Here is a handheld setup that I'm working on. It may seem a little silly but hey, it's just for fun. I'm a student and do a lot of short videos where we just hand hold a DV camcorder for the entire shoot, run-n-gun gorilla style just for fun video making. Mostly attempting some sort of comedy.

This is a work in progress but I've mocked up most of the basic elements here.

http://www.vasher.com/v4/images/uploads/proj_sicamera_01.jpg

The SI sensor block is attached directly to a MacBook which is used for the preview and recording. Carbon fiber supports head over the shoulders and a couple batteries could provide a little counter balance to help out the operator. Though the front end weight wouldn't be much.

There is a grip hand for the left hand. The right hand will rest on an arm rest that is designed to be used with a Contour USB shuttle device which can be programmed to control the camera functions easily. Just above this is a remote follow focus dial. Also, the camera can be voice controlled through Apple's speakable items. For example say "Ess Eye Record/Stop". That would be kind of neat.

There is a tripod quick mount under the center of the sensor block so that the shoulder mount can be very easily removed and the setup can just be dropped onto a tripod very fast.

This is a half-way serious mockup just for fun. Also a USB audio box could be connect that would have XLR inputs.

So we humans look like these under the skin! :)
Great 3d modeling! :) And nice idea!

Wes,

That is excellent modeling.

We plan to provide keyboard strokes that you can map to the USB Contour! The Macbook with Core 2 Duo's should be an excellent combination.

You can see a similar rig concept from Foveon
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/PC/docs/article/991122/foveon1.jpg

We can provide 3-D models (eg. IGIS, Inventor) of the mini which you can use to create exact dimensions to the optical axis. Just email me with a request.

You can look at one of our mini rigs with battery mount for 19mm Arri baseplate (see attached).

Think new generation of dual core tablet pcs to save space and avoid the keyboard in the first place. I believe Asus has one in the works.

Tablet PCs should be the perfect setup. I'm asking if there will be available with Merom processors already next August or September or not? And if not, then we must wait til it will appear provided.

Any news about that?

Merci

I would prefer to have a keyboard myself but using a tablet PC sounds interesting.

The interface is actually perfect for touchscreen/tabletPC use.

I think you would get a lot more milage out of the touchscreen than with a keyboard. Just my opinion.

Thanks,

Jason

Hi Wes,

Nifty looking system.

Suggestions to consider:

Bring the distance from Front to Rear in as much as possible:

Mount the "back pack" to within 3" to 4" of backside,

Mount the Cam topside of monitor/computer.

Do what ever you can to minimize the overall length and weight of the system.

Try carring a 6' 2x4 on your shoulder, and then try a 3' 2x4 to feel the difference.

Closer in, will make over-all balance of the system easier to control. It would also allow for use in closer quarters.

Harold

What about remoting the processor/hard drive (e.g. Mac Mini or equivalent) to the rear counterweight along with batteries for the system, and a heads-up display--it could switch from 100% camera image during shooting/capture to a desktop image between takes for media management, settings etc.

A camera this long would be a bit dicey to maneuver through doorways! Once you start thinking about compacting it, it starts to turn into something more along the lines of this (http://www.21stcentury3d.com/press/pr-060117-3dvx3.html)...

Processing power-wise, they could probably axe one of the Mac Mini's now with the new Intel's ones on the market. Unfortunetly they're probably using up all the connectors on each one, so that might not be feasable. But it would be nice :)

. . . it could switch from 100% camera image during shooting/capture to a desktop image between takes for media management, settings etc.

Hey Charles,

We actually already do that in the camera software itself . . . you have full capabilities to playback clips, browse through your directories, delete clips, change the camera settings, etc. And we have a full-screen mode so you can hide the interface and shoot uninhibited by any interface widgets that might normally surround the display image.

Good ideas everyone. My thoughts were of course that this thing is way too big... I wouldn't be able to shoot a bathroom scene with it! haha But like I said, just for fun, probably never be practicle to make, but if there was a modular setup that could be broken down and modified quickly to serve many setup functions for the indie maker. The Spoon guys are really doing some neat stuff but they have the table ingest setup which is the step above what I'm designing for.

http://www.vasher.com/junk/IMG_0734.jpg
This is a luggable ingest station with a 17" MacBook Pro perhaps, a 23" Cinema Display, a couple Contour Shuttles, a USB or FireWire XLR audio input box, FireWire hard drive docking or something like that for storage.

The camera on a wire is just too cool.