Floatcam Dolly Cranes

Lammo Ltd possibly carry the largest 'fleet' of Floatcam Dolly Cranes in the UK.

The Dolly Cranes are regularly dry hired out by productions who want something different. Super smooth slider, jib & tower all in one piece of kit opens up many options for the creative camera operator.

The 'Daddy' of them all is the HD version. HD stands for 'Heavy Duty' & it certainly is. Taking camera packages up to 32kg, this is no weakling.

These are now used a lot for Sports OB studios. We are the leader & original instigator of Floatcams in this scenario. We supply to all the major OB companies for events such as 6 Nations Rugby, Wimbledon Tennis, Football including World Cup, UEFA Champions League & FA Cup to name but a few. We are trusted by all the major Broadcasters in the UK for their needs.

From the outset we knew it was important to make all of our packages OB Cameraman friendly with kit that they use daily.

When an OB set-up is requested they come as a complete package which includes the Floatcam HD rail & fulcrum, heavy duty tripods (i.e Vinten HDT-1/Sachtler OB2000), Heavy Duty head (Vinten V250/Sachtler Video 25) and if required, a heavy duty dolly.

We are finding that the Dolly Cranes are being requested more & more instead of our Vinten Dolphin Arm. We believe that crews & Production view them as the modern day replacement for the legendary but aging Dolphin Arm as it offers so many more options.

We also have the compatible motion control set-up available as an optional extra.

Dolly

By utilizing a movable counterweight, the camera can be tracked up to 160 cm, much further than in typical sliders. The slider rail can be set at almost any angle (max. 60 degrees plus exact vertical 90 degrees movement) and with the counterweight system, the camera can be moved up and down the slider with minimal effort. As the camera moves in one direction, the counterweight tracks in the opposite direction, allowing for continuous perfect balance and control. That's what makes DollyCrane HD so unique!

Mini Jib

In the Mini Jib mode, the DollyCrane HD operates a working diameter of 160 cm on the horizontal. The operator can tilt, pan and move the camera 360 degrees around the base tripod. The counterbalance system is locked to ensure unvarying movements through the full range of the jib arm's capabilities. The maximum and minimum operating heights of the Mini Jib function are dependent on the height of the tripod.

Tower

With the simple removal and repositioning of two handles, the DollyCrane HD becomes a tower allowing for an exact vertical camera move through the full range of the 160cm track. Minimum and maximum heights of the camera moves, when mounted on the tower, are dependent on tripod configuration. The counterbalance system maintains a steady resistance to camera moves, reducing the possibilities of irregular movements during the start or finish of a camera move.

Motion Control

This digital MoCo device, designed specifically for use with the DollyCrane HD, brings portable motion control to our clients.

It features a series of factory programmed moves for quick and easy setup, but is also highly programmable. It can record and store manual movement as well as use entirely pre-programmed parameters including start & stop points, speed ramping and repeat moves. When used with either Nikon or Canon DSLRs, it can also control shutter release, shutter speed and exposure for motion time-lapse shooting.

You can also extend pre-recorded movements, so if the original movement had a 10″ duration, you can extend it to 30″/60″ etc. for ultra slow tracking movement. It has a maximum tracking speed of 20cm/sec.

The MoCo unit can be used on the DollyCrane in both slider and tower setups. It is supplied with an AC power adaptor as standard but a D-tap – 2.5mm power cable is available for powering from suitable professional batteries.

Motion Control Functions:

Manual Moves, Programmed Moves, Save and Repeat Moves,
Time Lapse, Time Lapse after Shots, Stop Motion, Stop Motion Distance