My 5D MKII Goes Handheld Doc style!
 

With a wide angle lens and this rig, I am actually getting some pretty good handheld footage.The 50mm 1.4 becomes more challenging although still usable. 85mm and longer, not so much, need a tripod or the monopod. The Bushhawk is pretty impressive for the money, not as rock solid as a Zacuto package but about 1/10th the cost.

Pictured
Canon 5D MKII
Tokina 12-24 F4.0
Singh Ray Vari ND (not pictured)
Manfrotto 482LC hot shoe mount
Zoom H4N
Gig Wig
Zacuto Z-Finder
Bushhawk 300sV
Bushhawk QR400 quick release plate

Bushhawk even includes a nice wireless mic receiver bracket that screws on the right side handle (not pictured because I am not using wireless for the next shoot with this rig).

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/picture.ph...pictureid=1142
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/picture.ph...pictureid=1141
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/picture.ph...pictureid=1140
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/picture.ph...pictureid=1139
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/picture.ph...pictureid=1144
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/picture.ph...pictureid=1143

Enjoy!

D

How do you like the Z-finder?

Hey Dan, check out my related post "Run 'n Gun Hands Free" (I guess we posted simultaneously).

available
 

The rear view finder that covers the video screen at the back of the 5D where can that be purchased ,as using the camera in the video mode the screen is difficult to see on a bright day

Love it, it is well worth the money. The upcoming V2 will be even better with better mounting system.

Dan

Z-Finder - Zacuto

Dan

The BushHawk looks great - I was just looking for something like that, came across this instead:

Agonic - Stedi-Stock Home Page

Not nearly as nice as the BushHawk or Zacuto rigs, but for < $25 on Amazon I figured I couldn't go wrong - just got here today and it does the job - although the adjustability of the BushHawk looks like a great feature so I may have to upgrade. Still, another option for those looking to put more of their money into glass rather than grips...

Dan,

Maybe a stupid question but if you place it on your right should and hold it with your righthand is it difficult to push the "set" button

Bob

It really doesn't have to cost a bunch either. This is all self made.

Hi Bob:

It does involve hand switching. I normally would hold it with my left to begin rolling. I then switch to the right to hold and use my left hand to focus and rotate the Vari ND. I use both hands on the Bushhawk if the subject will be staying at a constant distance and I need the maximum amount of steadiness. This would be for walking and talking type shots or following the subject through a building.

For stationary shots where I am just panning and tilting, I switch off at will. It's not ideal, ideal would be some sort of remote focus but that won't happen with this camera. I could do remote focus with my HPX170.

Overall, this thing is about as perfect as I can find ergonomically, it feels right. The camera is in pretty close to my body, I can put my eye comfortably to the Z-Finder, the camera is mounted on a quick release plate, the entire stock is pretty light, around 2lbs. The shoulder strap is a lifesaver, well worth the extra $10.00.

I also like how it can break down and fit into my camera backpack. This thing is going to be used a lot.

Dan

Holy monkey, four hundred bucks for that? I'll spend the couple hundred more for an external HD monitor instead... yowza.

Buying the best is never cheap and Zacuto usually makes the best, it is in a whole other class than the Hoodman. External monitors are cool but more weight, more money, extra batteries to mind, hard to focus in daylight, you need to use a sunshade, making the whole rig ridiculously over sized and much heavier. The 5D MKII also drops it's HD output to SD when rolling, focus is a joke in SD. You cannot accurately focus 1080 Hi Def with an SD 480p monitor. Fine if you are on sticks, but for hand held operating, how are you going to track HD focus in SD?

There is a method to my madness with this rig, it is for run and gun documentary shooting. No follow focus or matte box, no monitor. Also, when I rent cameras that cost more to rent for two weeks than this entire 5D MKII rig, cost is relative. 5D MKIIs are close to disposable for many working pros, I will be buying at least one or two more for a multi-camera project I have coming up. They are a lot of bang for very little buck. ;-)

D

Dan, how useful is that lens designed for APS-C sized sensors? Don't you get vignetting?

I have to agree that the the shoulder brace and loupe combo is one best ways to shoot on the move. I started learning about it on a hike last weekend. I just posted the attached to demonstrate. Not perfect but the more I practice, the better I get about finding focus:

Handheld With the Canon 5D Mark II on Vimeo

(Note: Vimeo's change to 24p does cause some artifact issues)

Hey Dan, how do you rate the image quality?
I suppose once the audio is mod'd and some other doodads are added, this is about a $5k camera. Forgetting ergo's, how nice is the footage?

'Tis a strange looking beast.

Hi Nigel:

When we meet up, you can check it out and see for yourself. I have made some pretty nice images with it. I am thinking that it will be good for walking around, following my documentary subject through the buildings and museums as well as in the car, trains, etc.

You do not get vignetting at 18.5mm bare (for interiors) and at 21.5mm or longer with the Vari ND attached. I was going to buy a proper full frame wide angle until I realized that I don't really care for many of the Nikons (I have the 28,, 2.8 D, terrible lens) and I cannot afford the Zeiss. The Canons have just started looking good with the new firmware, but once again, I already owned the Tokina.

Dan

Hi Brian:

I am pretty happy with the look of the footage so far. I have only shot a couple of things so far but the images are good, I like the look.

I need to mess around with the custom picture settings, I am getting sick of the stock 5D MKII look. I would like less crushed blacks, less color saturation and less sharpening so I will be experimenting with developing my own look. I am shooting all over France and I think France will look better through a more Impressionist desaturated palette personally.

Dan

As of yesterday Vimeo now leaves 30fps HD footage alone & doesn't hack it down to a lower frame rate any more. Vimeo HD now MP4? in the General Discussion Forum on Vimeo

Hey Dan, wonderful rig! Maybe a little intimidating for camera shy people!!! ;-DD

That zoom recorder should be horizontal, not vertical. It has a couple of mics in XY, so you can pan them L-R (if recorded horizontal)...

Thats funny cause I uploaded mp4, and I don't think my original shows the lost frames, but I will recheck.

Edit: Rechecked original, and it doesn't show the issues displayed on the Vimeo playback.

This must mean that Vimeo has screwed up the compression in some other way then. At least the 30fps>25fps horrible conversion jitters & stutters shouldn't be present any more.

We will be able to compare it to the Tamron 20-40mm F2.7-3.5 that I just bought which is a FF lens.

Someone mentioned a style they'd done recently and allowed us to download or mod it. I have it in my cam and it's nice. Just the things you mention, less crushed blacks, slightly less saturation and not quite as sharp. Neucon I think it was called. It'll be on this forum somewhere

Avey

Thanks Avey, I'll hunt down and give it a try.

Dan

It's here Dan. From Luis de la Cerda in the Optimum Color Temp thread.

It's subtle but I like it. anyway, he says that we're free to mess with it how we want, so maybe it's a good starting place for your tweaking.

Avey

Thanks Avey. You are making it too easy for me. Now if I only didn't have a show and two articles due, I could get out my 5D MKII and mess about with with it. I have been to busy to even update the firmware yet!

D

Dude,

your priorities are all wrong man…

:-)

Thanks Avey...

my new 5D set up

total set up cost me around 500 bucks

That Vizio monitor might be a little cumbersome for run and gun.
Seriously, did you fabricate the pieces? Looks good.

Some more info is much anticipated and appreciated! Is that a geardear matte box? Where did you get the rails and handgrips? Inquiring minds want to know! Mainly because it looks really clean, and for $500?

the Rail system i bought it from indifocus.com & carvison

IndiSYSTEM - Studio 4 Productions - The indiRAILSpro ( ~ 269 )
Cavision Rods Support System for Mini-DV ( ~ 100 )

the matte box i got it from ebay for 139 $ bucks . but it need a lil mod in order to connect it with the Rod .
compair to redrock micro or zacuto DSLR kit . it alot cheaper

Nice kit, and for under $500 you really can't beat it. I just ordered the Redrock shoulder mount and that rig alone cost me about $400. I bet yours probably works just as well, but for a lot cheaper. Oh well.

THe problem I see with your's is that the camera body is not offset from the shoulder pad. The LCD Is basically in line with the shoulder pad. You have turn your head to look over at the LCD... That can't be a comfortable shooting position.

i'm gonna add an external LCd & the follow focus soon . The Lcd will be plae near the hand grip .

Vimeo
 

I also tried uploading a 29.97fps, HD clip in MP4 format, using the settings the Vimeo staff said should give good results. The video was good on my own computer, but truly sucked on the Vimeo stream (even after fully downloading). It looked like it was dropping frames.

Julian

The Vimeo ecompression & encoding system seems very iffy at times. In the 'Help' forum I see plenty of complaints from people who get the Vimeo staff to do some magic to their video which then fixes things. Often it's fixed by changing the video slightly & re-uploading.

My thoughts exactly. I bought the Hoodman loupe for $75 and it works flawlessly. I dare you to take a look at the pricing on their other items... !

I absolutely swear by it. Just finished shooting a hand held 5d commercial for a cell phone company using Zacuto Z-Finder and tactical shooter. Couldn't have done it without it

Hoodman v ZFinder
 

Phil,
You mean you couldn't have done as good a job with the Hoodman? Is it that much better?