Redrock and Canon getting it right... :-)

Redrock for video DSLRs (http://redrockmicro.com/redrock_dslr.html)

Yowza... At least they didn't paint it RED.

Any pricing on this yet?

They say pricing will be up on the October 28th but it's redrock so it really means late November and they'll begin shipping sometime in early April.

Looks interesting, but also seems like giving a 100 meter sprinter a set of crutches to accomplish a simple task. Heath Robinson springs to mind.

I love Red Rock gear and I think it is really well made. That said I think this rig is a little over the top and they don't seem to have realised where the record button is located on the 5DmkII, you doesn't look like you can get to it without being double jointed!

Having just watch the wedding video on the Canon website. I question the need for Red Rock on a camera that is a master of shallow DOF out of the box.

Konrad what we're referring to is the accessories that red rock makes for the camera not the actual redrock adapter. If you click the link you'll see a huge cage setup with a mattebox and follow focus which makes the camera appear more like a traditional movie camera. I agree though a DOF adapter on this camera would be useless.

Nick thanks for the clarification. I finally clicked the link and it seems a whole lot over engineered.

why would anyone want all this stuff tacked onto this camera? -- the best thing about this camera is that you can use a couple of screw-on filters and a wimberley head for relatively light, mobile set-ups. i don't see any added value in trucking all this extra gear around.

Same reason ANY HD camera benefits from a shoulder mount/tripod/monopod/stabilizer of some sort... otherwise you get shakycam video <wink>, or at least I do...

The first thing that came to my mind was how this cam would mount on my shoulder mount or a monopod shoulder mount combo for handheld... and the next question is how to control zoom/focus/any other manual controls...

Since the form factor is a bit "un-video-camera-like" it's obvious that some modification to allow the high grade lens/sensor to be usable for video would be in order... or maybe Canon will just release a video camera version...

Same reason ANY HD camera benefits from a shoulder mount/tripod/monopod/stabilizer of some sort... otherwise you get shakycam video <wink>, or at least I do...
...

You're more right than you know. Shooting video on an SLR is much worse than a video form camera... (it's like trying to point a drunken rattlesnake)... However this Redrock setup doesn't offer any stabilization. Besides the filter holder, it's a bunch of "look at me, I'm a filmstudent!" type toys.

You're more right than you know. Shooting video on an SLR is much worse than a video form camera... (it's like trying to point a drunken rattlesnake)... However this Redrock setup doesn't offer any stabilization. Besides the filter holder, it's a bunch of "look at me, I'm a filmstudent!" type toys.

Well, I'm not one trying to defend Redrock Micro or anything, but I do think the follow focus is useful, wanted, and needed. Also, in combination with their shoulder mount you get a pretty nice rig geared for quick setups and shoots. Especially since you can just plop it down on a tripod.

That's my 2 cents.

How freaking SEXY is that rig!!! in blue, no less...

Unfortunately it costs more than the camera itself!

You're more right than you know. Shooting video on an SLR is much worse than a video form camera... (it's like trying to point a drunken rattlesnake)... However this Redrock setup doesn't offer any stabilization. Besides the filter holder, it's a bunch of "look at me, I'm a filmstudent!" type toys.

I myself need a shoulder mount or other rig to shoot anything steady "handheld" - doesn't really matter WHICH camera I'm using!

The advantage of a shoulder mount with a couple of handles is that it's 100% easier to keep the horizon level (handles, spreading the center of gravity out from the camera - it becomes like driving a car), and easier to maintain the camera stable on a vertical plane (shoulder mount acts as a resting point/hinge). Between those two things, much of the shake goes away. Add a waist support or perhaps a monopod to the ground, and you're getting pretty stable results.

I've been fiddling with stabilizing HD cameras since I first got one - you immediately realize the necessity. Short of a full on vest/steadicam, with all the adjustment headaches that go with it, a shoulder mount with a waist support is about as good as you'll get for stable, near tripod like shots and SOME mobility (with practice, and a QR or some form of sprung suspension so you don't transmit too much bounce from the waist support is advisable...).

(edit)
Looking at the Redrock pix again, I see there's rails, and foo foo film looking accessories, but sure enough, other than a cool handle for low mode, I'm not seeing any real "stabilizing enhancers"...

I've been more pleased than I expected with the performance of lens IS. It should work well combined with a shoulder mount.
Panning will need to be tested. Various Canon lenses with IS have different behavior when panning. Some need to be set to mode two, some seem to disable IS.

Have you seen the price ? The mount cost the same price as the camera.
What's interesting with the Canon EOS 5D Mark II is its affordable price, much cheaper than a Red One. If you just have the budget for the camera, you won't spend it again simply for a mount that you can easily make (adjusted to your actual needs) for less than $100.
My opinion is that this mount is just "for the show" and is overpriced compared to the camera's price (common, it's just metal bars), it shouldn't cost more than 1/10th the price of the cam.

All you would need for any camera really is a rod support, the shouldermount would be the best all around option I think, a follow focus system, and, only if you really think you need it, the mattebox. Redrockmicro seems to have the most solid accessories but these DSLR setups are way too much, especially because they take away from the cameras' ease of use with all the junk strapped to it. The same can be said of the RED Cage setup. Granted, if you are in a situation where you need a dozen accessories screwed in to the camera, then these cage setups make sense, but for most the bare essentials are more than enough, with the addition of a Noga arm or some kind of mount for an external LCD.

My opinion is that this mount is just "for the show" and is overpriced compared to the camera's price (common, it's just metal bars), it shouldn't cost more than 1/10th the price of the cam.

Most of the cost of those bundles is for the follow-focus system and matte box; if you just want the shoulder mount it's $350.

I've been more pleased than I expected with the performance of lens IS. It should work well combined with a shoulder mount.
Panning will need to be tested. Various Canon lenses with IS have different behavior when panning. Some need to be set to mode two, some seem to disable IS.

I've been playing around with mine fitted with a 24-105 IS. It is one of the single-mode stabilisers. When panning I find that I need to switch the IS off, otherwise you sometimes get jerky pans.

zacuto has been putting together some interesting dslr packages as well.

sometimes a little heft is a good thing. the glidecam smooth shooter/x10 stabilizer arm loves 10-12 lbs., and most mid to high-end tripod heads feel best with a bit more weight than the 3 lbs. a bare 5dm2 'rig' provides. and if you were to take the 5dm2 on a professional video gig, this rig would certainly help make you look more legit.

i agree one of the major strengths that the 5dm2 has over traditional video cameras is definitely it's size. throw a cheap cokin p filter ring in front of the lens, and you're basically running a scaled down version of the redrock rig.

bare camera/lens or tricked-out rig... the nice thing about what redrock and zacuto are doing is giving us some options.

canon should have added a little hinge to be able to tilt the screen. My favorite way to hold a camera for stability is like a football, but on the 5d that means the screen is under your armpit.