Photos coming but wanted to post a quick comment.

Received the baseplate/shoulder mount from Jeff today and all I can say is WOW.

Quick observations:

1) Packed very nicely and easy to read and follow directions. Even I could assemble it (jsut know that I have to go to LED lighting because I'm marginally capable of changing a light bulb). Assembled very quickly.

2) Rock solid. No slipping whatsoever.

3) Shoulder pad is properly formed and comfortable. We will see over time the durability of the foam but that is something easily replaced.

4) Fit nicely with my BeBob CoCo EX battery. Jeff included some longer screws for the rear and I did need those longer screws with the BeBob.

5) I mount to my tripod with a Manfrotto sliding plate (can't remember the number off hand) which I then secure my Sachtler plate. I was able to use two longer screws and secure the Manfrotto plate securely to the EX-3 plate. There is not one bit of give.

6) Color is an anodized charcoal. Not as black as the camera but looks good. Not Zacuto red, but still looks very cool.

I'll post some pictures a little later in the evening.

But to all of you guys who worked on design and manufacture, you definitely have a winner here and it enhances the stability and the useability of the EX-3.

Ned Soltz

Here are some pics...

http://img185.imageshack.us/img185/161/onshoulder1vq0.th.jpg (http://img185.imageshack.us/my.php?image=onshoulder1vq0.jpg)

http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/3203/shouldermountpadcuui7.th.jpg (http://img238.imageshack.us/my.php?image=shouldermountpadcuui7.jpg)

http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/6710/onshoulder2rq9.th.jpg (http://img238.imageshack.us/my.php?image=onshoulder2rq9.jpg)

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/2711/onshoulderfromrearrk1.th.jpg (http://img214.imageshack.us/my.php?image=onshoulderfromrearrk1.jpg)

http://img75.imageshack.us/img75/7555/ontripodvk8.th.jpg (http://img75.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ontripodvk8.jpg)

http://img75.imageshack.us/img75/4040/ontripodcuef9.th.jpg (http://img75.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ontripodcuef9.jpg)

http://img75.imageshack.us/img75/2127/ontripodsideew7.th.jpg (http://img75.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ontripodsideew7.jpg)

Congrat's Ned! Any chance you can post higher res versions of your photos? Or give us the imageshack link?

Here are some pics...

http://img185.imageshack.us/img185/161/onshoulder1vq0.jpg (http://img185.imageshack.us/my.php?image=onshoulder1vq0.jpg)

http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/3203/shouldermountpadcuui7.jpg (http://img238.imageshack.us/my.php?image=shouldermountpadcuui7.jpg)

http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/6710/onshoulder2rq9.jpg (http://img238.imageshack.us/my.php?image=onshoulder2rq9.jpg)

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/2711/onshoulderfromrearrk1.jpg (http://img214.imageshack.us/my.php?image=onshoulderfromrearrk1.jpg)

http://img75.imageshack.us/img75/7555/ontripodvk8.jpg (http://img75.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ontripodvk8.jpg)

http://img75.imageshack.us/img75/4040/ontripodcuef9.jpg (http://img75.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ontripodcuef9.jpg)

http://img75.imageshack.us/img75/2127/ontripodsideew7.jpg (http://img75.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ontripodsideew7.jpg)

I took out the ".th" in the image links in the quoted links, which is what imageshack uses to identify image thumbnails. This should allow readers to click and get the large images.

Ned, thanks for the kind words.

That worked. Thanks! (nice setup Ned!)

Thanks, Jeff, for removing that thumbnail code from the link.

Next I'll give it a try with the Zacuto baseplate and rails.

And the real test will come in 2 weeks when I'm shooting in NY.

Ned

Sorry, but is there a way to make it more aesthetically pleasing? Maybe round out the corners to match the design of the camera? Everything is much too angular. The base looks like a high school shop project, and I personally would be embarrassed to show up with a camera like this in front of paying clients.

Sorry, but is there a way to make it more aesthetically pleasing? Maybe round out the corners to match the design of the camera? Everything is much too angular. The base looks like a high school shop project, and I personally would be embarrassed to show up with a camera like this in front of paying clients.

Zacuto it ain't, but as a first generation attempt its a good one.

The colour needs to be black or a very dark grey to match the EX3 ( but you could spray it yourself). Agree it could be finely tuned to smooth off the rough edges and make it look more pro. perhaps a second generation version will be brought out with these refinements.


But it does the job asked of it and truth be told thats the most important bit. I will be buying an EX3 in the next couple of months, and the will be on my want list.

Sorry, but is there a way to make it more aesthetically pleasing? Maybe round out the corners to match the design of the camera? Everything is much too angular. The base looks like a high school shop project, and I personally would be embarrassed to show up with a camera like this in front of paying clients.

It is not designed to be a mirror finish. Jeff made a judgment call (which could change) to provide users with the hardest finish and therefore chose anodizing that would accomplish that. It is a hard, scratch-resistant finish that is charcoal, not black. The finish is smooth to the touch, yet it is not high gloss so it doesn't print and mar like a high gloss finish.

The plates do NOT have rough, unfinished or sharp edges. I can understand that everyone has their opinion in regard to level of polish and to color vs. hardness, but I cannot understand ANY level of embarrassment with this set of plates. They are well-machined and assembly makes clear how well they fit together. I would expect a "high school shop project" to deliver a bare aluminum, unfinished, non-machined set of plates. Perhaps my prototype, certainly not this final product that Jeff has made.

Regarding the color, it is a near perfect match to both my tripod and my release plate - and not far from my AB battery. Makes for a nice set. Black is what I was originally thinking, but I was pleasantly surprised when I saw these parts firsthand.

A careful comparison between Jeff's finishing and the VFGadgets piece reveals that Jeff has done an awesome job with rounded corners and curved to match the back of the EX3. Details that are clearly missing from the competition and at one point that was twice price. I guess you have to charge that sky high pro price so that folks don't complaint.

I have to agree with Ted on all points, especially the finish which will stand the test of time. Black is prone to scratch and will immediately show wear over time - eventually looking less than professional. The anodized Aluminum finish will match my tripod and not look at all out of place for my setup.

I will be ordering the DM version within the next two weeks, after I deliver my current project and pay off Santa's visit. From the DM website pictures, I am pretty confident that Jeff's wedge & guide plate will be very sturdy and wiggle proof. Can't wait to take delivery. Happy New Year Ted & Jeff, great work!

One of the things I first noticed about the plate and assembly is how well edges were finished and beveled. "Fit and finish" is tight but even more important than any cosmetic or aesthetic is that it is rock solid.

As a new owner of an EX3 who ordered...and returned...another company's shoulder mount, I was intrigued by Ted's original post re: the new base plate and shoulder mount for the EX3. I went to Jeff's website (DM Accessories) and called and left a message for Jeff. He promptly returned my call and answered a few questions so high marks for customer service. Thanks Ted and Jeff for being innovators. As far as I'm concerned the price for these products goes beyond materials and includes the initiative taken by those who design it and have it built. I'm ordering it from your website today.

Mine was waiting for me when I got back from my xmas trip. Very nice and solid. Light too. A perfect addition to my Flyer-LE setup.

Got mine today. Very solid, very well made and transforms the camera when used on a tripod. Highly recommended.

Do you have a link to the baseplate vendor - Jeff's baseplate doesn't mean much at the moment. And how much does it cost?

Thanks

Do you have a link to the baseplate vendor - Jeff's baseplate doesn't mean much at the moment. And how much does it cost?

Thanks

Hello;

This is where it is listed:

Tripod Reinforcement plate only:
DM-Accessories - EX3-PLATE Reinforcement Plate for EX3 Camcorders (http://shop.dm-accessories.com/products/ex3-plate)

Tripod Reinforcement + shoulder mount:
DM-Accessories - EX3-SHOULDER Shoulder Brace For EX3 Camcorders (http://shop.dm-accessories.com/products/ex3-shoulder)

I think those pages should answer most of your questions.

Thank you!

Thank you Jeff, will place an order next week

I have a new EX-3 coming and am interested in getting the DM plate/shoulder mount. Just wondering how long the camera, with stock lens, is with the shoulder mount attached so I can start looking for a bag.

I have a new EX-3 coming and am interested in getting the DM plate/shoulder mount. Just wondering how long the camera, with stock lens, is with the shoulder mount attached so I can start looking for a bag.

I measured about 20 inches or 51 centimeters from the tip of the stock lens with stock lens hood to the back edge of the shoulder mount.

I just want to add to the thread by saying that I received my baseplate a couple days ago and I am absolutely delighted with every aspect of it! I won't requote the poster who said he would be embarrassed to show up with this on a camera.... but I don't feel that way at all, and really wouldn't even think about it. My clients are more interested in what comes OUT of my camera. But in any case, this baseplate is extremely well engineered and a great (if not outright necessary) addition to my EX3. I did not order the shoulder mount, but was pleased with the option of mounting the stock pad directly onto this plate. Nice touch.

One thing I am curious about... I have seen some photos where folks which have a tripod head such as Sachtler mount a quick release plate to the Sachtler release plate. Why? I have mounted my Sachtler (video 18II) release plate directly to the baseplate, and it sits very nicely and snugly across the full surface area of the head. It just seems to me that the more surface area supported, the more stable.

Anyway, a great product!

I have seen some photos where folks which have a tripod head such as Sachtler mount a quick release plate to the Sachtler release plate.

Manfrotto sells fairly inexpensive "add on" baseplates with both the male & female portions so you can have a homogeneous mechanism between the camera and various tripods as well as other contraptions that require mounting your cameras to something.

In my country Miller sells their baseplate - just the male base plate - for $150 and the Manfrotto male/female baseplate combo is $72. Manfrotto is considered ghetto to some but it's your choice where you want to put your money.

BTW, I am using a Manfrotto 3273 tripod baseplate with sliding camera lock. I have the tripod part secured to the mount on my Sachtler tripod. I secured the camera sliding plate to the bottom of the EX-3 baseplate with two screws. There is absolutely no wobble and I can easily slide the whole assembly on and off the tripod.

Hi, Ned-
I hope you don't think I was critical of your mounting set up.... in fact, quite the opposite! I have gleaned a lot of useful information from this site. Much more than I expected to, I have not been a forum browser before. I was curious about mounting a release plate to a release plate, but you may have a completely different head set up than I do. I am very pleased with how snug the fit is with Jeff's plate mounted directly to the Sachtler release plate. But I also have slide adjustment on my head itself, so if you don't have that on your head I understand the benefit. I just like to learn what others are doing.... I found out about the COCO adapter and Jeff's plate from this site, two beneficial things which have sure made my camera more versatile and reliable.

HI, Derek

No. Didn't take it that way at all. It is just that when I described my set up initially I had neglected to specify which Manfrotto mount.

Since the Manfrotto mount slides and the Sachtler DV 4 head has a sliding mount as well, I'm finding using these sliders in combination helps balance the camera on this head, which now is carrying about the maximum weight it should. Need to get a DV-6SB or equivalent.

Fitted two of Jeff's EX3 plates today. Very nicely made and fit very snug.
With them on the EX3 the camera is nicer to handle. It's a small thing I know but when you put the camera down it no longer wobbles.
In my opinion the plate adds to the appearance of the EX3.

As I said in my earlier post the addition of one of these plates really does make the camera so much nicer to use. It's rock solid on a tripod, the whole camera feels much more stable. It enables the use of two mounting screw instead of one so the camera no longer twists on the tripod plate. It has both 1/4 and 1/2 inch mounts so all my Pro mounts that use 1/2" screws fit. I have a couple of 3D rigs for dual EX3's or an EX3 plus EX1 side by side and the plate is so stable I can now use quick release mounts knowing that the camera alignment isn't lost each time I remove a camera.

Good job!! Ditto on all of the positive feedback. A killer plate for sure.

I have bitten the bullet and ordered my base/shoulder plate from Jeff. As good as the built in Sony shoulder pad is, it is not that comfortable for long periods.

Sometimes in life, the planets align, the stars shine bright, the clouds blow away and I stumble upon a good decision. The responses in this forum are genuinely uplifting, because they keep confirming what I felt for myself - I chose well when I approached Jeff DeMaagd on this project.

Jeff really has done a nice job on this, and more importantly, he brought his expertise to it where mine fell short. He turned my rudimentary engineering of a good idea into a well-engineered product.

It's kinda funny - I was actually in preliminary discussions with VF Gadgets on this very same unit (though not as fully engineered as what Jeff brought to the table). After contacting a camera shop and a rental house, I thought they'd be the ones to build it. Oddly, they didn't want it - they were already working on something that they had just made a prototype of.

I almost threw the idea and drawings away - but was reminded of the responsiveness that Jeff had on those little cold-shoe adapters for the EX1 and making them work for the EX3 (adding registration holes). About a hundred emails and several phone calls later, fellow DVinfo.net members are pleased and enjoying the product! Well Hallelujah, all the stupid little things that could have gone wrong -- didn't! Thanks, Jeff!

Just to let you know that I have ordered a Baseplate from Jeff and it has been sitting in UK customs since 11 Jan, today I received an email saying Parcelforce tried to deliver but there was no answer - delivery time 2.05 am on 16th January

I also received a letter by post from Parcelforce this morning (also 16 Jan) saying that I had to pay an extra £51.62 for import and vat and their delivery charges. The parcel will not be delivered until this sum is paid in full.

Nice friendly service we have here in the UK - I look forward to seeing this baseplate sometime before Easter.

My MxR cards from Oz were held up until VAT was paid. THe annoying part is paying £13 for the Royal Mail to pick the parcel off the conveyor and give it to the customs men.

My MxR cards from Oz were held up until VAT was paid. THe annoying part is paying £13 for the Royal Mail to pick the parcel off the conveyor and give it to the customs men.

This really, really, really P's me off big time. I had a £5.50 VAT charge on an item recently, plus £8 handling charge on top by Royal mail for sticking a label on it.
It really, really P's me off.

Fortunately I can claim £35 back on the VAT, but as for the £8 import duty and £8 Royal Mail - well we do live in Rip-Off Britain, I suppose we have to pay our taxes to support the banking system.

The Good news bit is that I will get the Baseplate/Shoulder mount on Monday. Thanks Jeff I look forward to using it.

Is it available? Says February on the website.

It was available. I made a small pilot run to gauge the reaction and to get feedback from users, in case changes needed to be made. I wasn't able to have more done before they were sold out.

I am making right now.

It was available. I made a small pilot run to gauge the reaction and to get feedback from users, in case changes needed to be made. I wasn't able to have more done before they were sold out.

I am making right now.

Mine will arrive tomorrow. I wonder when the rails set-up/add-on will come out?

Mine will arrive tomorrow. I wonder when the rails set-up/add-on will come out?

Unfortunately, I won't have any new products with this round. I'll try to keep you posted.

My Base/Shoulder plate arrived today, thanks Jeff.

Just had to adjust the handgrip rotation on the camera to make it feel comfortable in my long arms, otherwise it looks like it will do the job.