You pack away your cameras at a trade show and of course then you find something interesting. Tilta were showing their Nucleus M wireless control system designed for handheld use.
Two motors, two handles
On the version we saw there were two motors driving zoom and focus, wirelessly linked to two handles with fingertip controls. This means that with the right rig the camera operator would be able to control both lens functions without taking their hands off the camera handles.
In the pictures here the system is mounted to a Blackmagic Design Ursa Mini, where combining the handles with the camera’s EVF and shoulder mount make for a nice steady platform.
Build your own gimbal remote
It’s a pretty interesting looking system, and as well as handheld it could also be a useful addition to a gimbal rig. The components are all fairly lightweight, communicate wirelessly and have mounting points built in.
FIZ control at a low, low price
But perhaps the most interesting thing about the system is its price. Tilta say they intend to sell a complete kit of two motors, a follow focus style remote and the control grips for $1,199 US.That’s really cheap, especially compared to the company’s other wireless Focus Iris Zoom (FIZ) rigs.
Get what you pay for?
In fact, we’re wondering if it could be too cheap? The other, more advanced, FIZ kits that Tilta sell under the Nucleus name are a lot more expensive. The Nucleus II single channel wireless system is $2,950 US and the Nucleus III three-channel system is $6,500 US. Frankly, we’re wondering how Tilta will be able to ship the Nucleus M for such a lot less in such an aggressive timeframe (they hope to launch in July).
Reserving judgement for now
We had a quick try out on the show floor, and found that the system maybe wasn’t quite as smooth as other ones we’ve tried. Still, it’s always nice to be proved wrong about these things, and we’ll follow the development of the Nucleus M with interest.
