Tyler Middle Mount & Optimo Zoom

I'm about to do a shoot in Dubai using a Tyler Middle Mount, can anybody tell me if I can use a 435 with an Optimo 24-290mm zoom on it, or does that take it overweight? and if not, can I balance it? Also has anybody used a 435 with a zoom on the Tyler Nose mount and if so, which one?

Thanks

Andrew Boulter
Cinematographer
http://www.andrewboulter.com
UK Based

Andrew!

I have been doing quite a bit of Middle Tyler mount, and nose mount work, and have couple of suggestions. For Middle Tyler Mount use Gyro Stabilizers. 435 is fine on both mounts with 400 foot magazines. I would suggest for Middle mount to use shorter zoom, like Cook 18-100 which is also is a lighter lens than Optimo for proper balance of the camera. There is no way you would be able to hold anything steady past 100mm. For Nose mount, you must use primes. Any zoom lens would be too heavy for a tilt up, down motor.

In addition, you can reload camera on the middle mount while flying, on the nose mount you would have to watch footage carefully and have convenient place to land near subject of shooting to reload magazine.

Sincerely

Ben Butin
Cinematographer.

Ben Butin wrote:

>> For Nose mount, you must use primes. Any zoom lens would be too heavy for a tilt up, down motor.

The Tyler Nose Mount's rated capacity is 39 lbs.
An Arri 435 ES weighs 14.9 lbs.
An Arri 435 400' mag weighs 4 lbs.
400' feet of color neg weighs 2.5 lbs.
An Angenieux 15-40 weighs 4.2 lbs.
An Angenieux 17-80 weighs 11 lbs.
A Cooke 18-100 weighs 12 lbs.

You do the math …

BTW, it's handy to know these numbers when doing the aircraft weight and balance calculations.

Brian Heller
IA 600 DP

class="style19"
"Tyler Middle Mount, can anybody tell me if I can use a 435 with an Optimo 24-290mm zoom on it"

Hello Andrew,

I have tried this combination and on a Middle Mount it is a lot of weight, the arm springs become maxed out and the feel is sluggish, not to mention now attaching 3 gyros to them.? The better combination would be a Major Mount.? As for zoom lenses on a nose mount, well that doesn't work well, again weight, vibration, balance, and the lens hitting the bottom of chopper, maybe a century 17-35 may work.? It is short and light.

Good Luck.

Egon Stephan Jr.
IATSE 600 DoP
President/CEO Cinevideotech
(tyler dealer also)
Miami, Fl.

Thank you Ben and Brian for your advice, appreciated, just wondering if anybody out there has used the Tyler mount that’s currently in Dubai, and also what helicopter did they use??

The information I have so far is that it's either a JetRanger or a Long Ranger, does anyone know if there are any Squirrels/A-stars available, I just want to be able to double check the production company.....if you know what I mean....also recommendations on pilots as well would be very helpful.

Andrew Boulter
Cinematographer
http://www.andrewboulter.com
UK based - but in Beirut now

Andrew Boulter wrote:

>> just wondering if anybody out there has used the Tyler mount that’s currently in Dubai, and also what >>helicopter did they use? The information I have so far is that it's either a JetRanger or a Long Ranger, >>does anyone know if there are any Squirrels/A-stars available, I just want to be able to double check the >>production company.

The Tyler Nose Mount was designed to fit on any Jet Rangers or Long Ranger. It will only fit on AS -350/355 if they have been modified with Al Guthrie's mounting tabs, or with Tyler's outside mounting brackets. If you plan on using a Nose Mount, you should check with Tyler in Van Nuys, California, to see if the helo operators in Dubai have the brackets.

The Middle Mount will fit in either types of aircraft without modification with the correct mounting base.

Brian Heller
IA 600 DP

Andrew Boulter wrote:

>>I'm about to do a shoot in Dubai using a Tyler Middle Mount, can anybody tell me if I can use a 435 with an >>Optimo 24-290mm zoom on it, or does that take it overweight?

The standard Tyler Middle Mount will be over loaded and the springs will bottom out.
Resourceful people might be able to add some bungee cord from the mast handle to the roof of the helo to take some of the weight, but the counter-weight will not be heavy enough.
Adding more weight will only cause the springs to bottom sooner.

> and if not, can I balance it?

Yes, but the camera will be so far back that you will not be able to operate or see through the eyepiece, unless you use a lot of lead to balance the camera, which means more counter weight, and more bungee, etc..

> Also has anybody used a 435 with a zoom on the Tyler Nose mount and if so, which one?

Both the Angenieux Optimo 15-40 and 17-80 with excellent results. We used a Microforce for the zoom control, not the Tyler Zoom Control.

Brian Heller
IA 600 DP

When we had 35mm aerials in the UAE we shipped a major mt from LA and due to local regs prohibiting flight below 2000ft over land in a civilian machine, we used a military flt crew and a super puma.

Mark H. Weingartner
los Angeles