :) -- I just tried to get it done and up...

And two last warnings: I forgot to turn off the IS on my 5D, so yea, please excuse the annoying grinding sound while talking, and b/c there was no audio, I just threw in some M83 over the stabilizer footage, so if you don't like em, please feel free to mute the sound :)

Laing Overview

Proline Overview

Stabilizer Footage

Here is some bonus footage that David put together if you haven't seen it yet - some good BTS footage of the rigs in action :D

PROline offer

Here's the offer for the PROline T2000 rig

Updated with the final price 21-03-2013

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Update #1: prices added for 40-80 and 80+ sold units 

Update #2: I asked Luciano at PROline if it would be possible to add special RED cables, so that we can directly connect our RED one or Epic / Scarlet camera to the sled.

Yes we can do the wires, no problem, but I'll need the samples to make exactly the same cables. We also will customize parts and accessories to suit the needs of the majority of red users, creating a red-user special edition...what do you think?

Also 6pin cables which pass on the battery charge information should be possible.

No problem about the center post cable. We can do it. We'll need more info about the configuration for our technician. Can you give us some details?

Update #3: Luciano answered some more questions of reduser members

How much do sled, arm and vest each weight?

The Arm weighs 2kg 800g, the Sled weighs almost 4kg, the Vest is 3kg.

The case, that is shown on the photo, is included, isn't it? Is there also a case or bag for the vest?

The hard case is included, but the vest doesn't fit in the case. The case for the vest is not included and it will be shipped in a regular box. I will do my best to source some sort of bag for carrying and transport purposes. The pricing on the last two estimates [see blog] are extremely close to cost and I would set up an option to additionally purchase the case for $150 dollars.

Is there a tripod included in the package [additional to the mounting plate -> see offer]?

The tripod is not included because the cost of shipping will be more expensive than the cost of the tripod, so it's a better deal for our customers to buy one separate. But we can include an adapter if any of the red users know they will be using Speaker Tripods. These work really well for heavy weights and they are what I prefer to use. When I travel, I buy one for the job and the leave it there so I don't have to pay additional overweight charges.

Did you had a change to look at the special RED cables (2pin to 6pin LEMO)?

Yes, the cables we will provide for Red Cameras, as well as extra cables with Xlr for accessories.

Is it possible to run your own cables through the pole?

Yes, the topstage and the dbox twist of in seconds to pass the cables through the post for hdmi and other cables.

And if a cable breaks, is it user fixable?

Yes, all cables are fixable and exchangeable we can ship the new cables the next day.

How would we go forward with the group buy? Will you open a paypal store with a discount coupon for redusers? Or should I forward you the list of group members?

Regarding the payment process, I can set up a special page in our website with login and password and we can use this as a special purchase page. The special price depends on how many gears you plan to buy [...].

And is shipping included in the price?

Shipping is also not included in the price because shipping prices vary greatly with international shipping. All gears will be available in Los Angeles and shipping from there will be at the buyers expense, although we are happy to arrange the shipping for each customer.

A special invoice like in the Basson offer is included for international buyers.

 
 
 

L'Aigle offer

No part of this offer, neither price nor description of its contents, is to be posted anywhere. Only exception are the photos which can be posted on reduser.

 
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Update #1: Some new info inside the encrypted text

Update #2: Pierre from L'Aigle wrote me an other mail about the arm.

Since people asked, attached are pictures of what our sheet-metal arm looks like, in compare to our "sexy" CNC arm. We'll actually merge the design and adjustment method of the CNC arm with the technics of the sheet-metal arms for "your" series and our upcoming regular series. We'd just do it a little earlier than scheduled for the REDusers, if ever needed.

I attached the photos below the photos of the CNC version.

Update #3: Pierre from Aigle responded to the questions of reduer members I forwarded to him

Are all parts manufactured in France?

Yes, they are, except for standard catalogue parts like bearings, spirit levels, screws, etc.

Can you post some pictures of the bag and trolley?

See attached. The bag is for arm, sled, tripod, frontmounted vest and a little softbag for accessories and monitor.

Could you include in the package a power cable for the RED one or the RED Epic (6pin LEMO, see manual), depending on which option is ordered?

We wouldn't supply any cable (other than standard BNC and XLR4 cables), but just an extremely easy way to wire the sled the way each user want it.

How much do sled, arm and vest each weight?

Sled 3,8kg, arm 4,5kg, vest 2,8kg.

Quentin wrote me that the test was postponed. Are there any reviews by independent authors, which you could send me?

Attached is a review from a canadian journalist and operator, about as outdated as the 2005 to 2010 reviews you [posted]. 

Here some photos of the previous arm. The proposed arm will look similar, but will feature the improvements mentioned in the offer.