Carbon fibre rig pole group buy - discussion thread

[AndWhyNot]

Since mentioning a carbon fibre rig in this thread I've had a fair few emails suggesting enough casual interest to pursue it further.

As a result I'm meeting with the manufacturers in a couple of weeks to have a pre-design meeting. As far as poss can we use this thread rather than individual emails to express interest and discuss requirements for the pole.

Factors I know will be important are:

Cost
Length (fully extended)
Length (closed down for ease of transportation)
Cost
Weight
Durability
Cost
Timescales

Anything else? I won't add names to this list in case you want to keep your interest private (never know?) but if we can follow the time-honoured PH fashion of running a list it might just help this thing get off the ground.

So:

1) AndWhyNot

[rasputin]

I could potentially be interested depending on all the above factors...

But I'd like to know what other equipment I would need for a typical rig other than the pole and suction cups?

[AndWhyNot]

rasputin said:

I could potentially be interested depending on all the above factors...

But I'd like to know what other equipment I would need for a typical rig other than the pole and suction cups?

Magic arm. Think that's it. I'll be putting together two deals, based around the same pole. First will be pole only for those with cups etc of their own, second will be ready to go with cups and arm. Trying to speak with distributors atm for discounted prices.

[BluePurpleRed]

1 ) AndWhyNot
2 ) BluePurpleRed

So I would just need a magic arm? I haven't got such precious notions that I think a couple of little suction cups is going to shatter a windscreen designed to take a big fk off stone going at it at 70+ mph! ;P

I also only have a D90 so less concerned about that, but would **LOVE** a go on a rig!

[JimNotJon]

1 ) AndWhyNot
2 ) BluePurpleRed
3 ) JimNotJon

Interested for sure with this. Would possibley opt for the suction mounts too (due to my cheap B&Q efforts) but I already have the Magic Arm Kit.

[rasputin]

1) AndWhyNot
2) BluePurpleRed
3) JimNotJon
4) Rasputin

For the right price would definitely be interested in the whole kit.

[//dean]

1)AndWhySoFat
2) BluePurpleRed
3) JimNotJon
4) Rasputin
5)//DeanFatso

[Johno]

1) AndWhyNot
2) BluePurpleRed
3) JimNotJon
4) Rasputin
5) //DeanFatso
6) Johno

Only interested in the pole as I have all the other elements, the key factor for me is rigidity as this always dictates the level of bounce which ruins these shots.

Still struggling to find an ally pole I am happy with

Edited by Johno on Wednesday 16th February 18:51

[01101001]

1) AndWhyNot
2) BluePurpleRed
3) JimNotJon
4) Rasputin
5) //DeanFatso
6) Johno
7) 01101001

[01101001]

Forgot to say I only need the pole...Could we not wait until the Olympics and hijack the pole-vaulters delivery van?

[Nick Grant]

Johno said:

Only interested in the pole as I have all the other elements, the key factor for me is rigidity as this always dictates the level of bounce which ruins these shots.

Still struggling to find an ally pole I am happy with

^^^WHS

1) AndWhyNot
2) BluePurpleRed
3) JimNotJon
4) Rasputin
5) //DeanFatso
6) Johno
7) 01101001

8) Nick Grant

[YorkshirePudding]

1) AndWhyNot
2) BluePurpleRed
3) JimNotJon
4) Rasputin
5) //DeanFatso
6) Johno
7) 01101001
8) Nick Grant
9) YorkshirePudding

I'm interested in a full rig.

[fozthedevil]

1) AndWhyNot
2) BluePurpleRed
3) JimNotJon
4) Rasputin
5) //DeanFatso
6) Johno
7) 01101001
8) Nick Grant
9) YorkshirePudding
10) fozthedevil

all depends on the cost ( and having to buy the rest of bits lol)

[Fordo]

I'd be interested- but for video rather than photography. - so my main concern is rigidity. Would a carbon fibre setup be more rigid?

[xrrr]

1) AndWhyNot
2) BluePurpleRed
3) JimNotJon
4) Rasputin
5) //DeanFatso
6) Johno
7) 01101001
8) Nick Grant
9) YorkshirePudding
10) fozthedevil
11) xrrr

I was planning to buy a rig for the spring so this is great timing. Clearly depends on the overall cost but I am deffo interested.

[PlaneFan]

1) AndWhyNot
2) BluePurpleRed
3) JimNotJon
4) Rasputin
5) //DeanFatso
6) Johno
7) 01101001
8) Nick Grant
9) YorkshirePudding
10) fozthedevil
11) xrrr
12) PlaneFan

Rigidity is also my concern. Would be wanting the whole kit and kaboodle :-)
And...well done for doing this - great idea.

[ian in lancs]

1) AndWhyNot
2) BluePurpleRed
3) JimNotJon
4) Rasputin
5) //DeanFatso
6) Johno
7) 01101001
8) Nick Grant
9) YorkshirePudding
10) fozthedevil
11) xrrr
12) PlaneFan
13) Ian in Lancs

[JuSlaughter]

1) AndWhyNot
2) BluePurpleRed
3) JimNotJon
4) Rasputin
5) //DeanFatso
6) Johno
7) 01101001
8) Nick Grant
9) YorkshirePudding
10) fozthedevil
11) xrrr
12) PlaneFan
13) Ian in Lancs
14) JuSlaughter

[Pixel-Snapper]

I can see a flood of rig shoots coming in summer...

Interested to know a price compared to other rigs, so only semi interested at this stage so wont but my name down fully.

[FaineantFreddy]

I looked into something similar a few years ago. I needed a telescopic or multi-section boom rigid enough to hold a small SLR attached to the top, with the pole fixed in a vertical position.

I wanted to get the camera up as much as 15m but make the whole rig collapsible and easy to transport in a car. That ruled out any form of telescopic antenna mast, which is usually used for this sort of thing.

I looked into carbon fibre, but there really wasn't much around at that time and to make it from scratch would have been too expensive for a one-off. I spoke to sailing boat mast manufacturers, as I though they would have had the most experience of that sort of structure.

The problem with CF is that although the material itself is not too expensive now, the cost to product the tooling required and the actual manufacturing process is still very labour intensive so making a small batch of anything can be pretty costly.

If this proves the case with this idea, you might want to take a look at someone like K-Tek (http://www.ktekbooms.com/), who make a lot of different CF booms and you might find these work for car rigs with some adaptation.