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Best shoulder rig?
  • L1N3ARXL1N3ARX
    After browsing around here and seeing some of the deals, Lanparte and Wondlan seem like really nice options. They're a little out of my price range, and I'm willing to try just about any off-brand from China or anything really. Is there a good shoulder rig w/ follow focus someone can recommend for around the $500 range? There are so many to choose from, that it's hard to tell what's a quality product, especially since many makers are headquartered on ebay it seems.
  • 18 Replies sorted by
  • L1N3ARXL1N3ARX
    I was looking at something like this >>http://www.ebay.com/itm/RJ-Follow-Focus-Pro-Straight-Shoulder-Rig-System-NEW-/170691656052?pt=UK_Consumer_Professional_RL&hash=item27be03f974#ht_2860wt_1163

    Don't know if it's a quality product however.
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    This is Indian products.
    Quite many people have them and they work.
    But all, from design to manufacturing can not compete with proper rigs, being it Chinese ones, or US/UK.
    It looks like combinations of parts, but no one really cared about each of them and how they work in combination.
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    Btw, really do not like such topics :-)
    As all of them do not have good answer.
  • L1N3ARXL1N3ARX
    Thanks for the info Vitaliy! I didn't know not to post questions on different rig brands, sorry.
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    >I didn't know not to post questions on different rig brands, sorry.

    Meaning?

    You can post anything you like.
    I just said that "for $500 or below" topics have very little use.
  • L1N3ARXL1N3ARX
    Thanks for clearing that up. I have only about $500 to spend so that's why I asked, I guess it's good to just search for the best equipment and then limit your choices based on price.

    I think I'll stick w/ chinese and us/uk brands. Proaim seems to have some nice setups but I think they're from India, not quite sure though.
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    >I have only about $500 to spend so that's why I asked

    Never use this approach in your life.
    Better think what you want, research market, find the best option that you could afford if you'll work hard enough.
    End get it.

    >Proaim seems to have some nice setups but I think they're from India,

    Do not look at the brand or at the country.
    Look at the specific rigs.
  • alcomposeralcomposer
    Also may I add that very rarely in life does one get it right the first time. No amount of research will give you the exact product you are wanting to buy in your hands, unless you go to a shop and check it out. And even then you may need to use it for a few weeks to be sure that it is up to what you need, (and you could even change your mind what you need!!)

    So start by getting "something" and then work out what you like/dislike. These are not 'crazy' amounts of money- and if you really 'hate' the thing in the end - ebay it!

    (this advice is to be followed after VK's advice directly above...)
  • B3GuyB3Guy
    my suggestion concerning gear would be to get what you can of the good stuff, and build up your arsenal over time. I went with an indisystem ultra compact rig right off the bat, because it was a full shoulder rig for $600. In retrospect, it does the job, but is mediocre, and often not nearly as helpful as a good rig should be. I wish I had grabbed a really nice shoulder pad, a pair of rails, a pair of handles and a camera base. This is minimum what you NEED for a shoulder rig, and really, is the stuff on a shoulder rig that makes the most difference in how useful it is. One of two focus aids should come next, either a follow focus or a nice external monitor with peaking (and I'm almost inclined to say that the monitor might actually be more helpful for one-man stuff than the follow focus). You can get each of these later, individually, as well as a top handle setup, nice counterweight (I'm sure you can figure out a cheap solution on the meanwhile) and even a matte box if those are your cup o tea.
  • AriaAria
    I saw a nice looking rig

    Photobucket
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    @Aria

    This is Gini rig available on ebay also :-)
  • B3GuyB3Guy
    that looks pretty good. The only thing I would be wary of on that one is how well those ball joints stay locked (I know there have been discussions in the past on the forum about locking ball joint issues, but perhaps they work fine.)
  • thepalaliasthepalalias
    How do dedicated shoulder rigs compare to a 2-in-1 like the SteadyDSLR?

    http://steadydslr.com/
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    >SteadyDSLR

    This thing is long known crap made from chinese flash bracket, as I remember.
  • thepalaliasthepalalias
    @Vitaliy_Kiselev I haven't researched shoulder rigs, so what would you consider to be a good entry level product for a shoulder rig? By that I mean "the cheapest that really does what it's supposed to" as opposed to "best value under x number of dollars".
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    Gini is cheapest useful stuff.
    Weifeng is next (but I still fight with their production department to arrange all things)
    Otherwise all rigs we have on deals.
    Yep, Tilta is priciest and with worst sales department.
  • LPowellLPowell
    @thepalalias
    Here are links to detailed descriptions of two types of Gini shoulder mount rigs I built with their eBay kits:

    http://www.personal-view.com./talks/discussion/654/gh2-h4n-on-gini-shoulder-mount-rig-with-ruige-5-monitor

    http://www.personal-view.com./talks/discussion/558/gh2-shoulder-mount-follow-focus-rig-gini-trusmt
  • thepalaliasthepalalias
    Thanks @LPowell.
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