Video 18 S1 - Tripod Sachtler - Free user manual and instructions

Product Type	Tripod with Fluid Head
Brand	Sachtler
Model	Video 18 S1
Maximum Payload	18 kg (39.7 lbs)
Weight	8.5 kg (18.7 lbs)
Height Range	45 cm to 175 cm (17.7 in to 68.9 in)
Material	Aluminum legs with carbon fiber options
Head Type	Fluid head with continuous counterbalance
Leg Stages	2-stage
Spreader	Mid-level spreader
Bowl Size	100 mm
Tilt Range	+90° / -70°
Pan Range	360°
Counterbalance	Continuous, 5 steps
Drag System	Continuous pan and tilt drag
Quick Release	SnapLock (Sachtler standard)
Warranty	2 years manufacturer
Power Supply	Not applicable (manual)
Maintenance	Clean with dry cloth; store in dry place
Spare Parts Availability	Available via authorized dealers

Frequently Asked Questions - Video 18 S1 Sachtler

What is the maximum load capacity of the Sachtler Video 18 S1?

The Sachtler Video 18 S1 supports a maximum payload of 18 kg (39.7 lbs), ideal for professional camcorders and heavy accessories.

How do I adjust the counterbalance on the Video 18 S1?

Use the counterbalance knob located on the side of the head. Turn it to match the weight of your camera setup for smooth tilt movements.

What is the height range of the tripod?

The tripod can be adjusted from a minimum height of 45 cm to a maximum of 175 cm.

Can I use the Video 18 S1 with a DSLR?

Yes, but ensure the total weight of your DSLR and lens does not exceed 18 kg. The head is designed for professional cameras, but works with smaller setups using appropriate quick release plates.

How do I attach the quick release plate?

Slide the plate into the head clamp until it clicks. Ensure the safety pin is engaged. To release, pull the safety pin and slide the plate out.

What maintenance does the Video 18 S1 require?

Regularly clean the legs and head with a dry cloth. Check for loose screws. Store in a dry, dust-free environment. Do not use lubricants on the fluid head.

Is the Sachtler Video 18 S1 compatible with other manufacturer's accessories?

It is designed for Sachtler accessories. However, standard 100mm bowl tripods and some third-party accessories may be compatible. Always test before use.

How do I level the tripod?

Use the built-in bubble level on the head. Adjust the legs individually to achieve a level base. The mid-level spreader also helps stabilize on uneven terrain.

What is the warranty period for the Video 18 S1?

Sachtler offers a 2-year manufacturer warranty from the date of purchase. Register your product online for support.

Where can I find spare parts or service?

Contact an authorized Sachtler dealer or service center. Spare parts such as legs, fluid cartridges, and quick release plates are available.

USER MANUAL Video 18 S1 Sachtler

Part Nos. Video 18 S2 1811

Video 20 S1 2010

EN

E

www.sachtler.com

Copyright © 2015

All rights reserved.

Original Instructions: English

All rights reserved throughout the world. No part of this publication 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 the Vitec Group Plc.

Disclaimer

The information contained in this publication is believed to be correct at the time of printing. Vitec Videocom Ltd reserves the right to make changes to the information or specifications without obligation to notify any person of such revision or changes. Changes will be incorporated in new versions of the publication.

We are making every effort to ensure that our publications are updated on a regular basis to reflect changes to product specifications and features. Should this publication not contain information on the core functionality of your product, please let us know. You may be able to access the latest revision of this publication from our website.

Vitec Videocom Ltd reserves the right to make changes to product design and functionality without notification.

Trademarks

All product trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of The Vitec Group Plc.

All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective companies.

Published by:

Vitec Videocom Ltd

Email: [e-mail]

Safety and About This Guide .... 3

Box Contents .... 4

Operating Elements....5

Installation....7

Touch Bubble. 7

Mounting the Head 7

Mounting and Dismounting the Camera ..... 8

Fitting the Pan Bar....10

Balancing the Payload....12

Adjusting the Centre of Gravity (C of G) ..... 12

Adjusting the Counterbalance....15

Adjusting the Drags....17

Transportation....18

Maintenance 19

Technical Specification 20

General Notices 21

Sicherheit 22

Important information on the safe installation and operation of this product. Read this information before operating the product. For your personal safety, read these instructions. Do not operate the product if you do not understand how to use it safely. Save these instructions for future reference.

Warning Symbols Used in these Instructions

Safety cautions are included in these instructions. These safety instructions must be followed to avoid possible personal injury and avoid possible damage to the product.

WARNING!

Where there is a risk of personal injury or injury to others, comments appear supported by the warning triangle symbol.

Where there is a risk of damage to the product, associated equipment, process or surroundings, comments appear supported by the word 'CAUTION'.

Health and Safety

WARNING! Risk of personal injury or injury to others. All personnel must be fully trained and adhere to correct manual handling techniques and Health & Safety regulations. It is the responsibility of the local organisation to enforce safe working practices at all times.

Mounting and Installation

WARNING! Do not fit a head to a tripod that cannot support the combined mass of the head and its full payload.

WARNING! Risk of finger entrapment. Do not place fingers between the platform and the body of the fluid head.

CAUTION! Always lock the horizontal and vertical brakes when the camera is mounted but not in use or when levelling the fluid head on the tripod.

CAUTION! Hold the camera securely when mounting or dismounting from the fluid head and when making adjustments to the tripod height or footprint.

CAUTION! Always hold the pan bar when making adjustments to the counterbalance or camera position. Do not use the pan bar to lift or move the tripod and fluid head.

CAUTION! Do not attach heavy items to the pan bar.

CAUTION! Always remove the camera before transporting.

Safety and About This Guide

Maintenance

WARNING! The fitting of non-approved parts and or accessories or servicing by non-approved personnel could effect the safety of the product. It may also invalidate the terms and conditions of the product warranty.

CAUTION! When replacing the battery, only use the same or an equivalent type of battery recommended for use with this product.

Intended Use

The Sachtler Video 18 S2 and Video 20 S1 fluid heads were developed to enable smooth pan and tilt movement giving the operator total image control through a wide range of angles.

About this User Guide

This user guide has been produced to instruct the user on the correct set-up, operation and maintenance of the fluid head.

Warranty

This product is covered by a one year warranty.

The warranty will be invalidated if:

• The head is improperly installed or used in a manner contrary to this user guide.
• The head housing is opened by unauthorised personnel.

Extended Warranty

Please register at www.sachtler.com for an extended warranty period.

Box Contents

Item Description Part No
1 Video 18 S2 or Video 20 S1 Fluid head	1811 or 2010
2 Tie down SKO13B0366
3 User guide S2022-4980
4 Camera plate 1064
5 Pan bar plus right 3270

Operating Elements

Left View

1 Vertical brake
2 Touch & Go system lock lever
3 Touch & Go system safety lock
4 Counterbalance adjustment knob
5 Vertical drag control
6 Illuminated touch bubble
7 Rosette for left pan bar

Operating Elements

Right View

1 Camera plate
2 Spare camera screws
3 Payload range shifter (boost button)
4 Horizontal brake
5 Horizontal drag control
6 Tie down
7 Battery compartment for touch bubble
8 Balance plate clamp lever
9 Rosette for right pan bar

Installation

Touch Bubble

The fluid head is fitted with an illuminating touch bubble which allows easy levelling in poor lighting conditions. The illumination is activated by tapping the bubble and will automatically switch off after approximately 20 seconds.

Mounting the Head

The fluid head is designed to be installed onto standard tripods using the tie down with the 100 mm ball base. The fluid head can be mounted to a slider or pedestal using a FB converter (# 3913).

Levelling the Head

1. Apply the horizontal and vertical brakes and hold the head firmly with one hand.

Installation

1. Loosen the tie down and move the head so that the level bubble is central. Tighten the tie down and check the level bubble remains central when the head is rotated through a full 360°.

Mounting and Dismounting the Camera

1. Apply the horizontal and vertical brakes.

1. Hold the plate or camera with one hand. Grasp the locking lever with your thumb and index finger and pull down the safety button.

Installation

1. With the safety button held down, move the locking lever as far as possible to the left.

1. The plate or camera will be released.

1. Attach the camera plate to the camera around its centre of gravity. Additional screws are stored in the platform assembly.

Installation

1. Mount the camera and plate onto the platform. It will lock automatically and the lock lever will click audibly back into its initial position.

Fitting the Pan Bar

Fit and adjust the pan bar to the desired position, tighten the clamping screw ensuring the teeth mesh fully.

Installation

Adjusting the Pan Bar

To adjust the position of the pan bar, loosen the clamping screw sufficiently to allow the rosettes to rotate without fowling.

Configuring the Pan Bar

As standard, the pan bar is configured to mount on the right hand side of the fluid head. The pan bar can be configured for left hand mounting, as follows:

Installation

Balancing the Payload

Before operating the fluid head, the payload (camera, lens and any other fitted accessories) must be correctly balanced to ensure safe and reliable operation.

WARNING! When balancing the payload, it is important to be aware of the potential danger that an unbalanced payload will fall away suddenly. Maintain a firm hold on the payload until the balance is set correctly.

WARNING! Risk of finger entrapment. Do not place fingers between the platform and the body of the fluid head.

CAUTION! Always hold the pan bar when making adjustments to the counterbalance or camera position.

CAUTION! The camera, pan bars and all accessories must be fitted in their operational position before balancing the head. Any equipment fitted or adjusted later can unbalance the fluid head.

Adjusting the Centre of Gravity (C of G)

Before adjusting the counterbalance, the centre of gravity (C of G) of the payload must be centred precisely over the axis of the fluid head.

Ensure that the head is level before balancing.

1. Apply the vertical brake and adjust the vertical setting of the fluid drag to "0". Set the counterbalance adjustment knob to "1". Note moving the counterbalance from one setting to another requires the head to pass the horizontal position to take affect.

Installation

Note. The payload range shifter (boost button) is configured to the high setting as standard.

1. Estimate the overall weight of the payload. Using the reference charts, set the payload range shifter (boost button) to LO or HI as appropriate. Note moving the shifter from HI to LO takes affect immediately. Moving from LO to HI takes affect as the fluid head passes the horizontal position.

Observe that where there is an overlapping payload range on the chart, experimentation may be required between the LO and HI settings.

Video 18 S2

Video 20 S1

Installation

1. Hold the pan bar firmly, disengage the vertical brake. Observe how the payload moves and where it stops.

If the platform stops in a horizontal position (camera pointing directly forward) or falls away evenly in either direction, the balance is correct.

1. If the payload falls away in either direction (front or back heavy):

(a) Unlock the sliding balance plate by pushing back the red lever underneath the balance plate as far as possible.

(b) If the payload tilts backwards (points up), slide it towards the front of the fluid head (fore). Re-lock the sliding balance plate.

(c) If the payload tilts forwards (points down), slide it towards the rear of the fluid head (aft). Re-lock the sliding balance plate.

(d) Re-check the movement of the payload. If further adjustment is required, repeat steps a to c.

Additional C of G Adjustments

If it is not possible to correctly set the C of G of the payload using the standard method:

1. Move the camera plate to offset the payload further in the required direction.

1. Use the C.O.G plate (# 1063) which is available as an accessory.

Adjusting the Counterbalance

The fluid head is equipped with a 16 step counterbalance adjuster to accurately balance the payload. Note, moving the counterbalance from one setting to another requires the head to pass the horizontal position to take affect.

1. Set the counterbalance adjustment knob to the mid-range setting (8).

1. Tilt the payload approximately 30° in both directions and release it. If the payload stays in the same position when released, the payload is correctly balanced.

Installation

1. If the payload continues to move upwards when released, the balance is set too high. Lower the balance adjuster setting by one increment and retest.

1. If the payload continues to move backwards when released, the balance is set too low. Raise the balance adjuster setting by one increment and retest.

1. Tilt the payload through positive and negative angles of travel, checking that the payload remains at any angle of tilt unsupported.

If the payload angle falls or rises, repeat the balancing procedure (steps 3 and 4) until balance is achieved.

Installation

Adjusting the Drags

The fluid head is equipped with horizontal and vertical seven step drag controls. The drags help to eliminate jerks and vibrations when moving the fluid head during filming. The drags can also be fully disengaged.

CAUTION! Always set the drag adjusters to the index positions. Setting the drag adjusters between index positions can cause serious damage to the fluid head.

Applying the same drag setting to the horizontal and vertical controls enables precise and even diagonal movement.

1. Turn the horizontal and vertical drag controls to the required index position (1 lowest, 7 highest drag resistance) by aligning the arrow with the dot marker. Turn the brakes off and engage the drag by slowly panning or tilting the camera.

Installation

Transportation

To ensure smooth and reliable operation over the long life of the fluid head, the following settings should be applied to the controls during transportation or periods of storage:

Brakes Open (OFF)
Counterbalance Maximum (16)
Drags Maximum (7)

Transporting with the Pan Bar

To transport the fluid head with the pan bar attached, stow in the vertical position with the tripod legs to prevent damage.

Maintenance

Cleaning and Inspection

Clean the fluid head regularly using a soft cloth. For heavier dirt use a soft brush and a mild detergent.

Regular inspections are not required.

Changing the Battery

The illuminated bubble level is powered by one standard type button cell (CR2032, 3 V) located in the battery holder, which can be gently prised open with a flat bladed screwdriver.

Observe the correct polarity of the battery when replacing.

Routine Maintenance

Periodically operate the horizontal and vertical drags through their full range of indexing to ensure the engaging pins in fluid head stay lubricated.

The battery should last for approximately 2000 illumination cycles.

Technical Specification

Weight (Video 18 S2)

4 kg (8.8 lb)

Payload range (Video 18 S2)

1.5 kg to 19.3 kg (3.5 lb to 42.5 lb)

Boost button, LO range (Video 18 S2)

1.5 kg to 13.1 kg (3.5 lb to 29 lb)

Boost button, HI range (Video 18 S2)

7.7 kg to 19.3 kg (16 lb to 42.5 lb)

(Video 20 S1)

4.1 kg (9 lb)

(Video 20 S1)

1.5 kg to 25 kg (3.5 lb to 55 lb)

(Video 20 S1)

1.5 kg to 15 kg (3.5 lb to 33 lb)

(Video 20 S1)

13 kg to 25 kg (29 lb to 55 lb)

Height

202mm (7.9")

Drags (horizontal and vertical)

7 steps, plus 0

Counterbalance steps

16

Camera plate sliding range

120 mm (4")

Temperature range

-40°C (-40°F) to 60°C (140°F)

Battery

CR 2032, 3V

Tilt range

+90°/-70° (depending on position of counterbalance knob)

Camera fitting

Touch & Go camera plate 16 (# 1064) camera attached either with

2 x 3/8" screws or 1 x 3/8" screw, 1 x 1/4" screw or 1 x 1/4" screw, 1 pin

Tripod/pedestal fitting

100 mm bowl

Pan bar type

Telescopic with attachment diameter of 18/22/32 mm (0.7/0.9/1.3"), length 350 to 520 mm (13.8 - 20.5")

We reserve the right to make changes to the product based on technical advances.

General Notices

Declaration of Conformity

Vitec Videocom Limited declares that this product has been manufactured in accordance with BS EN ISO 9001:2008 and is in compliance with the essential requirements and other relevant provisions of the EC Directives 2004/108/EG EMC. A copy of the Declaration of Conformity is available on request.

Environmental considerations

European Union Waste of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive (2012/19/EU)

This symbol marked on the product or its packaging indicates that this product must not be disposed of with general household waste. In some countries or European Community regions separate collection systems have been set up to handle the recycling of electrical and electronic waste products. By ensuring this product is disposed of correctly, you will help prevent potentially negative consequences for the environment and human health. The recycling of materials helps conserve natural resources.

Visit our website for information on how to dispose of this product and its packaging.

In countries outside the EU:

Dispose of this product at a collection point for the recycling of electrical and electronic equipment according to your local government regulations.

Disposal of waste batteries

Any batteries included with this product must not be treated as household waste. By ensuring these batteries are disposed of correctly, you will help prevent potentially negative consequences for the environment and human health, and help conserve natural resources.

Read "Battery Replacement" section in this user guide for instructions on how to remove the battery from the product safely. Hand the battery over to the applicable collection point for recycling waste batteries.

Sicherheit

Montage

Montage

Montage

Schwenkarmmontage

Montage

Schwenkarmkonfiguration

Montage

Montage

Video 20 S1

Montage

Montage

Montage

Transport

Publication No. S2022-4980/1

Sachtler™

A Vitec Group brand

www.sachtler.com