Hi, I've only just recently got a EX3 and coming from SP Betacam it's been quite interesting!
The major problem of course has been camera mount/shoulder mount so taking what others have posted, especially Ted and looking at the other various mounts, I got one made. I wanted to use my existing VCT14 quick plates etc.

I temporarily borrowed my v mount and guide rail assembly from the Betacam and mounted it to the bottom. The plate itself has a guide pin to locate it with the EX3 and then uses the 1/4 inch hole and the two 4mm holes in the old shoulder mount area to attach to the camera . Same as Ted's et all.
I got mine bent and welded rather than screwed together but I can see the advantage of individual parts especially for freight/box size! Mine will stay on the camera so welds are fine and nothing much to come loose!

Anyway, just though I'd share to show people it's not really that hard to make for those DIY people.

ps. I have not finished this (no pads, back plate etc) and will post a few mod photos very soon, plus a new extention that helps it I think! Stay tuned!

Very Good Evan, I've been thinking about this exact same approach. Aluminum bends pretty easy and tapping holes is no mystery, but I did not know one could weld it. Simple yet effective! Now that's what I'm talking about :-)

Tomorrow is my day off, so time for a trip to the metal shop.

Barry I got a local 4wd accessories workshop to bend & weld as they do it all the time for bull bars etc and have all the aluminium on hand so probably a bit cheaper that a hardware.

goodluck!

ps. I will post some more photos soon of my new modifications that work better!

Evan

Here's the new modifications which include a small extension across the shoulder area. Personally, I found the eyepeice too close using the 1st version and also by adding the extension, it helps get the centre of gravity further back and also fits (my) shoulder much better.

I have also added Ted's idea of a hinged tail piece that folds up and due to the extension, allows for use of the bigger EX3 battery. This flat extended area is for adding weight i.e. big battery/ radio mikes etc to help again to move the centre of gravity back. I found 3 NP1 (old) batteries worked well and I can hold the EX3 on the shoulder with out any need for the left hand. The draw back is the extra weight but the camera now actually feels like a shoulder mount camera!

I put the rubber pad on via velcro so I can easily replace/modify if need be. I used a stainless steel hinge with counter sunk small bolts tapped into the plates.

I have put up a gallery of lots of detail pictures on my site

My_Ex3_Mount (http://www.photo-media.com.au/galleries/EX3_gallery/)

but here is a few pics.

Great design!

I'm wondering if you (or Ted, if he is reading this thread) or anyone else could help me with a design question.

I would like to fabricate (or rather, go to a metal shop and have them fabricate) a similar tripod and shoulder mount.

I am also using the BeBob CoCo EX-3 battery adapter (which I love, by the way and have written about in my most recent DV column)

http://images.bebob.de/8717.jpg

The Bebob attaches with 2 thumbscrews to the two holes for the cheek guard.

Then there is the matter of the existing shoulder pad on the EX-3.

I really do not need any power other than the existing CoCo EX-3. Does the shoulder pad remove easily or did you not need to remove the shoulder pad?

Sorry for the elementary questions but I am metal-shop challenged and do great with things electronic but rather lousy with metal design.

Finally, what type of material did you choose for the shoulder pad? Attaching with Velcro is a great idea!

Thanks

Ned Soltz

Hi Ned, thanks! I really just copied a few of the ideas and added a few. Being in Australia, lots of times it's too expensive or slow to import but in the US, I would consider Ted's design and let him have the trouble of making it.

Yes, I chose to have the cheek guard fitted and not use the original EX3 shoulder mount thingy...it really didn't do much anyway! I don't know the Bebob stuff but I think you are referring to the top of the cheek pad which has a few screws there. If so, I don't think there's any problem as these mounts don't use those holes, only the two holes where the original EX3 shoulder mount attached are used to fix the new (my shoulder mount) plate.
The sony shoulder pad removes easily, check the manual's description for fitting the check guard.

I got some dense foam/rubber from Clark Rubber (in Australia, maybe in US too?) but I'm sure you can source some...it was like $1.50 AUD so 50cents USD! The velcroe idea works well and it's great for attaching all sorts of things to the plate...see my pics on my site!

Evan

Thanks, Evan

Let me just clarify one thing. You DID remove the original shoulder pad, correct?


Don't need the cheek guard. The holes where you would have attached the cheek guard are the holes which the BeBob uses.


Ned

Hi Ned, yes, I removed the original Sony shoulder pad.

I don't know the Bebob product so if you say so.
The holes I used are the 2 that were under the original Sony shoulder pad. I used two small (4mm I think) bolts that now go through my plate and the plastic cheek pad to hold it all in place.

hope that helps.

Evan

OK.. now I've got it.

Those 4mm screws are the same screws which attach the BeBob.

Thanks

Ned, i had a quick look at the Bebob site and yes I think in 1 picture it looked like there's a part that might attach there. You could still attach both things I would think, even if you had to use slightly longer bolts. The original screws are too short for anything and I also wanted counter sunk style heads so it fitted flush on my plate.

Evan

Ned,
I too am using the Bebob Coco-ex3 which I find absolutely fantastic - it literally changed my EX3 into a shoulder mounted camera with the right weight distribution and outputs. I've kept both the original shoulder support and cheek guard. However I would like to devise a better shoulder pad on the lines of the DSR camcorders. I am also being tempted to order a shoulder pad of one of the DSR's and somehow adapting it to the EX3. But I'm not so much of a designer. Are you thinking on these lines as well?

One question I have about all of these designs is they only use half of the VCT 14 camera plate, the front wedge. My feeling is that must leave the possibility of some movement in the wedge as it's not that big. Has anyone considered also using the rear pin of the plate to hold the camera more securely?

Ned,
I too am using the Bebob Coco-ex3 which I find absolutely fantastic - it literally changed my EX3 into a shoulder mounted camera with the right weight distribution and outputs. I've kept both the original shoulder support and cheek guard. However I would like to devise a better shoulder pad on the lines of the DSR camcorders. I am also being tempted to order a shoulder pad of one of the DSR's and somehow adapting it to the EX3. But I'm not so much of a designer. Are you thinking on these lines as well?

That's exactly what I would like to design!

I had never thought of trying to adapt a DSR shoulder pad. As I said, I'm not much of a product designer.

This one is definitely worth pursuing.

Ned

One question I have about all of these designs is they only use half of the VCT 14 camera plate, the front wedge. My feeling is that must leave the possibility of some movement in the wedge as it's not that big. Has anyone considered also using the rear pin of the plate to hold the camera more securely?

A good point, especially when you see a Long Lens with a fully loaded Matte Box and Follow Focus added on. That is some serious weight to bear and leverage on a little wedge with its three screws. The VCT-U14 was designed to distribute the weight and leverage by using its rear pin, like the big cameras do when they slide into place.

One base plate that actually uses the full potential of the VCT-U14. - * Production Gear Triad Camera Plate (http://www.videogear.co.uk/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=676)
I've been brain storming, how to integrate this base plate with the existing ideas.

A good point, especially when you see a Long Lens with a fully loaded Matte Box and Follow Focus added on. That is some serious weight to bear and leverage on a little wedge with its three screws. The VCT-U14 was designed to distribute the weight and leverage by using its rear pin, like the big cameras do when they slide into place.

One base plate that actually uses the full potential of the VCT-U14. - * Production Gear Triad Camera Plate (http://www.videogear.co.uk/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=676)
I've been brain storming, how to integrate this base plate with the existing ideas.

Great find!

That Triad Camera Plate + a shoulder mount would answer my needs.

Does anyone know if that is proprietary to Videogear or whether it is marketed in US as well?

Found a similar UK product...

Creative Video TLS VCT14-Adapter - Allows use of Sony VCT-14 / U14 quick release tripod plate (http://www.creativevideo.co.uk/public/view_item_cat.php?catalogue_number=tls_vct14-adapter)

I thought of using the back plate part as well but due to the EX3's design and wanting a "cut out " area for the shoulder it's not really possible as it would be in "that' area. I suppose you could have some kind of slide out bar that had it and just use it when putting on the VCT-14/tripod. But in reality it is very stable and surprisingly strong.

With my mount I have also included the "guide rails" not just the v wedge and that helps guide it onto the plate plus makes it much stronger. In fact I don't know why all the other designs only use the v wedge as it must be harder to put quickly onto a tripod I would think.

Evan

Evan;

That looks nice. The aluminum welding looks pretty clean too. It seems people find aluminum welding to be a very impressive and feared skill, it sounds like you found a shop that isn't afraid to do it.

Is there any chance you can post the hole pattern dimensions & screw size for that quick release plate?

Thank you!

Found a similar UK product...

Creative Video TLS VCT14-Adapter - Allows use of Sony VCT-14 / U14 quick release tripod plate (http://www.creativevideo.co.uk/public/view_item_cat.php?catalogue_number=tls_vct14-adapter)

all this does it give you a vct compatible mount it doesn't bypass the inherent weakness of the tripod support mount that it screws into...

Evan;

That looks nice. The aluminum welding looks pretty clean too. People seem to be afraid of welding aluminum, it sounds like you found a shop that isn't. It seems people find aluminum welding to be a very impressive skill.

Is there any chance you can post the hole pattern dimensions & screw size for that wedge quick release plate & guides, or is that something you had made for you?

Hi Jeff, thanks. Yes the workshop did a good job and of course, I could have have them polish it to a mirror finish but I'm planning to have mine powder coated, black.

I used my old Sony parts for the block/v wedge and just used that as a template for drilling and tapping the holes. I have ordered these parts new from Sony although there is a 2 week wait as they come from Singapore to Australia. You may be able to contact Sony in the US and get them straight away. Mine are around 75.00 AUD so pretty cheap and not really worth trying to make those parts I would think.

Jeff, if you go to the gallery I put on line,
My_Ex3_Mount (http://www.photo-media.com.au/galleries/EX3_gallery/)
the 1st photo shown how the holes and the locating pin set up "before attaching the Sony plates. In my case, I attach my mounting plate to the camera by locating the "pin" and using a 1/4" short screw that attaches to the EX3's normal mounting then the Sony plates go over that, covering the 1/4" screw...hope that makes sense!

Evan

all this does it give you a vct compatible mount it doesn't bypass the inherent weakness of the tripod support mount that it screws into...

Yes, Phillip that's the problem as it's only relys on the 1/4" screw alone. Also just using those adapters to simply make using a VCT-14 quick release plate doesn't solve the problem if you want to quickly go to a shoulder mount position.

Evan

My tripod support mount is connected to the VCT-U14 by both a 1/4" screw AND a 5/16 (or is it 3/8?) screw.

I used my old Sony parts for the block/v wedge and just used that as a template for drilling and tapping the holes. I have ordered these parts new from Sony although there is a 2 week wait as they come from Singapore to Australia. You may be able to contact Sony in the US and get them straight away. Mine are around 75.00 AUD so pretty cheap and not really worth trying to make those parts I would think.

I'm the one working with Ted on making our own version of the reinforcement plate / shoulder mount. I was hoping to get the hole pattern dimensions, should someone already have a similar plate, so they can just bolt it on. However, if you do have a part number for that plate, I would appreciate getting that.

I'm the one working with Ted on making our own version of the reinforcement plate / shoulder mount. I was hoping to get the hole pattern dimensions, should someone already have a similar plate, so they can just bolt it on. However, if you do have a part number for that plate, I would appreciate getting that.

Hi Jeff, I ordered the whole assembly which is for a Sony DXC-537 but I'm sure they are similar for the 637 etc as they have the set up. The part no. was A.7612352E (which is the original camera plate, v wedge and screws to suit) kit.

Here's the exploded part diagram they sent me. (.pdf)

cheers Evan

Hi Jeff, I ordered the whole assembly which is for a Sony DXC-537 but I'm sure they are similar for the 637 etc as they have the set up. The part no. was A.7612352E (which is the original camera plate, v wedge and screws to suit) kit.

Here's the exploded part diagram they sent me. (.pdf)

cheers Evan

OK, thanks. It shows up here as being about US$120.

Here's the exploded part diagram they sent me. (.pdf)


Interesting in that the guides are separate pieces and not machined as an integral part of the Sony plate. So that means that guides could be machined and bolted directly to the custom aluminum base plate the same way as the wedge will be. These guides should provide extra stability to help minimize side wiggle.

Hi Barry, the "guides" are actually a hard nylon or plastic material not aluminium. I think this is so they wear and not the VCT-14 plate I would think.

I have a shot of that in my gallery I think. image 9844
My_Ex3_Mount (http://www.photo-media.com.au/galleries/EX3_gallery/)

Evan

OK, thanks. It shows up here as being about US$120.

Gee, bit more than I am paying at around 70.00AUD including postage, although I haven't actually paid as they will let me know when it arrives from Singapore.

Evan

Barry I got a local 4wd accessories workshop to bend & weld as they do it all the time for bull bars etc and have all the aluminium on hand so probably a bit cheaper that a hardware.

Evan, I've been to the metal shop today and picked up some 3/8" thick aluminium at $8.00/ft. Now that I take another look at your photos it looks like your using 1/4" thick which would be even easier to bend?

Hi Barry, the workshop I got to bend it used 8mm (pretty close to 3/8th" I think). You may have trouble bending it yourself as they had a press for doing it. It did crack but easily fixed by a quick weld & grind! My design really only has the one bend and the rest was welded.

goodluck & post pics please!

cheers Evan

ps. shot a tvc with the camera yesterday (1st client job with the EX3) and all seemed to go well although I felt a bit funny using such a small camera! It was fun trying a few hand held shots with stabiliser of course!

Found a similar UK product...

Creative Video TLS VCT14-Adapter - Allows use of Sony VCT-14 / U14 quick release tripod plate (http://www.creativevideo.co.uk/public/view_item_cat.php?catalogue_number=tls_vct14-adapter)

I use this and it is solid.