Sachtler Ace M Is Jet Set With Jonah Kessel

In one moment, the world smells like fresh croissants and full-bodied red wine; chansons accompany a touch of lavender on the streets.
Around every corner, one can breathe in the aroma of freshly brewed espresso and pause to hear the moving sounds of accordion music in the artful cities and picturesque landscapes. Faraway hoof beats invite you to continue the journey on the tracks of Genghis Khan – the climate gets rougher, agricultural crop lands are spread across the land, a yak eats from the scant grass.
Freelance visual journalist Jonah Kessel from Beijing tells unique stories from all over the world with his projects – among others – for the New York Times, CNN, and renowned private customers. During his work, he demands a lot of himself and his equipment, as seeing means more than just looking through the lens. And Jonah Kessel always finds a very special point of view and unique perspectives. Therefore, on his travels, he tested the Ace M tripod system by Sachtler, part of Vitec Videocom, a Vitec Group company.
Dependable: Jet-set without travel-sickness
Jonah Kessel fulfills his vision of making filming an art and capturing the most exciting moments from life and countries. On the stages of Paris, Italy, and Mongolia, he recorded memorable moments of faraway countries and foreign cultures with a Sachtler Ace M. "Every day, we had numerous shooting location changes. I spent a lot of time packing and unpacking and walked most of the time. For DSLR filmmakers, who travel a lot and often only have a limited budget, this tripod system fits like a custom-tailored suit," says Kessel when describing the conditions.
Weighing in at only 4.4 kilograms (9.7 lbs), the Sachtler Ace M tripod system, made of aluminum, can be particularly quickly set up and is easy to haul with a transport length of 85 cm (33 in). With its fiberglass-enforced composite material, the Ace M fluid head weighs only 1.7 kg (3.7 lbs). In addition, the Ace proved itself as a rewarding travel companion, immune to travel sickness: "This summer, I traveled in and out of six countries, and its performance did not fade one bit. Thanks to its light weight, it is excellent for traveling by plane, as less excess baggage is necessary."
Versatile: serious, musical, curious
For Italy: Like a Song, the Sachtler Ace tripod system sings the song about the rhythm of northern Italian life in a travel video. The tones become serious in the New York Times documentary Mongolia: Changing Landscapes, which tells the story of how a mine changes the landscape. Hong Huang, a Chinese media entrepreneur, explores the metropolis on the Seine as a Stranger in Paris in a campaign for hotels. Technology is also a part of art. Equipment which lets the filmmaker's creativity run free is an absolute necessity: With a payload range of 0 to 4 kilograms (9.7 lbs), the Ace M is made for versatile use. The patented SA-drag™ damping with three horizontal and three vertical grades of drag +0 and the five-step counterbalance enable optimal control and repeatable configurations of the camera set-up. With this, especially smooth tilts from -75° to +90° degrees and precise pans give the cinematographer cinematic freedom for exceptional results.
The Ace M tripod system has convinced cinematographer Jonah Kessel: "For me, everything has worked out. Ace M strikes a perfect balance between size, weight, functionality, and price. In a nutshell, it makes my life a little bit better."
www.sachtler.com