Cineflex V14HD system

In air operations requiring professional film material, a professional gyro stabilized film system works best. Helipoland offers the Cineflex V14 system – it is an ultra flexible, light, high-performance 5-axis gyro stabilization system. Most often the system is equipped with a Sony HDC-1500 Cine Alta High Definition camera and a Fujinon HA42x9.7 lens. The system provides stunning solid shots up to 120 knots and features the ability of 360 degree continuous pan, 165 degree tilt, and +/- 45 degrees roll, automatic and steerable. All this with amazing accuracy and stability, makes this system ideal for all TV applications, especially live broadcasts. Cineflex V14HD is the system most often chosen for many years due to its amazing performance. It’s very compact and lightweight and can provide amazing, solid shots even at the long end of your massive 22x or 42x zoom lens.

The Cineflex V14 was designed to achieve rock steady images from a moving helicopter. When first released in 2005 it immediately became the industry standard as users became aware of just what an enormous step had been taken when compared to the old technologies of competing systems.

Cineflex V14 can be mounted on helicopters, planes, boats and cars. The Cineflex V14HD system has been the workhorse for aerial filming for several years. It built its reputation on many world popular programs such as BBC Planet Earth and many live broadcasts for sports and live events. From the selection of lens options from the long Fujinon 42x 13.5mm to the 13x 4.5mm extreme wide, each lens option is specially fitted with new servos and controls, and counterbalanced for smooth performance. We provide the system as a kit complete with operator recorder/monitor and monitors for director and pilot. The auxiliary box provides multiple 12v power outlets for monitors along with SD and HD SDI connections. Every lens has an optical doubler plus the internal Sony digital doubler for maximum zoom range.The system is available with the Air Film AFSP-1 nose mount for installation onto Airbus AS350 & AS355 helicopters.

Cineflex users tend to fall into two distinct categories; those who will be permanently mounting to a known airframe and those who want to retain the ability to move freely between different airframes or between multiple aircraft types. Mounting brackets, whether as temporary or permanent installations, constitute an airframe modification and therefore require certification by the national aviation authority under which the airframe is registered. Most countries in the world accept certification from either the American FAA or the European EASA. Even if the local authorities are required to carry out their own certification procedure it will usually be based on one of these two methodologies. The resultant paperwork is generically known as a Supplemental Type Certificate (or STC). An STC is always accompanied by a Flight Manual Supplement (FMS).

Specification of Cineflex V14HD

Stabilisation: 5-axis gyro stabilised, steerable horizon
Gimbal: Weather sealed
Control: Operator laptop control panel
Pan (azimuth): 360° continuous
Tilt (elevation): Up +25°, down -140°
Roll: +/- 45°
Supported resolutions: 720p, 1080p, 1080 4:4:4
Supported frame rates: 50i, 60i, 24p, 25, 29.97, 50p, 60p
Data/comms: Serial
Camera: Sony HDC-1500 Cine-Alta with 4:4:4 output & dual link
Lens: Fujinon HA 42×9,7 or Fujinon HA 22×7.8
Recorder: Convergent Design Odyssey 7Q+
Monitors: According to need
Camera Mount: Air Film AFSP-1 (approved for Airbus AS350 & AS355), GSS R44, R66

The camera lens and optical block are integrated within the externally mounted Cineflex gimbal. Digital and Analog picture information and data is sent and received via cabling to the “Aux Box” which is housed within the helicopter. In the V14 the Aux Box acts as the hub of the Cineflex system and primarily contains the camera “body”. In the MSII the Aux Box is replaced by the powerful HDU900 control system and the camera body is housed in a separate enclosure. Images can be output from the Aux Box/HDU900 in digital and analog formats including HD SDI, SD SDI and Composite Video. The Sony HDC 1500 camera is capable of producing many variant output formats to suit the role. From there the images might be sent directly to the ground, recorded on board the helicopter, or a combination of the two. There are many options used for recording on board; in the production role either the Sony S280 HDCAM recorder or the Sony SRW1 HDCAM SR (Superior Resolution) recorder is used. But many operators of both the V14 and the MSII are now moving into the pure digital environment and solid state recording media. This provides immense versatility in the way that both still and moving images are stored, replayed and downloaded, and additionally stores the metadata that’s captured simultaneously. The extraordinary true HD resolution of the Sony HDC1500 camera. combined with the stability of the Cineflex gimbal offers unprecedented picture clarity and stability. It’s also been proven that SD images recorded from an HD camera are still superior to images originated on an SD camera.

Why do we use the Cineflex V14 camera system over all others?

You can zoom to the 35mm equivalent of 2000mm and the image remains rock solid and with lenses as wide as 14mm, this opens up a new world of shot design.

You can achieve extremely high resolution images, matching the quality of 35mm film.

You can shoot using Cineflex Full High Def and output the finished project to a glorious 35mm film release print just as hundreds of feature films and commercials do each year.

You can shoot continuously for 40-50 minutes, and need only 30 seconds to reload.

You can show your clients rushes without delay.

You can stay inside the helicopter with the door closed, and carry out meaningful conversations with the Director.

You can pan continuously through 360 degrees, and tilt from the rotor blades to upside down on the tail boom.

You can watch the image on a large, clear High Definition Monitor, focusing remotely with ease and precision.

You can technically assess shots with High Definition monitoring, and so achieve 100% accuracy.

You can easily and quickly control exposure, colour and gamma settings in-camera, while in-flight.

Cineflex V14HD system