RigWheels has announced a new Slingshot upgrade for the Cloud Mount vibration isolator. These systems are designed to reduce vibrations which can pass through to a mounted gimbal and interfere with the motors and affect the gimbal performance.
The Slingshot adds a new elastic suspension mechanism to the Cloud Mount, providing increased vibration isolation and more positioning options.
With this configuration, the elastic tubes are used to suspend the camera, isolate vibrations and provide travel to allow movement from the vehicle. The cables are used to provide structure and security by limiting the range of movement.
The Slingshot is highly adjustable, giving you the ability to tailor the amount of suspension to your camera package. This is done by changing the length/diameter of the cables and/or elastic tubing.
To rig the system to a car, you can use the new RigWheels CineStrut system which is a modular tubing system consisting of tubes, hinges, ball & sockets & clamps. A complete set of prototypes will be shown at NAB.
Pricing & Availability
The Cloudmount, Slingshot upgrade module & Cloudmount Slingshot complete kits vary in price depending on your configuration. The base Slingshot kit but starts at $750 and goes up to $1,550 for the XL version.
The Slingshot is expected to ship early to mid-April. For a closer look, visit RigWheels at the NAB Show, Booth C11445.
Comparatively, the popular Flowcine Black Arm & Tranquilizer setup costs 5600€ ($6931 USD).
Kessler has also been showing a prototype on their social media accounts of their Killshock Isolator System. No ETA or pricing details are available at this stage.
Lightning Rod
The Lightning Rod is another option for mounting the Cloud Mount with a gimbal onto a speed rail system making it easier to carry, dock and manoeuvre as shown in the video. This is particularly useful for the Freefly Systems MōVI XL which isn’t designed for handheld use.
The Lightning Rod kit includes a Portarail collapsible rail and pipe clamps which can be mounted to light stands to create a dock. The clamps have a “U” shape design so you don’t need to tighten down any screws or clamps when docking the rail.
The second kit option adds two vertical end supports making it easier for the two operators on either end to make vertical moves while holding the rig.
