I spent some time shooting in Paris last wednesday, almost everything hand-held.
First solution is to take it by the handle. No problem here, you have the record button just under your fingers. It is well centered and easy to move. only problem is it's hard to take it up high.
Second solution, so, is to handle it with the side handler. I found it was easier to rotate it 90°. It gives me more power in the hand this way, and my fingers can move easyli to the zoom and expand focus switch.
After 30 mins shooting here and there it gets hard.
The last solution is to keep your left hand on the side, which is pretty much what you do when you are pulling focus. This way you can balance the camera. This will take some time to practice so the camera is not tilted.

The EX1 is a little heavier than others, but the place of switches and lens functions make it easy to handle with both hands.

You will also have to shorten the handler "rope" so you hand is tight attached to the handler.

I will try the EX1 on a glidecam this week-end, but I think I'll have to practice a lot before my arm gets enough power to handle it more than 3 mins long :)

Then, on a tripod, the camera is really easy to balance. If shooting in progressive mode you definitly need a smooth head so you don't get too much strobing...

Hope this helped.

If I remember right the person who made the original comment owns a Canon XL-H1, which to me is much more awkward than an Ex1. The EX1 is about the same size and weight as a Z1U.

Compared to pd-170 the EX1 is really hard to use hand held. In 170 you hold the camera nearer the main body of it.. EX1 handle is futher from the body which makes the weight point futher from your hand which then makes the camera's weight wanting to tilt left. Happy that I got shoulderbrace.

Good point. When I tested the EX1 I did so with a "MiniRover" bracket on the left side which counter-acts any tendency to tilt that way while holding the camera with both hands, and that worked fine for me. Plus the forward placement of the LCD gives you more flexibility for holding the camera with the top handle at waist level to give your arms a rest, something not practical with rear-mounted LCDs. So the EX1 is manageable up to a point, but if I wanted to run around with it for a long period of time I'd probably use a monopod.

I can't recommend the DVMultiRig enough - you won't regret getting one.

Paul.

So Paul, exactly what is the setup that you have displayed here. It looks like "Robo-Camera and the giant rat". (I like it)

I don't have my EX1 yet, but I'm going to test it with 4 different supports:

- PAG Orbitor shoulder mount
- the simple shoulder mount that many UK dealers are attaching to the EX1 shipment (most of them free)
- the Manfrotto MN561B monopod

The fourth one is of course my Manfrotto 503/525 tripod, but this is another matter. As to the PAG Orbitor vs. DV(multi)rig (which I also tried with my V1), the main difference is that with the former, you can support the camera with one hand - it's stable enough and won't sway to the side, so that you can use your left hand to manipulate buttons and rings in manual mode. While I like the idea of the Multirig being so universal, I didn't like it's never exactly the same each time you set it up, which I found annoying.

I suspect I will be using the monopod most of the time, though.

Hi Charles.

The camera is mounted to the DVMultiRig (www.dvmultirig.com). I like it because it folds up to a really compact size and can be adjusted to suit many different needs.

The rig comes with a padded belt and support arm which I find very easy to use with one hand whilst adjusting the lens with the other, although in the picture shown it's set up for two handed operation.

Also attached to the camera is a rode mic holder, Sennheiser MK416 shotgun, Rycote softie and Sony 7506 cans.

Shortly after took this photo the rig ran off and built a nest in the corner of our lounge and has trapped an eaten quite a few small animals :)

handholding the EX-1
 

I'm glad that most of what I do involves a tripod - but so far I've found the easiest/cheapest approach to hand-holding the beast is to actually use the shoulder strap that comes with the camera, hang it from my neck, and then support it with two hands against my abdomen. Most of the weight is on the strap, so my hands are relatively free to focus/zoom/change settings, etc.

Bob P

This is very informative, Piotr. Of course I have to keep trying to figure out what does or doesn't apply to me. I shoot almost everything handheld (so monopod is out); I move the camera almost constantly - - subtly, mind you, not shaky-cam style. Given that, it's either the PAG Orbitor or the DV(multi)rig... I hear what you're saying about the multirig being a little different each time you set it up... but I might be able to leave mine set up (I don't travel as much as I used to).
Tell me, since you've used both - - for a shooter who likes to change the camera angle in mid-shot (sometimes a little dutch; sometimes I might move around my subject, etc.), are they both equally good, or is one better than the other?
Cheers, and Happy New Year everyone.
Malcolm

Malcolm,

IMHO, not only is the PAG Orbitor more stable, but you can pan and tilt the camera had with your hands on the two handles - no need for body rotation/bowing for minor camera angle adjustments.

It also has two straps that secore the shoulder pad to the waist belt, thus making it absolutely safe - in fact, you don't need to hold/support it at all!

But for walking shots, the Multirig (without sholder support, just the waist support mode) is better. It also takes much less space when folded.

Of course you'd be best off if you could try both and decide yourself...

Zacuto
 

Has anyone experience of the Zacuto rigs?
http://www.zacuto.com/sony_EX1.htm

Pricey, I notice. How viable are the handheld setups for the EX1 and Letus DoF adapters?

Emmet thanks for the link to Zacuto. Their parts look very high quality and after three days in my shop building my rig I think a few of their part will help to complete my rig.

Glad to be of help Paul, hope they work out for you...

Emmet I will find out tomorrow when it shows up and I try it for the first time.