Todd Sheridan
July 24th, 2012, 04:22 PM
I am definitely in the market for a base plate and some rods. I'm using Canon lenses via the Metabones adapter, and I don't feel comfortable having some of my longer lenses (specifically something like the 70-200mm) hanging off the adapter without any support to take the weight off the adapter.
I don't foresee myself using my FS700 as an ENG style camera very much and will probably mostly be on sticks, but there will be times when I need to go handheld. So, I figure as long as I am getting a base plate and some rods, I might as well get something with a shoulder pad in the back and handles in the front for "hand held" use.
I thought I had settled on the Movcam cage/rig kit. It seemed versatile and compact and good for my needs. Like I said, I shoot mostly on sticks (probably 70% of the time), and often as a "one man band" and in small compact places (kitchens, etc.) so I didn't want something that was big and bulky.
But, after demoing the Movcam rig, it's obvious that if you want to use it on your shoulder, you really need an EVF to make it work because of the placement of the LCD screen (if you put this rig on your shoulder the way it is designed, the LCD is actually behind your eyes, which isn't much help). Originally, I was hoping to be able to mount a 5" or 7" monitor to the front and side of the rig, but the Movcam rig is so compact that the monitor would end up being about 2" from my eye, which is less than ideal.
I'm not totally opposed to investing in an EVF, but my budget is somewhat limited, and because I shoot more on sticks than "hand held", I would prefer to invest in a nice monitor over the EVF.
So, I'm kind of back to square one.
I think my best bet is going to be a "mutt" rig combining a Zacuto base plate and Shape rods/shoulder plate, etc. with an "offset piece" that offsets the placement of the camera off to the side of the shoulder plate, so that the LCD is in front of your eyes. The LCD/loupe isn't totally ideal, but for the amount of "hand held" I'll be doing, I think it will be fine. This set up definitely isn't as "sexy" as the Movcam kit, and less compact, but more practical.
Anyway, I'd love to hear what other people are doing and if anyone has any suggestions, etc.
I don't foresee myself using my FS700 as an ENG style camera very much and will probably mostly be on sticks, but there will be times when I need to go handheld. So, I figure as long as I am getting a base plate and some rods, I might as well get something with a shoulder pad in the back and handles in the front for "hand held" use.
I thought I had settled on the Movcam cage/rig kit. It seemed versatile and compact and good for my needs. Like I said, I shoot mostly on sticks (probably 70% of the time), and often as a "one man band" and in small compact places (kitchens, etc.) so I didn't want something that was big and bulky.
But, after demoing the Movcam rig, it's obvious that if you want to use it on your shoulder, you really need an EVF to make it work because of the placement of the LCD screen (if you put this rig on your shoulder the way it is designed, the LCD is actually behind your eyes, which isn't much help). Originally, I was hoping to be able to mount a 5" or 7" monitor to the front and side of the rig, but the Movcam rig is so compact that the monitor would end up being about 2" from my eye, which is less than ideal.
I'm not totally opposed to investing in an EVF, but my budget is somewhat limited, and because I shoot more on sticks than "hand held", I would prefer to invest in a nice monitor over the EVF.
So, I'm kind of back to square one.
I think my best bet is going to be a "mutt" rig combining a Zacuto base plate and Shape rods/shoulder plate, etc. with an "offset piece" that offsets the placement of the camera off to the side of the shoulder plate, so that the LCD is in front of your eyes. The LCD/loupe isn't totally ideal, but for the amount of "hand held" I'll be doing, I think it will be fine. This set up definitely isn't as "sexy" as the Movcam kit, and less compact, but more practical.
Anyway, I'd love to hear what other people are doing and if anyone has any suggestions, etc.