Kessler Crane Review
Before I talk about the crane I would like to talk about the customer service. It was great. All my questions were answered and they were quick to respond and honest. I felt great about the way they handle customer service. It was fast, personal, and informatory. They are the essence of customer service.
I received the package within 3 days of ordering. I was at work when it was delivered and I saw the shipment notification telling me it had been delivered, and for the rest of the day I was counting down the hours. It was dark when I got home so I was only able to open it, but I was not able to assemble it.
Since then I have messed around with it a little. Putting it together was a breeze. I was able to put it together without the instructions, because I had read them before I ever got them. I got the tool less package which in invaluable and it well worth buying with the crane.
I have used it in on production setting already. Here is what I have to say…
What’s Bad
If you have a good fluid head then you will never see any problem with the tilt function, but if you have a fluid head that cannot handle weight or a tripod head that is not fluid you will find that in order to tilt the camera you have to overcome some initial friction. This not a problem with the crane, but it is directly related to the crane’s weight, needless to say, make sure you have a good tripod.
The second issue it with the operator, namely myself. Using the tilt function requires coordination, something which I sometimes lack, but once I learned how to use the tilt function properly it was a breeze. Like any tool the crane takes sometime to get used to.
So the funny thing is the only thing that the Kessler crane does BAD is that it relies on outside influences, such as the tripod and the operator, but I see that as such a minor thing there really is no Con to this crane.
What’s Good
The crane is easy to assemble, one person can put it together in under 10 minute, and that is if they are inexperienced with the crane. Two experienced people can put it together a whole lot quicker. If you buy the tool less package, which I highly suggest, it only makes the assembly that much faster.
It is easy to use, There is not really much complexity with the movement of the crane itself and the tilt function is more intuitive than you could imagine.
It handles incredibly. As long as you have it is well balanced you will get wonderfully smooth shots without a sound.
It is sturdy, This crane has such heavy construction that I would not hesitate to put a $4,000 camera on it. I know that this crane will hold the weight.
It reaches high. My 8 foot model can look on the roof of my house, which is roughly 10 feet high. You experience may vary depending on your tripod.
And finally the thing that I think sets Kessler cranes apart from other cranes on the market. It is variable, expandable, and upgradeable. I am a filmmaker and I know that there is nothing more important that the freedom to change your mind on how something is shot, and if your equipment cannot change to suit your needs, it is worthless. The Kessler brand offers you all kinds of accessories that will allow you to make the crane suit your needs, and not be too heavy on the wallet at the same time.
Conclusion
As far as cranes goes, from what I have seen available you get what you pay for. That seems to be the case with cranes; you can spend $200 - $300 for a crane, or a few thousand. But the cheap are going to be a poor design, and the expensive are going to cause you to overpay. The Kessler falls in the middle. It has a good price point but is also very well constructed. And that is all that matters when you are putting a $4,000 camera on the crane.
It has instantly become my favorite in video production tools. I am already planning on upgrading my 8 foot model to a 12 foot. I cannot wait to use my Kessler Crane more.
Here are some pictures of my crane and me with it, this was on a shoot, I wish that I would show you some footage, but my best shots were only for internal uses, so I can’t. These pictures are of the 8 foot model, The camera is a Canon Optura Xi.
