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48<br />
Sachtler SOOM<br />
Camera Support Department in a Soft-Sided, Back-Packable Case<br />
Is the bane of your existence a plethora of plastic tripod tubes<br />
that roll around in the back of your rental car, roll off airport<br />
luggage carts, and roll off the liftgate of the camera truck? Do<br />
you have one tube for standard legs, another for baby legs,<br />
another for the hi-hat, and a big heavy case for the head?<br />
We recently worked with Sachtler’s SOOM System, which is an<br />
entire camera grip department in a soft-sided, back-packable,<br />
two wheeled case. It makes life on location extremely easy. We<br />
had reported on it before, but the more we use it, the more we<br />
appreciate the thoughtful design and time-saving features.<br />
With the Sachtler SOOM System, you can quickly shoot at<br />
heights from 8 inches to 8 feet (20cm to 250cm). Total weight<br />
of the tripod, spreader, and monopod is 12.7 lbs. With a 4.7 lbs<br />
FSB6 head (shown here), you have a manageable 17.6 lbs of gear<br />
to neatly stow inside the SOOM Trolley Bag, made by Petrol.<br />
Sachtler's Sandra Rademacher<br />
demonstrates the SOOM trolley<br />
bag's backpack feature. Total weight<br />
with head, about 17.6 lbs.<br />
Apr-Jul 2009<br />
1. Baby Legs (aka TriSpread). Tripod<br />
Spreader snaps out of Regular Tripod<br />
to become Baby Legs. Height: 21.5<br />
cm - 49 cm / 8.5 in - 19.3 in<br />
There are currently 4 heads to choose with your SOOM System:<br />
FSB2: for cameras 0 - 4.4 lbs / 0 - 2 kg<br />
FSB4: for cameras 0 - 8.8 lbs / 0 - 4 kg.<br />
FSB6: for cameras. 2.2 - 13.2 lbs / 1 - 6 kg.<br />
FSB8: for cameras 2 - 20 lbs / 1 - 9 kg.<br />
The FSB2 weighs about 4.1 pounds, and the FSB8 weighs around<br />
4.7 pounds. So, how do you choose? Heads and things that make<br />
cameras move are very unique to each operator, the way lenses<br />
and lights can separate one cinematographer from another.<br />
Each camera operator has a definitive style; some prefer stiffer<br />
drag, others like very loose settings. My rule of thumb is to go<br />
with the head that supports the highest payload, because you<br />
never know when you’re going to have to add that really long<br />
and heavy lens, big mattebox or hefty 3D rig.<br />
My biggest surprise was how well the Monopod works. Sachtler<br />
calls it the SOOM Tube. Using a good fluid head on top of a<br />
Monopod works wonders, and the fold-out foot rest keeps it<br />
from twisting.<br />
2. Regular Legs. The Standard Tripod, with the<br />
Spreader inside. To turn the TriSpread into Baby<br />
Legs, pull the three red knobs on the end of each<br />
leg. Height: 68.5 cm - 141 cm / 27.0 in - 55.5 in<br />
3. Monopod (aka SOOM Tube).<br />
Lightweight and fast for documentary<br />
situations. Height: 87 cm - 157<br />
cm / 34.2 in - 61.8 in
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