Sebastien, I finally got around to taking some more pics of the mount I built. Hopefully they will give you more detail of what it looks like and how I built it.

Well done ...
 

That's well done Shaun! Keep it up. I'm going to be putting together something for the EX3 when I get it.

Superb new cheap shoulder mount
 

http://web.mac.com/philip.bloom/Bloo...e_cameras.html

This is brilliant!!!!

WAY better than El Cheapo

Have you tried with Letus and rails? Says 7 lb. max, so guessing not quite up to it.

Why it doesn't say it is compatible with EX1???

Will it keep wanting to tilt downwards?

Phil,

I've been meaning to ask you a few questions about how you configure when you go handheld with an Ex-1 and a Letus.

1. Do you always go with primes or do you ever put a zoom on for the flexibility?

2. Do you use an additional monitor like a Panasonic BTLH80W or a BTLH900 or the TV Logic.

Of course both of these options involve way more weight.


My preferred way to shoot handheld with an EX or an HVX has always been much more simple. I Just use a Bogen monopod with a Bogen tilt head and stick one end in a fanny pack around my waist.

Takes the weight off, comfortable and extremely flexible as to height or angle. I can go low in a second or put it pretty much anywhere. I like it way better than any shoulder rig, but I haven't used it with a 35mm adapter that way yet . Might be too heavy. I'll try it as soon as my back heals up.
(Of course I hurt my back sleeping on the wrong side - not from shooting!)

Lenny Levy

don't know. It does on the ebay page where I originally found it.

It won't work with LEX, way too heavy

Thanks Phil,
So do you ever use the LEX + Ex-1 handheld and if so - how????

Actually a related question I've been meaning to ask as well. When you're running around with the LEX and EX-1 shooting all that lovely B roll stuff - again how heavy is your rig?

Are you using a monitor attached to the rails? Zoom or sticking with primes? Are you alone or do you usually get a helper? How many lenses do you bring?

Its a lot of stuff to carry around and I'm struggling with how much to bring if I just want to go out myself and mess around. I just found a nice soft Lowe Pro bag that can carry a ton of lenses easily so that's a start. The Pelican was just too unwieldy.

Lenny

- Lenny

Which one?
 

Which one? I'm anticipating the same dilemma shortly.

I use a similar setup but it's homemade with the use of a monopod and it suspends on a belt around my waist. Must say I'm not so happy about it, sure you can film 1 hour without getting tired but every movement you do with this kind of setup get's translated in some weird looking shakes. As long as you stand still then it's OK.

I"m sure that this shoulder mount, eventhough it has more adjustment options, suffers the same problem, because it's in direct contact with your body any movement you make will make your camera "shake".

Also panning and tilting your camera is problematic; especially when you work with the lcd flipout, you need to move you whole body to the left or right to continue having a clear vision on your lcd. Tillting is also a problem with camera's that have lower res lcd's, as all the detail dissapears when you look at an angle on the lcd meaning you need to correct the angle each time.

Under certain circumstances it sure has it's benefits but with too many limitations.

Another question Phil, I noticed by looking at the images of that mount that it doesn't seem to have some kind of tripod head on top but it looks like the camera is in a fixed position, is that so?
If that is the case then the camera movement possibilities of this rig would be very limited.

Noa,

Do you use a tilt head on top of the monopod?
If not then its a terrible pain in the butt.
The tilt head makes all the difference in the world.
I use a Bogen 3230 (I think that's the number). I like the one without a quick release because it is even more flexible for tilting when its loose.

Most of what your complaining about though is endemic to using any flip out viewfinder handheld. I actually prefer the eyepiece but its such a piece of XXXX on the EX.

Justin - Its a Lowepro Nova 5 AW and its only $100. I can get 7 Nikon primes and 2 zooms in there and still have room for more, yet its not heavy or very large. Pretty cool little bag for this purpose. I need to get a case for shipping it though.

Lenny

any chance for a photo of the EX1 on the rig?

yes, there is a regular tripod head attached to it, normally I hold the viewfinder against my eye so I can hold it more stable while still having the possibility to tilt the camera slightly. In that way I can also reach all camera controls with both hands.
As you said, if there is no tripod head attached it's certainly is a pain because you have to use your whole body to make a tilt movement with the cam. That's why i asked Phil if that was the case, my opinion was that this would limit camera movements.