Need to spend some money!!

[Lalo Alvidrez]

Okay folks need suggestions. I want to trick out my 7d and am looking for the following.
7d cage want to be able to mount a z00m h4 and a monitor
slide or rails for tripod use the bogen 501 head
follow focus. not the most expensive but reliable
possibly a shoulder support system
Matte box. Not necessary but looks impressive.
lights. Looking at led for different shooting scenarios. Will be doing interviews.

My budget is around 3 to 4 thousand. I've looked at many threads and forums and really want to see what you have and how you rate it and if you recommend it.

[Jon Braeley]

What are you filming? This determines needs.

Wanting all this gear must mean you already have the essentials below:

Good quality fast lenses. A good set of primes or for doc work zooms - aim for L glass quality.
The very best mics you can afford (Two mics) - plus Lav mic set up when needed.
High quality tripod with fluid head.

The above will improve your work by 90%. The list you mention will add the next 10%.

[Lalo Alvidrez]

Wants a above average interview video. What I mean by that is he doesn't want the basic stand in front of camera and talk. More cinematic I guess with camera movement, different angles etc... Just want's something better than the competition. I do have primes and what I think is a solid fluid head and tripod. Just need some specifics on what you would suggest. I know I need good mics but what mic do you recommend? Remember I'm using a zoom h4.

[Jon Braeley]

If you are doing a lot of interviews, it depends if you are a one-man band or have an assistant.

I do interviews with an assistant but use a Sennheiser G3 lav set up for 0ver 50% of them - the rest are shared between AT4035 or Rode NTG-3. The AT mic is very small - I shoot in remote locations so weight and size of all my equipment is a big factor. I send the mics-lavs into a Tascam DR-100 (also have a zoom).
With a lav mic you can get the interviewee to move rather than the camera. I put a new Rode videomic pro on the 7D for sync track - this is a must.
If you are on your own, you need a lav set up.

I have almost all the 'good gear' .... zacuto rigs, monitors, follow-focus, slider - dollies, tons of gadgets ... but the more I shoot with a 7D the less I now use!!
I am on location right now in Beijing finishing a doc I have been shooting for a year on a 7D ... hundreds of hours in 4 countries. Trust me, a pimped out big rig is the last thing I need - this week I hiked to the top of the Great Wall to shoot a scene - stripped down to the bones - a 7D, 2 lenses and Tripod! I am now shooting external B-Rooll footage on a GH2 with one Olly lens and a ultra-lightweight Gitzo mountaineer tripod and I love it.... nothing else. The entire combo weights maybe 4 Ibs. I love the GH2 ... so easy to use after the 7D.
My opinion is for doc work the 7D is a big pain!! My experience anyway.

[Doug Bailey]

Jon,
What fluid head is that?

I'm trying to put a light weight rig together on a carbon tripod for hiking & shooting nature. My Libec fluid head works well, but the tripod is a bit bulky for hiking.

Thanks & regards,
Doug.

[Jon Braeley]

This is the Miller Solo carbon fiber legs with the Miller DS-20 head. It is fairly light but very very tough. I can take this anywhere and I have to. Not the greatest but I cannot use studio tripods.

For me the fast set-up is a big plus - this takes 15 seconds!

[Doug Bailey]

Perfect, thanks Jon.

[Greg Fiske]

For rails and mattbox I like what genustech.tv offers.

[Luc De Wandel]

I find that the 7D wit the Zacuto Z-Finder Pro and a simple Manfrotto Monopod is all I need. Of course, I already have some of the best L-lenses. But I never use a sunhood, not even for still photograhpy, so why would I need a mattebox? Any filters that I might need I will screw on my lens front and flare is always welcome: some of the best pics I took are full of flare. Look here: Concertpix - Internatonal Artists