CamMate vs. Jimmy Jib

What is the difference in the CamMate Camera Crane and the Jimmy Jib Triangle? It does not matter if you call it a Jib or a Crane, they both work virtually the in the same manner. Both are excellent pieces of equipment. Both have remote head operations controlled at the base by joystick controls. Both arms work with Film and Video Cameras, and both are designed to be operated by a single operator. But, there are some very distinct differences in both.

If you think that a Jimmy Jib is the best crane/jib out there, you are VERY misinformed. In the beginning, that may have been the case for the head operation only. They are basically the same however, there are some major differences. First of all,  The Jimmy Jib (JJ) Triangle is thinner, and is in the shape of a triangle, the Jimmy Jib III is the old round tube design. The Jimmy Jib RELIES on Cables to support the arm in all but the smallest lengths. Without the cable, the arm will fail. That means it will break, and injuries could occur. The longest of the Triangle jibs is 40 feet, the last couple of sections have holes all through them. This is a structural aspect of the JJ that we wonder if is to take the weight out of the end of the arm. The JJ also uses a cable to keep the head level, which works, but that is another place for failure. Assembly of a JJ requires wrenches or a cordless drill to build the arm. Strength starts at the bottom the base or support for the JJ is small and not made for what we put the CamMate through. The JJ support base is a tripod with a couple of wheel configurations.

The CamMate on the other hand, uses a thicker walled aircraft aluminum extrusion in the shape of an elongated octagon. There have never been any instances of breakage/failure of any model of CamMate, (We here at Eagle Eye Productions have personal knowledge and verification of three Jimmy Jib failures. One is more then enough.) The design is strong and does not need cables to support the arm except for the longest of lengths at 43 or 50 foot lengths. The sections are assembled by slipping the square bolt into the corresponding slot on the previous section, hand tightening the nut, then screwing the knob connecting each section. No tools needed! All that is needed is a level. The head is kept level by a steel rod that is suspended underneath the arm, no cables. All CamMate Camera cranes at manufactured and custom built by CamMate Systems in Chandler, AZ. Every detail is held to strict tolerances and are tested before they go into the field. As for the bases of CamMate, they are built for work. Strong, sturdy anchors to support the best crane in the business. The Tripod that JJ uses for its forty foot arm, (is the same tripod that CamMate uses) is only recommended for Max. 25 feet of arm weight. It has a smaller footprint, making it less stable.

OK, if you are still not convinced, now for the guts of the crane/jib, the head and electronics. In the past, (and if you live in the past, stop now). The original pan and tilt motors the JJ used, and are still using were superior to CamMate motors prior to 1999. With the introduction of the CamMate 2000 Series at NAB 1999, the CamMate motors are far superior in action and in noise. The new motors work well in all extremes. They are smooth as silk, and will pull off moves that we could only dream of before.

 Both heads are shaped roughly the same with the CamMate being squared off. But, that is where the similarities end. The JJ has a control cable that runs up the arm, and breaks out to all of the different ports, (video, Triax, lens, tally, camera power, whatever is configured when it was purchased), modifications are not available. The rotation of the head is limited to the cable wrap, you can get into a situation where a shot will stop because the cable is too tight, and the head won't go any further. You've lost the shot and must spin the head back to get ready for the next one. The hand controls at the base are comfortable but a bit bulky. The rivets are susceptible to breakage under stress, making it virtually impossible to operate (this is a complaint from JJ operators).

The Jimmy Jib Official Web Site boast that their system does not use the unreliable slip rings. They offer nothing to support this theory that slip rings are unreliable and are prone to fail. The CamMate head uses a 32 channel slip ring set up, which is a highly reliable way to deliver all of the various signals and have no documented failures. This allows the head to spin freely without ever binding up the cables. You can set the head to spin around, and walk away, when you come back it is still spinning. The CamMate head has two 4-pin 12 volt power outlets to power any number of things, teleprompter, even the camera. There are five BNC outlets that also can be use for any number of signals. The top BNC is a Triax port so that the rig can be used with major production trucks using Triax to coax adapters. There is a switch on the front of the head to adapt to cannon or Fuji lenses with ease. Then for customization, there is an eight pin din outlet to expand the operation. CamMate Camera cranes are all made to work with each other, and when an upgrade is made, you do not need to purchase a new crane. The hand controls have been engineered for ease of operation. Zoom and focus on the left, and pan and tilt on the right. The Dutch Roll can be added to the joystick on the right, giving the operator greater flexibility in complex moves. The JJ Dutch Roll is a poorly engineered knockoff that the worst of which is the use of an additional control lever mounted on the zoom/focus grip.

The monitor position is in a floating pivot point, closer to the operator on the CamMate. This gives the operator an easier time focusing, and also gives the operator better visibility to see the end of the arm. The JJ is mounted at the fulcrum position above the Tripod, which can be as much as four feet away from the operator in a fixed position, which also makes a large blind spot. Of course, for an extra charge, a floating bracket can be added.

Finally, if you are still not convinced that the CamMate Camera Crane is a better crane then the Jimmy Jib Triangle? Consider this, possibly the single most important fact. CamMate is the manufacturer, therefore, they support all that they sell because they designed, engineered, machined and built it. The Jimmy Jib Triangle is just assembled, if there is a problem, it's easy to see that it will take more time to solve. If you find that you need some sort of modification, you are out of luck. Once you buy a Jimmy Jib, you are basically on your own, they are in the business to sell you a crane, not fixing it. Hope it doesn't breakdown. We deal directly with the manufacturer and the designers. 

If you still feel that the Jimmy Jib is a superior crane/jib, I'm sorry! You are WRONG!

CamMate services what they sell, and service is what you get.

Rob Fleeger

Eagle Eye Productions

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