After weeks of getting stuff together I think I'm now close to being ready to try my DSLR rig for real. I've been playing with a D90 on it, but hope to have a 5dmkII to test this with it this week.

It's a combination of a Red Rock Micro shoulder support, Cinevate Mattebox, Sennheiser MKE400D and EW100 mics, Stickypod ball and socket, Manhattan LCD monitor, Manfrotto plates, Tekkeon battery, Beachtek DXA-2 and some custom metalwork by BHague in the UK.

Suggestions on how to improve it are greatly appreciated.

Dan

Looks good Dan!

Do you know of the 5D II will let you fully operate the camera manually in video mode?

Or does it put out a live, full rez monitoring feed from the HDMI?

Thanks

No suggestions for improvements, but I’ve got a 5dmkII on order and have been trying to put together a similar rig, so I’ve got a couple of questions.

Why the Beachtek DXA-2? My assumption is that the DXA-6 would be needed just for the level meters.

Why the Manhattan monitor? I want to keep things a small as possible and have been looking at 7 inch models, whereas the Manhattan is 10.5 inches. But I know nothing about field monitors, so I’m curious why you’ve gone for that model.

Do let us all know how the rig works with the Canon.

Jeremy

Jeremy,

The DXA2 is mainly for the the D90 and it runs into an edirol r-09 field recorder which has VU meters anyway. I believe Beachtek are working on a version of the DXA with level meters and headphone monitoring especially for the 5dmkII, we'll see. For now I was going to use my Sound Devices MixPre field mixer to do the same thing. Only problem is it is larger and I've not found a way to mount it yet.

I'm going to look at smaller HDMI monitors, but when I was looking there were no other sensible options. I might look at the IKAN now, or hope that Swit bring out a HDMI version of their new small monitors.

Dan

Very cool. No suggestions, just a couple of thoughts and questions.

A somewhat longer shotgun might be better at rejecting camera noise. Have you considered running audio back to the camera? Perhaps you could run audio to both the camera and external device. If the camera audio worked it would save time in post. If the external was better in some situation that could be used.

Can you comfortably do manual focus on a tripod? How do you feel about shooting outdoors with an EVF?

I'd like to know how wide a lens you can use before you start to get your mattebox in frame?

Nice setup, but I think you should get a follow focus too.

I would love to be able to record to a hard drive over HDMI.

A somewhat longer shotgun might be better at rejecting camera noise.

What kind of noise would this camera make while recording? I may be wrong, but isn't it silent?

Looks like a nice setup, I certainly wont be able to miss you when I am in Beijing next.

Bob

no follow focus?

Dan I am very interested to see how you find the skew with panning and fast motion. As for your rig it looks very nice. Maybe some way to organize the cables.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Dan I am very interested to see how you find the skew with panning and fast motion. As for your rig it looks very nice. Maybe some way to organize the cables.

Skew on the D90 is pretty terrible, there's a bad example about a 1/3rd of the way through this Tibet, six months on: 'There is no freedom here' | World news | guardian.co.uk (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2008/oct/01/tibet) On the D90 I would try to avoid any rapid camera movements.

Cable organisation is a must, just need to finalize the rig.

no follow focus?

I'm toying with the idea of the new Cinevate follow focus, the biggest problem is that the amount of time it will take to re-adjust the ff position every time I change lens, which I like to do quite a lot. Incidentally I probably need to move all the audio gear to the back plate when I mount longer lenses anyway. I think the biggest lens I can use with this rig is a 300mm f4.

Very cool. No suggestions, just a couple of thoughts and questions.

Good suggestions. A somewhat longer shotgun might be better at rejecting camera noise. Have you considered running audio back to the camera? Perhaps you could run audio to both the camera and external device. If the camera audio worked it would save time in post. If the external was better in some situation that could be used.

Can you comfortably do manual focus on a tripod? How do you feel about shooting outdoors with an EVF?

Good points, I have a Sanken CS-1 but annoyingly it needs power and doesn't work with my Sound devices MixPre (some odd quirk I only found out after buying the mixer), I'm going to look at a Rode NTG when I have time. The camera doesn't make any noise but you will get noise from focussing manually and brushing up against the camera so a better shotgun might help. I'll see. I intend to run audio to both the camera and the Edirol r-09 on a 5dmkII rig.

Manual focus on a tripod is fine, the EVF outdoors is hard to use. I was thinking about a hoodloupe or something similar. Using a monitor is so much easier. As I said before I'm actively looking for a better small HDMI monitor, ideally one I could put something like an oversized ex-1 hoodsock on.

I'd like to know how wide a lens you can use before you start to get your mattebox in frame?

From memory I could use a 20mm with the Cinevate mattebox, but I'll check later and get back to you.

Dan

Dan. Love that rig. Looks like you put a lot of thought into that. To second another poster's question- that shotgun so close to the camera has to pick up some camera noise as the lens servos focus, zoom etc. Have a look at inserting a Bracket 1 Mini into your rig. I believe you'll love it.

As a side note:
Everyone that's got an Manhattan LCD 10.9 there's good news! A user manual is in the works and should be ready for distribution in about 10 days.
Those of you that have figured out the hidden menus using the remote, ought to share their findings here! If you do, I'll pop you a little thank you via PP ;)

Speaking of monitors, the 10.9 shown in Dan's great pics is lighter than it appears. the outer casing is ABS which is lighter than the T6 aluminum used in my DIY enclosures for the same internals. I highly recommend either and over the camera, below the camera (yes. below) or a BALANCED left or right mounting. These monitors are not heavy but they are a bit unwieldy.
Great to hear Beachtek has a new XLR box in the works, but what is the audio capture quality of the 5D Mk II ?

Looks awesome - hope you can get nice results from it. I'd think that most "normal" people would think it's a pro set-up...

john

Dan. Since you use the Tekkeon MP3450 battery, you might appreciate a box that I designed for it and fabricated by the BEC group.
BEC-TEK-01 Tekkeon Battery Caddy (http://www.gearninja.com/ADS/BECTEK01.html)
It can mount anywhere directly or via an intermediate plate (1/4-20) battery just slides in and out securely.

Why the Manhattan monitor? I want to keep things a small as possible and have been looking at 7 inch models, whereas the Manhattan is 10.5 inches. But I know nothing about field monitors, so I’m curious why you’ve gone for that model.
Jeremy

The Manhattan LCD 10.9" offers HDMI and component inputs. It does a good job with my Sony EX1, but even at 10.9", I don't think that its hugely better than the EX1's LCD in Expanded mode. The main freedom is that you don't have to keep your eyes within a few inches of the EX1. The EX1 has an excellent LCD that exceeds what is offered in the Manhattan model. I wonder what such technology would cost in a 10.9" size. Another crippling factor is that Sony does not output its Expanded mode to the component outputs, and these portable monitors don't have a zoom function. Ideally, I'd like to have a Picture-in-Picture the screen area used for 2x or 4c zoom, with the full scene in a corner. You could move the zoomed area around with the remote control.

If you don't really need mobility and battery power, I'd suggest one of those 15" 720P LCD TVs with component inputs. Also, a good improvement for on-camera LCDs is the HoodPro viewfinder magnifying shade that converts your LCD to a viewfinder-like device. Excellent.

This may be a bit OT, but whats the word on adapting my old manual Nikon lenses to the Canon ?

Chris Barcellos, I think your question will get a better response at this thread:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/photo-hd-video-d-slr-others/136621-canon-5d2-manual-lens-question.html

Please don't think me a curmudgeon, but I'm not getting the point here. Is this an exercise in possibility or will this rig be used for serious shooting?? If the latter, what will be the advantage of this sort of rig over an EX1 or 3 with an adaptor and some good glass?? I have to say, it does look like an interesting concept.

Mick Haensler
Higher Ground Media

It's a smaller, ligher rig with better low light capability than my EX3 or EX1 with a 35mm adaptor. That's the advatange.

Dan

As a side note:
Everyone that's got an Manhattan LCD 10.9 there's good news! A user manual is in the works and should be ready for distribution in about 10 days.
Those of you that have figured out the hidden menus using the remote, ought to share their findings here! If you do, I'll pop you a little thank you via PP ;)


Hi M. Paul,

Any chance that manual is available yet? I've got the monitor.

Thanks!