View Full Version : My F3 ENG rig.


Alister Chapman
September 26th, 2011, 10:25 AM
Here's a quick look at a full ENG style kit I'm putting together for the F3. It includes a shoulder mount, B4 lens adapter and EVF mount.

Aaron Newsome
September 26th, 2011, 10:44 AM
I really like this rig Alister. This would be perfect for when I need to go ENG style. I run the same kind of battery on my F3, rear mounted on a vertical plate in the same way. The big difference is my rails go all the way from front to rear, which means a shoulder mount puts my camera up too high.

I like how your shoulder mount gets the camera center of gravity as low as possible.

One question though, it doesn't look like you're using a genuine A/B gold mount. Which vendor are you using, hopefully they're cheaper than genuine mounts. I need another one ASAP.

Alister Chapman
September 26th, 2011, 11:11 AM
The battery mount is an IDX V-Lock plate and the batteries are DSM V-mount. The shoulder mount is a little tall. The final version will be a little shorter.

Brian Drysdale
September 26th, 2011, 11:52 AM
Does anyone actually use the rear V/F on the handle? On any of the rigs I've seen it's pretty superfluous.

Alister Chapman
September 26th, 2011, 02:21 PM
I do use the rear VF from time to time when I'm operating with a very minimal set up. I find that I can focus accurately by using the peaking controls. Now, I'm not saying I like the rear VF or that I think it's good. It does a job, that's about it. I do wish it was better.

Leonard Levy
September 26th, 2011, 02:55 PM
In a pinch i find if I set the rear to B&W and the peaking to a color then focus stands out quite clearly, but its only in a pinch as its pretty useless 99% of the time.

Alister that's a pretty cool rig for ENG shooting. Which EVF are you using and are you happy with it?
Are you going to sell the whole set up, or at least the shoulder mount as well as the B4 adapter?

Where the hell do you find the time to develop all this stuff as well work for a living?

Alister Chapman
September 26th, 2011, 03:48 PM
Well, we are forging ahead with the lens adapter. The rest of the kit depends on the interest level. I might get a few made up to test the market.

Believe me there are not enough hours in the day right now. I'm off to Tallinn (Estonia) for the day tomorrow! Decent kit makes shoots easier, so I spend the time putting them together.

Paul Cronin
October 1st, 2011, 07:59 AM
Hi Alister hope you are well,

Now that is a rig that interest me. I could use the same lens and C35W VF as on my PMW-500. What is the cost of the B4 lens adapter?