oConnor 120EX Owner's Manual

120EX Pan & Tilt Fluid Head

Operator’s Guide Part No. C1225-4980

OConnor 120EX Pan and Tilt Head Operator's Guide, Part No. C1225-4980
Copyright © Vitec Group plc 2007
All rights reserved throughout the world. No part of this document may be stored
in a retrieval system, transmitted, copied or reproduced in any way including, but
not limited to, photocopy, photograph, magnetic or other record without the prior
agreement and permission in writing of Vitec Group plc.
OConnor ® is a registered trademark of Vitec Group plc.

Operator's Guide - OConnor 120EX Pan and Tilt Head

Preface

Thank you and congratulations on the purchase your new 120EX from OConnor.
We want you to get the most from your new 120EX, and therefore encourage you

to read this operator's guide to familiarize yourself with its many features, some
of which may be new to you. It also covers essential health and safety
information and a section on maintenance that will ensure you keep your new
product in perfect condition.

Please register your purchase by completing the product registration form
online at http://registration.ocon.com

Features and benefits of your new 120EX

The 120EX head is the flagship of OConnor's new EXTENDED CAPACITY range
of fluid heads - the EX range. Based on the new patented EX-technology, this
head features a new kind of stepless counterbalance system as well as a new
ultra-smooth pan and tilt fluid drag designed for film style shooting.

OConnor's fluid heads are famous for ultimate control and stability for film style
shooting. Now, with the use of EX-technology, OConnor can offer the features it
has become famous for with the additional benefit of extended capacity. With a
new counterbalance mechanism at the heart of the EX-technology, the 120EX
can be boosted into EX-mode to achieve a whole new realm of counterbalance.
True and accurate balance is achieved through the sinusoidal EX-counterbalance
technology. The EX-drag technology is ultra-smooth and stepless - just what
OConnor is famous for.

The EX-Mode

Getting more than 100% is the best way to describe the EX-Mode on the new EX
range of fluid heads by OConnor. The EX fluid heads have a given payload range
for the ±90° tilt range. With traditional counterbalance mechanisms any payload
heavier than this maximum weight cannot be balanced. But with the EX range of
fluid heads, you can go far beyond that maximum payload by slowly limiting the
tilt range as the payload is increased. The tilt range is still an impressive ±60° at
the maximum payload of 240 lbs (109 kg). The full tilt range of ±90° is maintained
with payloads between 30-120 lbs (14-54 kg). All of these ranges are based on
an 8" center of gravity.

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Operator's Guide - OConnor 120EX Pan and Tilt Head

Other Features

A collapsible counterbalance crank knob and digital readout make
counterbalancing the payload easy - even though the range is huge. The new
easy-to-use sideload mechanism features a push and turn platform knob with a
"pop up" gear to engage the camera mounting plate and adjust the platform fore
and aft easily and precisely. It is easy to move heavy camera payloads forward
and backwards on the head with this mechanism. Geared and non-geared plates
can be used on the platform.

OConnor's fluid drag system allows an extremely quick pan movement from one
position to another, recovering instantly without any spring back.

You can set up easily in low light conditions using the illuminated level bubble
and back-lit display.

Once again, thank you for choosing the 120EX. We are confident it will give you
many years of reliable performance.

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Operator's Guide - OConnor 120EX Pan and Tilt Head

Safety - Read This First

Warning Symbols in this Operators Guide

Where there is a risk of personal injury, injury to others, or
damage to the pan and tilt head or associated equipment,
appropriate comments appear, highlighted by the word
WARNING! and this warning triangle symbol.

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Operator's Guide - OConnor 120EX Pan and Tilt Head

Technical Data

Note: Payload capacity and tilt ranges are based on a C of G height of 8"

Payload Capacity: . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 - 240 lb (14 - 109 kg)

See counterbalance chart

Tilt Range: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ±90° for payloads up to 120 lb (54 kg)

±80° for payloads up to 147 lb (67 kg)
±70° for payloads up to 188 lb (85 kg)
±60° for payloads up to 240 lb (109 kg)

Pan Range: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360°

Height: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.8 in (24.8 cm)

Width: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13.2 in (34.1 cm)

Depth: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.4 in (26.5 cm)

Weight: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 lb (15.5 kg)

Operating Temperature Range:. . -40°F to +140°F (-40°C to +60°C)

Dolly/tripod fixing: . . . . . . . . . . . . Mitchell base

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Operator's Guide - OConnor 120EX Pan and Tilt Head

Further Information

For further information or advice regarding this pan and tilt head, please contact
OConnor Engineering at:

Camera Dynamics Inc.

OCONNOR ENGINEERING

100 Kalmus Drive Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Camera Dynamics Inc.

OCONNOR ENGINEERING

2701 N. Ontario St Burbank, CA 91504

Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

E-mail: [e-mail]
Or visit our website www.ocon.com and use the contact form.

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Operator's Guide - OConnor 120EX Pan and Tilt Head

Contents

Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Features and benefits of your new 120EX . . . . . . . . . 2

The EX-Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Other Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Safety - Read This First . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Technical Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Further Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Extended Capacity Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Digital Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Ultra Smooth Fluid Drag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Pan And Tilt Locks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Tilt Lock Pin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Illuminated Bubble Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Handle Mounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Camera Mounting Platform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Mitchell Mount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Installing The Head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Handles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Eyepiece Leveler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Mounting A Camera. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Stability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Balancing The Head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Fore And Aft Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Payload Weight And C of G Height Adjustment. . . . . 16

Locking The Platform. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Pan And Tilt Locks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Pan And Tilt Fluid Drag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

The Balance Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Low Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

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