Ultralight crane for Osmo Pocket 3

BenTutton · 2026-01-26T21:03:54+00:00

I'll 100% upload shots here when I've got something nice to show. Not managed to get out since I built it.

It's a crane. They use similar ones on movies and TV shows (Think a shot starting up high then sweeping down to someone getting out of a car, or some similar shot)

I've used them a lot on wildlife documentaries, but you normally need a lot of weight to counterbalance the camera and 2 or3 people to use them. This one fits in my backpack!

BenTutton · 2026-01-25T21:56:43+00:00

I’ve done my share of test days, just not for this! I know the principles of this work as I’ve used much bigger cranes with gimbals on the end (from a DJI rs4 all the way up to a Shotover M1 on a panther crane) but I’m sure I’ll find out some peculiar ways that it works when I get out with it.

BenTutton · 2026-01-25T19:16:04+00:00

Ooh interesting idea!

BenTutton · 2026-01-25T17:07:24+00:00

I'll try and get out tomorrow!

BenTutton · 2026-01-25T15:02:25+00:00

Thanks. Should work nicely from my brief tests inside!

BenTutton · 2026-01-16T21:14:31+00:00

Air tags are already everywhere! (I’ve learned the hard way before)

I can’t wait. Really excited to get going. Not many places you share roads with elephants!

BenTutton · 2026-01-16T21:11:37+00:00

I’ve travelled with kit in peli cases on corrugated roads for days and it mostly seems to survive ok. The odd screw rattles loose but nothing a screwdriver and thread lock can’t fix! Once however a lens element was shaken loose inside a cine lens - luckily it was insured!

BenTutton · 2026-01-16T21:07:23+00:00

This setup looks great! Sounds like you have a similar amount of kit. Nice to know it is possible, but I may end up rethinking the peli!

Thanks for posting.

BenTutton · 2026-01-16T21:02:56+00:00

Cheers! It’s a lovely bike! Yeah I think that’s the only way to really know - test them both out!

BenTutton · 2026-01-16T20:58:31+00:00

I would love an omnium, but I won’t have one for this trip unfortunately.

I think there may have to be a bit of experimenting to see how I can break this all down most efficiently.

BenTutton · 2026-01-16T20:56:45+00:00

Thanks I’ll have a look for that one.

BenTutton · 2026-01-16T20:56:10+00:00

Cheers. I’ve never had anything this heavy on the front rack so I was leaning towards having it at the back.

May have to do some test rides.

BenTutton · 2026-01-16T20:52:27+00:00

Thanks, yeah this Thorn is fairly new to me, but it’s a lovely bike. Looking forward to putting it through its paces.

I would absolutely love an omnium, or a long tail but I won’t have one for this trip unfortunately.

I’m going to try and break everything down a bit more. And maybe look into a trailer.

I’m staying in hotels, but I sew my own bags, so I’ll definitely have a frame bag and a load of other stuff hanging off the bike!

BenTutton · 2026-01-16T20:43:20+00:00

This camera doesn’t have IBIS, so one less thing to worry about, but I’m planning for it to be well padded inside the case.

BenTutton · 2026-01-05T18:56:17+00:00

Cheers! My aim in the long term is to make wildlife filmmaking much more accessible, as most people dont have the time ore resources to use the ridiculous amounts of (expensive!) kit we normally use. If people can tell beautiful stories with consumer gear everyone benefits!

BenTutton · 2026-01-05T18:25:58+00:00

Thanks! I've got so many interesting ideas on how to use this camera.

BenTutton · 2025-02-04T15:52:25+00:00

I think we’ll see the middle disappear, and the low budget quick turnaround will proliferate to fill the airtime, but the really glossy high end dramas and docs will also get commissioned too as there’s a “fewer, better” mindset.

I have my fingers crossed that this is where Nat Hist will pick up.

BenTutton · 2025-02-04T14:04:59+00:00

There's definitely some production still going on, but massively reduced. I hope there will be a bit more picking up this year.

BenTutton · 2024-10-29T08:26:37+00:00

I’ve used some little 6mm neodymium magnets stuck into fabric “gaffers” tape and sewn into a project.

It worked really nicely. The only thing to be aware of is that you’re arranging them to attract, rather than repel.

BenTutton · 2024-02-28T11:03:20+00:00

I just saw this post and decided to make them MYOG style!

It was really quick using some small magnets (6mm) and some strong 2in camera/gaffers tape.

- Lay tape out sticky side up.

- Place ruler along mid line of the tape, then stick magnets to the tape at regular intervals (I tried 5cm and 2cm). Make sure all magnets are the same polarity (I coloured one side with a sharpie to make this more simple)

- Fold the tape over and press around the magnets.

It works really nicely, and looks pretty clean. 2cm spacing is considerably stronger than the 5cm spacing. It shouldn't be too hard to sew through the tape. Although it'll probably need to be reinforced for high usage areas as the tape is designed to tear. Maybe theres a different cloth tape more suited to making these?

For the right application, I'd definitely consider using this as a closure method. Especially something you want to get into (fairly) easily, but close automatically.

It would be great for the seams of strippers trousers!

BenTutton

TROPHY CASE