Sachtler, part of the Vitec Group, and an esteemed manufacturer of high-quality camera support systems including tripods, fluid heads and other accessories including camera bags has announced they are upgrading their best-selling fluid head, the Video 18 S1, to introduce its successor - the Video 18 S2. Sacthler Video 18 S2 NAB 2016The new model Video 18 S2 allows cinematographers to use greater payload up to 20 kg, which is 4 kg more payload than the Video 18 S1. With this increase in capacity, the Video 18 S2 is now the only head in its class that can operate at -40 to +60 degrees centigrade without any impact on its smooth operation.
"The more you can carry on the tripod, the easier it is to function with both the heaviest and the lightest payload. With certain competitors, their tripods can carry a heavier payload, but then the minute you try to adjust your parameters to accommodate a lighter one it feels incredibly stiff and cocky,” commented cinematographer Clinton Harn.
Clinton Harn has worked as a cinematographer, filmmaker, producer, and audio recording engineer. He has worked with a lot of big names in the business including for two-time Academy Award winner and director Malcolm Clark, and also served as an assistant cameraman and camera operator for Rodney Charters, ASC who was the DP on popular TV shows including 24, Dallas, and Shameless.
“This new head just has more control, so while it can accommodate a heavier payload of 20 kg, you can still go down to the minimum drag setting of 2 kg and put a small DSLR camera on there with no issues. And that’s the big difference between Sachtler and a lot of other competitors," said Harn.
Sachtler_fsb6 The Sachtler Video 18 fluid head has been the de-facto industry standard for decades and remained a must-have in camera kits for broadcast camera professionals all over the world. And while the new Sacthler Video 18 S2 is optimized in every product detail, the new head still retains classic Sachtler features like temperature resistance, the Touch & Go plate, the parking position for spare camera screws, the illuminated spirit level, and the infamous SpeedLevel Clamp that replaces the traditional tie down on a tripod with a simple push and release mechanism.
“The Video 18 S2 is the best of both worlds for news and documentary film crews. Every microscopic feature has been heightened for their tough, day-to-day challenges, so it doesn’t matter if it’s thrown into the back of a news truck every day or burrowed into the mud. We understand that our users work on a range of projects with different equipment, so this upgrade is meant to acclimate to light and heavy rigs without compromising the integrity and quality of the gear.” says Tobias Keuthen, Sachtler’s senior product marketing manager.
The new Sacthler Video 18 S2 fluid head system with the SpeedLevel Clamp will be showcased at Vitec Videocom’s booth #C6025, alongside Sachtler’s range of Ace Accessories, Ace M tripod system and Sachtler Bags at NAB 2016 next week in Las Vegas, Nevada. We don't have finalised pricing details yet, but as we get closer to NAB we'll update you on when those come in. For more details and to pre-order yours get in touch with us at 0208 977 1222.