For 25 years I was used to shoulder held cam but I don’t know why they make HD cam as HPX-300 and Sony Pvw-350 so big and heavy. I travel a lot by air and am tired of weight.
So we bought JVC-GY200HD : amazing camera with pristine image ... only if you have enough light. I decided to buy my very first hand held cam a Sony HVR-Z7. Shoulder adapters exist on the market but they are bulky and expensive. So I made mine.
The homemade system allows the use of V-lock batteries and all my existing accessories.
It is shorter than standard shoulder cam. I can use lenses from my JVC or the 13X3.5 wide-angle Fujinon lens. The cam can be mounted directly on a VCT-14 tripod plate (no need to reconfigure our existing plates. We put it in a Samsonite 55 cm roller bag which is carried on luggage in plane.
http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/members/hung-ton-quoc-albums-z7-picture412-z71.jpg
http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/members/hung-ton-quoc-albums-z7-picture413-z72.jpg

Now it worked... sorry...

Thats a cool setup!

What Vmount->NP converter do you use?

ULI

Looks great Hung. Can you let us know how you built it and what materials you used?

A great bit of ingenuity and saved you some money as well!! Great work.
I have to say that is a large lens to be hanging of that modest mount unsupported. I use my nikon lenses in this way but use a rail system to support the lens also. Just a thought as I've broken a few mounts in my time.
Cheers,John

Material used :
- Switronix XP-DV-S20 Adapter
- Cavision Rod system parts
- IDX V-lock battery adapter on an aluminium plate
- Manfrotto 357 Pro Quick Release Adapter with 357PL Plate
- Sony SHL-32W LCD Hood with homemade cardboard shade
- Genus GAP Adapter Plate (for VCT-14)

Most was purchased from bhphotovideo.com

In your list of materials, didn't you forget a Hoodman hoodloupe? How do you focus on the LCD-screen with your eye so close, otherwise?
By the way: which lens is that? The Fujinon wide angle?

You are right, some will need a Hoodman loupe - With my old eyes I can see that close by putting down my glasses - Yes the lens is the 13X3.5 Fujinon wide angle.
hung

OK, that's why I asked. In any case, I wouldn't advise the Hoodloupe, as it's optical quality is very poor. The Zacuto seems to better, but I haven't tried that myself. My wife made me a contraption that can house an old Mamyia 6x6 camera-loupe. That is perfect.