DV Info Net - 35mm Adapter, Shoulder Mount.

[Camcorder = Sony HVR-A1E]

Right, I'm having a new dilemma now.

I'm considering going back from the Letus35 Mini to the M2, purely because I can get the M2 AND its rail system for really cheap

here.

I'm also thinking it'll be easier to use shoulder-mounted than the Letus35 mini, purely because the mini flips the image so you're supposed to use your camera's screen, but that means it has to be set forward and it could end up that you can't reach the follow focus, and the handles would be a real stretch. And there's no point buying a monitor for the letus because the selling point is that it flips the image.

However, questions about the M2 ebay sale are:

My camera has a 37mm thread. That sale has a 55mm rubber lens hood. And I dunno whether this makes it incompatible, but it has a 72mm achromat lens. *Shrugs* what does this mean for me? Thinking about it, that'll probably fit anyway, won't it, round the end of the A1's lens?

Also, how is the M2 powered? That sale doesn't seem to mention a battery.

If I was to do this though, I would have to buy a monitor. I'm considering

this one, but then the question is, how do I mount it? I'd like it in front of me when shoulder mounted, but I don't want it obscuring the follow focus either.

And talking of shoulder mounted, what shoulder mount would I get? I noticed a few in the user setups on the redrockmicro site:

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...howski/4-1.jpg
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...howski/1-3.jpg
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...howski/8-2.jpg

Would this one be best for attaching to the rod system that comes from that ebay sale?

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...howski/5-1.jpg
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...howski/6-3.jpg

This one looks good as well, I *think* it's the same one in both pictures.

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...howski/2-3.jpg
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...howski/7-2.jpg

This one also looks good, and I guess it would be able to take the rail system on top of it; although, I dunno where the position of the camera would be with that particular rail system on top of this? Another benefit to this shoulder mount is I can fix a varizoom onto the handle

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...howski/9-2.jpg

Finally there's this one, which looks quite good, again, good for fixing a Varizoom onto, and the monitor is in a good position here. However that's a battery at the back, I presume, at first I thought it was just a shoulder rest...

As for the monitor, the ideal configuration would be of that one above but I don't know how easy that would be to mount on the rail system in that ebay sale; so there's this method:

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...howski/3-3.jpg

However, I don't know if that would go into the bottom of the monitor I linked to before. Also, I'd be interested to see what that magic arm is exactly, and how much it is.

So all in all, can anyone give me any advice? It's really complicated because there's so many parts involved here and they all rely on each other. I'm trying to find the cheapest option.

If I get the Letus35 Mini, it saves me needing a monitor, but, the camera would have to be further forward so I could see its screen, the screen isn't very high resolution and I would need an interesting shoulder mount to take the mini's rail system. The Letus35 mini would be $1,100 plus a rail system (which I estimate would be about $300, a wild guess).

Whereas if I get this one on eBay, it would be $725 including the rail system. The monitor would be about $120, and the shoulder mount might be more 'possible', or maybe it'll be as possible as if I bought the mini, especially if I used a shoulder mount like the first one shown, since that mounts ONTO the rail system rather than beneath it. But then I would also need a magic arm for the monitor, and that could be pricey, and there could be compatibility issues between that ebay sale and my camcorder.

Just as a sidenote, I also plan to buy a follow focus (

this one), and I'll be making my own matte box.

Begging for advice. Please. Hehe. I'm judging all this by pictures and limited knowledge. For example I have NO idea how the camera lens attaches to the M2. Not the slightest. I've heard stepup rings, then on that ebay sale it's a rubber hood, then on others I've seen odd tubes... very confusing.

Cheers

EDIT> I've just realised, that monitor has to take mains power. So I can't use that. Can anybody advise of the cheapest possible monitor that runs off battery power that could be mounted onto a magic arm?