The Black Arm Complete & MoVi XL Combo

As the original “Black Arm Guy,” I’m often asked about the use of the Black Arm with larger stabilized heads. When operating larger stabilized head such as the MoVI XL and Shotover G1 you actually have two options. The first option is to use the Dual Black and Tranquilizer XL which is specifically designed to to support any large remote head include large ball heads, Libra Heads, etc… The biggest advantage of the Dual Black is knowing that whatever head you mount to the Dual Black will adequately be supported at maximum G’s. Unfortunately, the size of the Dual Black can be difficult to manage and in some cases overkill if the forces imposed on the head are light.

The second alternative is to create a hybrid solution with a single Black Arm Complete and Tranquilizer XL. Although a standard Tranquilizer is an option, this only applies if the remote head has the ability to balance the pan axis as gimbals such as the Shotover G1 do not have this option. The main goal is to keep the center of gravity in the middle of the O-Rings on the Tranquilizer. The Tranquilizer XL simply provides a much larger surface area and allows for a great margin of error which can be important when you are trying to move fast. I like the combination of the Black Arm Complete with a 300mm Extension Block and Tranquilizer XL. Although this is not a sanctioned Flowcine combination, the advantages of this configuration can outway the risk of damage to the Tranq XL, and with a few well placed pads, one can easily protect the system in most circumstances.

Countless number of clients are often amazed by the performance of the MoVI XL combined with the Black Arm Complete & Tranquilizer XL. Although, we always choose the best remote head for the camera payload and project, I often find myself recommending the MoVI XL, especially when the camera payload starts reaching the limits of the Ronin 2 or NEWTON S2.