Rigs and related stuff

Lanparte new handles

Vitaliy_Kiselev — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 23:25:58 +0000

They'll be very soon on our 24h deal on special introductury price.

Light rigs: Opteka CXS-400

Vitaliy_Kiselev — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 10:34:45 +0000

Another light and quite cheap rig.
Of course, they are not up to Wondland or Zacuto quality, but looks good anyway.

Price: about $110

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Opteka-CXS-400-Video-Shoulder-Stabilizer-Support-Rig-DSLR-Camera-Camcorder-/370554840502

Waterproof housing with 14 - 140 zoom

Rambo — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 22:13:25 +0000

This is a simple low cost waterproof DIY housing for my 2 GH13's. It's not for underwater only ON water, will take splashes etc.
I use this shooting from a Jetski/boat on the ocean etc.

It allows use of the 14 - 140 kit lens with ND to protect lens glass, the waterproof sleeve expands to full zoom and protects quite well. The controls are electrical cable glands and controls Focus/Exposure lock (one push sets focus and locks it, the others are record, power and LCD/EVF switch. These controls are all i need, camera runs shutter priority 1/100 and auto ISO. Allows more protection than say a Kata soft camera cover.

In the process of putting smaller button controls like the LCD/EVF one.

Total costs Under $50

Is the rig market too saturated for a new product?

svart — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 11:01:21 +0000

Hey everyone! I've been quiet here for a while, I've been reading threads but haven't had much to offer so I haven't been cluttering up threads with posts.

I've had a secret for a while, I developed a low-cost hand held camera rig with minimal modular capability some time ago. I was all set to put it out there for people to try when China popped up with all these cheap-ish rigs. I decided to put my idea to rest as I knew I couldn't compete with all the different setups.

Now, I was on a video shoot the other day where someone was using one of the cheap/low cost rigs from one of the "name brand" manufacturer. I saw that the camera operator never changed the rig and asked him why. His response was that it was too time consuming to do so and there were too many parts to adjust. My design has very few parts and only offers two or three configurations that I've seen most people use. Also, my intended selling price would be such that you could buy 3 of my rigs for the same cost as the "name brand" rig.

Is this low-cost idea something that people would even be interested in? How many of you actually change your rigs to all the different possible configurations?

Is it even worth trying to compete with the Chinese or "name brand" companies and their products?

Letus released Hurlbut branded rigs

Vitaliy_Kiselev — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 19:53:21 +0000

Via: freshdv.com

Interesting baseplate

Brian202020 — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 18:09:03 +0000

I found this on ebay today, has anyone had any experience with this baseplate? It looks pretty slick.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CineGearPro-Universal-Baseplate-Follow-Focus-15mm-Rod-Support-System-NEW-/170700983807?pt=UK_Tripods_Heads_Stablisers&hash=item27be924dff

Good deals: Shoulder pad for < $20

Vitaliy_Kiselev — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 15:52:30 +0000

Not the best stuff in the world, but if you just want something working and add it to existing rails it could be ok.

Auction (<$20 today):
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Shoulder-Pad-fr-15mm-Rod-Support-Rail-System-FF-Follow-Focus-Rig-/270828837915

BIN:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Shoulder-Pad-fr-15mm-Rod-Support-Rail-System-FF-Follow-Focus-Rig-/280749803860

Interesting stuff: Weifeng DSLR rig parts

Vitaliy_Kiselev — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 22:21:04 +0000

Below is big amount of pure camera gear porn. :-)

This is parts made by very large Chinese tripod manufacturer - Weifeng (they also use E-IMAGE and Fancier brands).
Hight quality stuff.

You can make something like this:

Their catalog in PDF:

http://www.eimagevideo.com/PDF_download/MOKO-Support-Kit-2011.pdf

Olivia reviews Skier rig

brianluce — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 16:31:54 +0000

Here's Olivia reviewing the Skier rig. you can just mute it and check her out. She's wearing some nice shorts and a sexy belt.

Good deals: Top handle and C-clamp

Vitaliy_Kiselev — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:53:57 +0000

Price: $49 shipped

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CatClaw-Top-Handle-Type-B-15mm-Rig-handgrip-Follow-Focus-DSLR-5d2-/110756469747

Price: $89 shipped

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CatClaw-C-Bracket-Cage-15mm-Rig-mount-pad-Follow-Focus-support-DSLR-5d2-/120788415306

The homegrown GH2 Specific Cage

PerryWilson — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 20:08:57 +0000

VK: Please note that this topic had been closed and do not take it seriously!

I have been figuring the best way to make a GH2 cage for cheap, based off "REWO" cage design (keeping customer cost around $300). I decided to do a prototype, and make a negative mold off of my prototype. So tomorrow I have an appointment with my old college art professor, we will be going over casting. Then the cast product will go to my machine shop and be finalized (milled down smooth, holes drilled/threaded and final design made). If all goes well and I can get enough pre-order for this one the prototype and possibly a few backers cages are made. This is going to be a permanent solution (no reason to ever remove your GH2) but obviously you can.

Here is the pre-cast design, dont be worried it wont be this thick, I made it an inch all around so it can be milled smooth afterwards

Interesting stuff: Adjustable offset clamp

Vitaliy_Kiselev — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 05:56:57 +0000

Made by Lanparte

Price: $69

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Adjustable-Z-Shape-Offset-Raiser-Rod-Clamp-fr-15mm-rod-DSLR-Rig-raily-system-/250893615979

Interesting stuff: Handle with rod 15mm clamp

Vitaliy_Kiselev — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 06:28:59 +0000

Price: $15

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Camera-Grip-Handle-rod-clamp-15mm-Rod-Rig-rail-Support-/360397126462

Aputure MagicRig

oscillian — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 17:00:18 +0000

Found this little rig on ebay: 89$
Might be worth looking in to :)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/380358546647?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_500wt_1180

Interesting stuff: Indian replica of Redrock small rig

Vitaliy_Kiselev — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 17:42:46 +0000

Price: $290

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DSLR-Micro-shoulder-Rig-Mount-5D-MKII-7D-T2i-GH2-GH1-/370545301766

Cowboy $30 shoulder mount

brianluce — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 01:28:42 +0000

@CRFilms
For $30 you can get the Cowboy. I have one and it's perfect. Does what it's supposed to do. The Indians are out of control with prices -- or has the nation of India relocated to Switzerland?
The Cowboy will do anything the Indian above will do or rip off other brands, and more importantly, the Cowboy is made in a proper Asian sweat shop.

Good Deals: CPM FilmTools stuff

Vitaliy_Kiselev — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 11:59:07 +0000

Few items that are on sale, look all else at http://www.cpmfilmtools.com/

CPM GH2 and 60D Cubed 2.0

Price : $325.59 only

http://www.cpmfilmtools.com/GH2_and_60D_Cubed_2_0_p/155_cubedgh2.htm

GH2 and 60D Cubed Shoulder Rig

Price : $439.99 only

http://www.cpmfilmtools.com/GH2_and_60D_Cubed_Shoulder_Rig_p/157_cubedgh2.htm

Remember to use personal-view.com coupon in the cart to get such price (coupon gives 12% discount).

GH2 Shoulder Mount Follow Focus rig - Gini + TrusMT

LPowell — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 03:55:14 +0000

Here are a couple of photos of the shoulder mount follow focus rig I recently assembled, using parts from various sources.

Gini DSLR Pro Pack shoulder mount
http://cgi.ebay.com/DSLR-RIG-PRO-PACK-/260827565577?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cba88ce09

TrusMT DSLR T2 follow focus
http://cgi.ebay.com/DSLR-Follow-focus-T2-Matte-box-Canon-5D-7D-60D-600D-/270786604503?pt=US_Camera_Camcorder_Accessory_Bundles&hash=item3f0c23add7

DSLR "Matte Box" lens hood with flags
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390332331443&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

Berkey Systems CHP-2 chest pad
http://www.berkeysystem.com/store/shoulder-pads/chest-pad/

iShoot tripod collar mount for Canon EF 100mm f/2.8
http://cgi.ebay.com/Canon-EF-100mm-f-2-8-USM-Macro-Lens-Tripod-Mount-Ring-/260821785675?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cba309c4b

Dot Line Nikon-M4/3 lens mount adapter
http://cgi.ebay.com/Dot-Line-Micro-Four-Thirds-Adapter-Nikon-F-Lenses-/390330740020?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5ae1866d34

Tokina AT-X 235 AF PRO 20-35mm f2.8 zoom lens, Nikon mount
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tokina/20-35mm-f28.htm

16X9 Model HDV7X1 0.7X wide angle convertor, 72mm
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/381965-REG/16x9_Inc_HDV7X1_HDV7X1_0_7_Wide_Angle.html

My thoughts on the Shrigg Jig and cage

marks — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 20:51:17 +0000

It was like Christmas here last week. Cinematics matte box showed up and about an hour later the cage and rods from indie system. Cage is well built.....nice and solid. Lots of places to mount stuff. Perfect size for the GH2 I think. The cage and rods had a small bag with 2 allen wrenches and the top bolt. Nothing else. Turns out there should have been more in it, at the very least a bolt to attach the camera. No big deal....I picked one up at the local hardware store....(hell....I've mailed out a dvd to a customer and forgot to burn the video file on the disc!!)
You have to take the cage off of the rods to mount(or un-mount) the camera. Again not a major deal.....and I don't know if you would have to do so with other rod systems.
First thing I noticed when I mounted the camera is that without any type of soft material...ie cork or something....the camera will spin on the cage if pushed even gently on either side (red arrows). I tightened the bolt as much as I dared to without breaking anything and it still spins fairly easy. This is a big problem initially....though I plan to find something to put between the camera and cage to stop this. Second thing....and even more alarming was that as I put on and tightened the top bolt (green arrow) I actually saw the top of the camera start to stretch up.....the top of the camera was moving up while the bottom stayed nice and tight on the cage. If I had not been going slow and paying attention I'll bet I would have pulled the camera apart or broken something. I'll need to go back to the hardware store and find some kind of spacer to fit in here. Someone asked about a stack of washers on the bolt in a picture on the original Shrigg Jig post. Something in here is a MUST!!
Last is just a pet peeve of mine. The way the mount to the tripod is set up makes it impossible to balance on the tripod with a big lens and mattebox without hanging the whole thing way off the back of the tripod. In the side view you can see just how far back it is and it still needs to go back some more to balance. Shrigg mentioned that indiesystems makes a long plate so you can achieve balance....but you would still have to hang it off the back.
So with a few minor mods.....I think the cage is a winner overall. I think I'm going to try a different rod system as I've noticed there are some that the mount is more forward than this one which should make balancing better.

Gini rig extreme 17 plus

tramway — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 20:17:42 +0000

Any experience with that stuff ?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DSLR-RIG-EXTREME-17-PLUS-free-Follow-Focus-/260851636108?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cbbf8178c#ht_720wt_956

Thanx to share advices and comments !

Benro rigs and other stuff

Vitaliy_Kiselev — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 16:43:18 +0000

Interesting stuff: Mounting clamp

Vitaliy_Kiselev — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 16:26:00 +0000

Price: $10 + shipping

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rod-Clamp-fr-Rod-Support-Rail-System-Magic-Arm-Monitor-/280729597890

Spider steady shoulder rig

brudney — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 08:04:55 +0000

Hi guys,

does any of you possibly own this little contraption?

if so, how do you find it? if not, what do you think of it?

thanks!

Interesting stuff: Rod Rail Support

Vitaliy_Kiselev — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 06:26:01 +0000

Price: $44 + shipping

Made for cheap rig.
But can be used for many DIY and no so DIY projects.
Like cages, etc.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Follow-Focus-Rod-Rail-System-Support-fr-Shoulder-Rig-/270806567147

Interesting stuff: Rail camera support

Vitaliy_Kiselev — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:07:58 +0000

Price is good considering other supports available, and QR advantage is quite important for support.

Price: $123

http://cgi.ebay.com/Quick-Release-DSLR-Rail-Rod-Support-4-Follow-Focus-Rig-/260825828915

GH2 + H4N on Gini shoulder mount rig with Ruige 5" monitor

LPowell — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 13:44:10 +0000

Here are some photos of the shoulder mount GH2/H4N rig I recently assembled, using parts from various sources. This is intended as an A-cam rig with single-operator monitoring of both camera and audio recorder, mounted on either a tripod or a shoulder.

Gini DSLR Pro 10 shoulder mount
http://www.gini1.com/promotion-sales-for-re-sellers.html

Gini 10cm male-female extension rods (2 pairs)
http://www.gini1.com/rod-10cm-long-m-f-en.html

15mm Rails Offset Rod Clamp
http://cgi.ebay.com/Rod-clamp-fr-15mm-Rod-Support-Rail-System-DSLR-Rig-/250868509563?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a68edab7b

RUIGE TL-S500HD 5" HD LCD Field Monitor
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250861804087&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

Articulating Magic Arm 7-Inch & Super Clamp
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260798887155&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

LENMAR LIS750H 7.2V 3700 mAh Rechargeable Battery
http://www.amazon.com/Lenmar-LIS750H-Replacement-sony-NP-F750/dp/B00006JPMD/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1313169799&sr=8-1

Panasonic Leica 14-50mm f2.8-3.5 Auto-focus Mega-OIS Zoom Lens
http://panasonic.net/avc/lumix/systemcamera/dslr/lens/zoom_lens.html

Panasonic Four Thirds Lens Mount Adapter
http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-DMW-MA1-Mount-Adapter/dp/B001ISKNKK/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1313173147&sr=1-1

iShoot tripod collar mount for Canon EF 100mm f/2.8
http://cgi.ebay.com/Canon-EF-100mm-f-2-8-USM-Macro-Lens-Tripod-Mount-Ring-/260821785675?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0hash=item3cba309c4b

DSLR "Matte Box" lens hood with flags
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390332331443&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

Audio-Technica AT875R Short Shotgun Microphone
http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT875R-Short-Shotgun-Microphone/dp/B000BQ79W0

Shotgun Mic Suspension Shock Mount Clamp Adaptor #19
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290447633395&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

Zoom H4N 4-channel 48khz/24-bit Audio Recorder
http://www.amazon.com/Zoom-Handy-Portable-Digital-Recorder/dp/B001QWBM62/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1313170241&sr=8-1

Satechi iCel 5200 mAh (2 amp) USB Rechargeable Battery
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001BF12QO

Counter Weight for Rod Support DSLR Rig
http://cgi.ebay.com/Counter-Weight-Rod-Support-Rail-System-DSLR-Rig-/370499468891?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item56437d3e5b

Interesting stuff: Rig from Hungary

Vitaliy_Kiselev — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 19:34:26 +0000

I like simplicity.

Price: $190 (with shipping)

http://cgi.ebay.com/DSLR-shoulder-rig-rod-support-5D-7D-600D-D7000-/320739212145

Interesting stuff: New monitor or LED light mount

Vitaliy_Kiselev — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 09:41:01 +0000

Like the concept.
It is much more versatile and safe during adjustment than usual 7" or 11" arms.
Can be also good to mount LED lights.

Price: $57 shipped only, same as normal arm.

http://cgi.ebay.com/DiscoveryCam-Pan-Tilt-Head-5D-7D-60D-LCD-monitor-mount-/120753384378?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c1d766bba

Interesting stuff: Cheap way to mount things

Vitaliy_Kiselev — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 17:06:53 +0000

Get this

Price: $29 shipped.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200634021152

and this

http://cgi.ebay.com/Pro-1-4-20-Tripod-Screw-Flash-hotShoe-Mount-Adapter-/130544798688

Price: $3 shipped.

And mount bunch of stuff.

Plus you could keep balance by sliding if you have weightly recorder on one side, for example.

Interesting stuff: Lens support. Handy, high quality and cheap.

Vitaliy_Kiselev — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 15:38:50 +0000

That I like about it is good quality, light, easy to adjust.

Must have if you use big old glass mounted via cheap adapters.

Price: about $30 shipped

http://cgi.ebay.com/Wieldy-Lens-support-mount-15mm-rod-rig-5d2-7D-DV-/110711350551