I tried my Cool Lux U3 on cam light on the front shoe of my Z1U and find that it makes the cam too front heavy (light weights 10 oz.) So, I'm pondering whether to look for a new affordable lighter weight light & battery solution, or instead try finding a way to mount my Cool Lux light onto the handle of the Z1, hoping it will be better balanced in that position.

What kind of inexpensive light wt. bracket could I get to do this?

Hi Chris - that is what i'm doing too. Hard to mount any heavy light on the front.

You should get this:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=398635&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

Thanks
Paul

Thanks Paul, it looks good, but pricey. I'm comparing it to a couple other less expensive brackets on B&H site.

I mount my Sony 20-DW2 light (plus Lumiquest diffuser) on the Z1's shoe and find it most excellent. Uses the same NPF batteries, is small, light (!) and self-contained.

tom.

I mount my Sony 20-DW2 light (plus Lumiquest diffuser) on the Z1's shoe and find it most excellent. Uses the same NPF batteries, is small, light (!) and self-contained.

tom.

Tom, do you know how much your light w.diffuser & attached battery weighs? So far any light I look at weighs at least 10 oz + even when they call if light weight.

Just for you chris I've been to weigh the Sony lamp + big NPF-960 (75 mins with both filaments lit) battery + Lumiquest Mini SoftBox diffuser.

0.44kg. What's that in your pounds? Just under 1. Of course you can run it on much lighter 750 batteries to keep the weight down.

tom.

Thanks Tom for taking the time to do that - I really appreciate it. Interesting you don't find that front heavy during handheld.

BTW, I also put my wireless on the front - if I had to put the light there it would be on one branch of my Y bracket with the light on the other branch. For now I'm going to continue to keep a lookout for a good bracket for the handle at a reasonable price. Then add a Bescor Li battery pack worn on my belt to replace or supplement my current big short run battery belt.

Although I've now moved on to a Z1 Chris, my kitted up VX2000 is shown here:
http://www.fortvir.net/gallery/tom-s-photo-album/Tom_s_VX2000

Generally (for the least objectionable shadows) I like to have the video light on axis with the lens, so the Sennheiser mic attaches to the top of the hefty L bracket and the lamp takes its place.

OK it's getting weighty but I don't mind that, it's such an excellent run 'n' gun setup. I don't like the idea of umbilical cords to my waist as I need to MOVE, man!

tom.

Nice setup Tom on your VX2000. I used to attach both my light and shotgun mic on a Y bracket into camera shoe on my VX1000 (same essential body) and the total weight and weight distribution was still good. Wireless was taped to the handle, plugged into the Beechtek. But now on my Z1 with the shoe so very far to the front, it's a different story.

My U3 Light can adjust to tilt down. It achieves a good angle without being right in front of talent's eyes in situations where they might need to look into the lens.

Although I've now moved on to a Z1 Chris, my kitted up VX2000 is shown here:
http://www.fortvir.net/gallery/tom-s-photo-album/Tom_s_VX2000
. . .excellent run 'n' gun setup.
tom.

Your run n' gun setup inspired me to again try attaching my "L" bracket to the bottom of my Z1. Problem is that without a stabilizing pin next to the screw, it gets loose during use. Does your Heavy Duty Bracket have any kind of pin to prevent it turning on the screw - you know, like the one on the camera plate to keep the camera from turning on the plate?

Know just what you mean Chris. I've no pin as you describe but have attached another little plate at right angles to the bottom of the 'L' and this buts up neatly to the base of the Z1, so stopping the L bracket from turning on its fixing into the Z1's tripod socket.

I tried to upload more pictures to that same fortvir site yesterday, but it was having none of it. Will try again in a few days when I've more time.

The L brack makes me so MUCH more stable. I did last Saturday's wedding without it 'just to see' and I felt I was wobbling all over the place.

tom.

Best ever:

http://www.bebob.de/international/lux_eng.html

with this:

http://www.bebob.de/international/coco-converter_eng.html

I wish I had that a few years back on my old XL1--the light was bright and had a seperate battery.

heath

Thanks Heath -I looked at those links. It looks ok on the large camera they show, which is a shoulder mount, but I don't see how this would work on the Z1U which is not a shoulder mount camera and also has the shoe placed forward of the lens and it looks like that's where this light would attach. I can't imagine putting anything on the Z!U shoe other than the lightweight wireless receiver.

It seems a bracket for the handle might be the solution and the bracket suggested earlier in this topic at first looked pretty good (pricey), but now I realize that it would have the problem of the light turning on the screw mount.

I've used the bebob with coco on a Z1. That's the only camera I've used it on.

hwm

Know just what you mean Chris. I've no pin as you describe but have attached another little plate at right angles to the bottom of the 'L' and this buts up neatly to the base of the Z1, so stopping the L bracket from turning on its fixing into the Z1's tripod socket.

I tried to upload more pictures to that same fortvir site yesterday, but it was having none of it. Will try again in a few days when I've more time.

tom.

When you get a chance please explain more how you attached what kind of plate and where you got the necessary pieces. My L bracket screws to the bottom of the camera between the cam & tripod plate. I'm trying to imagine how a plate could be attached and have it fit both when it's on tripod or switching to monopod. I do like the added stability with an L bracket so it would be great if I could make it stable and even add my light.

Much easier told in pictures rather than words, Chris, so I'll send you an email with shots of my L bracket attached.

Also I'll show you the bracket I made to support the Sennheiser radio receiver - in place of the Z1's mic holder.

tom.

Here's the L bracket shot for anyone else to see:

http://tinyurl.com/z2sa5