Help please
 

its a tv studio camera pedestal

- looks to have steering capability

- gtv9 used similair types with their PYE cameras when they opened in the 50's

- very early design...would be 50's

dont know who made them or anything else about it, but it looks to be missing the actual head to attach the camera...not sure of mount/thread size

where did you get this photo? - i'd be interested in knowing more about this type of ped too

I just found it in my search for cameras ,i have never seen this type before .

this camera is on one of those peds...have other photos somewhere

another.....

more....

I am starting to think this is australian made !

It's a Mole Richardson. UK made by the UK offshoot of the main US company.

I have one (not on our website, sorry), distinctly says: 'Made in England'!

Cheers,

Paul M

Thank,s Paul I now know . How much do they weigh & how old are these please ?

Well, let's say it's heavy, very heavy . . .

I can't say that I've ever weighed it but my guess would be about 250 pounds.

They were in use in the late 60s, 70s and 80s. Mine 'arrived' here in about 1986, or thereabouts.

Cheers,

Paul M

I expect the mount is "Mitchell" which was pretty universal until Vinten came up with their somewhat-compatible four-bolt variation. :scratch2:

The handle over the right wheel changes it from 3-wheels locked together and steered by the lower ring in unison to 2-wheels locked forward and the wheel under the handle free-running like a backward tricycle. You lock all three for studio moves and unlock for positioning. Crab and dolly as I remember but I forget which is which. Only been 30 years.

crab = sideways
dolly = in or out

By the way, the change to a single wide-range zoom on every camera (instead of a turret of fixed lenses) eliminated most of the dolly moves, which were the only way to get variable shots on air with a fixed lens. Not only were the dolly moves a nightmare for lighting (danger of throwing shadows), but I remember seeing programs where the pedestal had an obvious flat spot on a wheel that made the camera "nod" or tilt to one side periodically as it rolled.