MoVI Pro | Ronin 2 | NEWTON S2 | MoVI XL | Maxima MX30 | G1 ?

Wow, so much to unpack from this title…

As a camera operator, I personally own four (4) of these six remote heads. Each head has their advantages and disadvantages, and there are several reasons why I chose the MoVI XL over the G1 and why we passed on the Maxima MX30. However, as a technician, I support all of these systems and wish I had enough resources to own them all.

Here are a few questions I often ask my clients if they don’t already have a solution in mind:

1. What’s your camera payload?

   • Often the size of the camera payload can easily determine the best remote head for the project by eliminating the burden of the larger gimbals.

   • If the build is for a Live Broadcast or ENG production then some heads behave better in these environments over others like the NEWTON S2.

2. How often will the camera payload change weight?

   • If the client suspects that they will be performing quick lens changes or the 1st AC will be using some legacy Prestons, etc… a larger gimbal may be appropriate to allow more flexibility with the payload. However, not ever head integrates with every lens so this too becomes a factor.

3. How much G Force might be imposed on the system?

   • If we are just swinging a jib from side to side or sliding back and forth on a railcam, a smaller remote head may sufficise, but if we plan on hitting 85 MPH on a winding road then the MoVI XL becomes the most sensible choice as it can manage an unbelievable amount of G’s.

4. Who’s the camera operator and how much experience do they have with remote stabilized heads?

• The experience of the camera operator is always a factor. I feel some controllers are far superior in design and overall function then others and make them easier to use for neophytes. The DOMINION is my preferred controller, and I find the ARRI controller unnecessarily complicated and the Shotover controller simply too big and uncomfortable.

There was a time when some remote heads were missing very specific features that made them difficult to use and thus easy to write off; however, I feel that those days are passed. Most of these remote head stabilize well under specific conditions and all of them have very specific advantages and disadvantages. I don’t feel like any one head is specifically better than another as I can easily make a MoVI Pro perform amazingly as well as a Ronin 2.

As much as I love the MoVI XL, it is not always the best option and we can easily find ourselves using a NEWTON S2 on a car to car project just because it’s a much smaller form factor and the client doesn’t need any handheld gimbal work.