View Full Version : Where to get multiple shoe mounts for camera?


Chris Scharff
December 28th, 2005, 04:00 PM
Greetings,
So my plan is to buy a GL2, Videomic, and light, and I'd like to find a nice shoe mount bracket to attch both at the same time.
My first question is what everyone recommends, the only two I found are listed below.
Secondly, is there a bracket (or a specific light or mic), that can be adjusted i.e. moved on its axis to point in a particular direction? Meaning when the mic and light are seperated from the center of the camera is there a way I can point them back at the center toward my subject when attached to the mount?
Thanks for any feedback.

NRG at B&H
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=114982&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

EVS
http://www.evsonline.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=MD3000C

Stephen Claus
December 28th, 2005, 06:13 PM
Chris:

I just recently bought the NRG bracket and used it on my Sony 1-chip camera (smaller than a GL2) at a wedding reception. It looks a little strange on such a small camera but it did what it was supposed to do.

About the picture on B&H's website: there is a 3rd mounting position on the very top of the bracket that is cut off in their photo. Also, it looks like the mounts are adjustable along the bracket, but they are not. The bracket and mounting positions are all one solid piece.

I think I ended up putting my light on the top mount and my mic out on the side "wing". I was a little disappointed that the mic still picked up camera handling noise through the mount but it didn't really matter at a loud wedding reception.

Also--just my opinion--I don't think having a light or mic slightly off-center from the lens is a big deal, unless maybe the subject is really close. I would think that the farther away the less it matters (think trigonometry). And there is some "slop" in the shoes that can be used to angle lights/mics slightly.

Hope this helps,

Steve

P.S. There are also some brackets that attach to the tripod mount on the bottom of the camera and come up the side. They are intended for flashes on still cameras and can get pretty expensive. Might be worth a look.

Tom Wills
December 28th, 2005, 07:40 PM
Sima makes a nice one for around $10 that mounts to the bottom tripod socket and gives you two more accessory shoes, without tying up the one on top of the camera. It also gives you a cool place to rest your second hand while operating. It may not be ideal, but for around $10 you can't go wrong.

J. Stephen McDonald
December 31st, 2005, 01:35 AM
You can buy simple mounting shoes at many music-supply stores, if the industrial electronics houses don't have them. I've found that the music stores have some useful audio accessories you'd seldom find in a video shop.

I've added mounting shoes onto camcorders in a way that seems it would be undependable, but actually, is very solid. I cut a small piece from a black rubber strap-down that is used on car racks, that matches the shoe for size. I sand it down thoroughly, and gently take the shine off the mounting spot on the camera. I then use Super Glue, of the thicker, less runny type and attach the rubber to the camera. Then, in a separate move, I glue the shoe (also sanded), to the rubber. If you use the proper Super Glue technique, it's on there, pretty much for good. I mounted a mike shoe on a little camcorder 10 years ago in this way and it's still holding on with a death-grip. I did peel one off successfully, but it took a lot of elbow grease. An advantage, is that the rubber will buffer out shock and vibration that would otherwise pass into the mike and it eases bumps that the mike might take. It's difficult to get enough tight surface contact, if you glue on the shoe without the rubber.

Chris Scharff
January 10th, 2006, 08:07 PM
Thanks guys, and yea I saw the $10 ones by Sima and Bescor and I like 'em but I was looking for one that I could possibly use with a tripod or a support system like the Spiderbrace, I know once you put it on thats the last accessory you can mount to the bottom.
I guess I 'll just go for one out of the two that I found.
BTW, Stephen Claus, could you possibly give me measurements on your NRG bracket, they're not posted on B&H, thanks.

Daniel Lucas
February 10th, 2006, 07:10 PM
BTW, Stephen Claus, could you possibly give me measurements on your NRG bracket, they're not posted on B&H, thanks.

I just saw this post of yours and noticed you didn't get a reply from Stephen on this. I was looking at the NRG site today & saw a curious little bracket that may be what he meant. Check their web site for lighting accessories.
www.nrgresearch.com

Ryan Reyes
February 24th, 2006, 11:46 AM
Not sure if this fits your needs, but I own one of these:

http://www.adorama.com/VHMR.html