Shoulder mount for A1 (or anything else)

[Brian David Melnyk]

I was inspired by this thread. i grabbed the neck strap from the XH-A1 (previously unused...) and made the loops the right size to slip tightly on the main tri-pod support , which detaches from the legs with a twist of a knob, and then turned the camera sideways on the head so that the bar for tilting the camera becomes a side support grip. i grip the main pole with my right hand, the side support with my left, and put the neck strap around my neck (attached to the pole just below the head). i chased and terrorized my dog for about a half hour with the camera and found many combinations of gripping positions for different heights and movements, and it was smooth. i can adjust the strap up and down the pole, but it doesn't slip while in position. it was also fun to get really creative with well supported movements!
while i'm sure there are way better, counter-balanced support systems, this one was FREE, and best of all, i leave the strap attached to the tri-pod and can go from tri-pod to running around in about 10 seconds!
my dog is not so enthused...

[Annie Haycock]

I've rigged up something similar to Tung Pham and Colin McDonald. Basically I use a harness that is sold for binoculars that doesn't hang on my neck but goes around my shoulders, and attach a pouch to it. An old tripod centre column stands in the pouch and I mount the camera on that. With a neck strap from the camera for security, I can use the camera reasonably comfortably on a rocking boat.

The tripod centre column isn't as long as Tung Pham's monopod, nor as bulky as Colin's "bipod" (and I have tried that method in the past).

[J.J. Kim]

is he going to sell any more CB 105????

[Jerome Cloninger]

Originally Posted by J.J. Kim

is he going to sell any more CB 105????

Yes... he's working on a shopping cart setup for his site. Send him an email at the address on his site.

[Bryan Gilchrist]

I got this one:
http://www.varizoom.com/products/sup...z1shooter.html

Not bad for the price, and it helps me keep shots steady while letting me do other things with my left hand.

[Jerome Cloninger]

Originally Posted by Bryan Gilchrist

I got this one:
http://www.varizoom.com/products/sup...z1shooter.html

Not bad for the price, and it helps me keep shots steady while letting me do other things with my left hand.

It finally hit me why several people post what they are using... you can read the post title a couple different ways. Basically I was suggesting a shoulder mount device that:

A) lets you keep your hand on the camera where it needs to be and not a handle
B) full control and balance and
C) Price... its cheap, but not cheaply made.

[T. Pham]

http://www.advance-pro.com/downloads...270_z7_m35.pdf

lol, ladies and gents,
it's not if it's cheaply made or not, but it's about being optimum functional.
I wonder how long the girl in the VZ1 kit can hold her arm out like that.
Check out page 18 from above link to Sony's product, you will find a cheaply made kit can be as good as brand name kit in any respects.
let your genuine wonder do the work...lol

[Annie Haycock]

My thoughts about the rig in the photo too - having tried a rifle mount for stills work some years ago.

Your rig from page 18 is far more practical. Anything that carries the weight passively (ie the weight is on your shoulders or hips) means you can carry it effectively for longer - just using your muscles when you need to.

[Michael Liebergot]

Sorry to sound like a broken record, if anyone has heard me rattle this device off before, but nothing beats the DVMulti Rig (www.dvmultirig.com), nothing.

You name it you can shoot it. If you want to go all hands on the camera, then you can just keep the DVMR in shoulder support mode with the 2 section support pod, fold the side handles in, and use both hands on the camera. The support pod will take the weight off of your hands and place it on your hands and the shoulder support will give you the feel and usefulness of a shoulder camera.

I shoot with a Sony FX1 and the DVMR and using the support pod to shoot in various configurations (Fig Rig (handles up), handheld (Handles down), low mode (place the rig on the floor), shoulder mode, and even mount it on a tripod if needed (which is rare anymore). I use a LANC remote on the left grip (this is the only grip that never changes configuration (except maybe up or down), and still have no trouble making control adjustments on my camera.

The only position that I can't shoot well, would be a high overhead boomed shot, like I can get by using a monopod leaned out over a crowd. I can stand on a step stool and get elevated even higher and boom slightly, but not as dramatic as using a monopod in this situation.

But I can shoot very smooth panning, dutch tilts,, reveals, static (very steady), low angle walking (no need to flip in post) and more with no issues at all. And even better I can shoot all day long 12+ hours and the only thing hurting on me are my feet.

[Antonio Guarnieri]

Nice !

Looks like one of these little robots on Mars !!! :)


Please, take a look at this :
http://www.spiderbrace.com/prdemo.html

[Colin McDonald]

Originally Posted by Antonio Guarnieri

Please, take a look at this :
http://www.spiderbrace.com/prdemo.html

I love that bit in the middle of the video where the guy stands in the middle of the road without seeming to check behind him for traffic. I always expect him to get flattened by a truck. I think he needs a safety buddy like the steadycam ops have.

[Robin Hall]

Well My CB105 Arrived yesterday, the quailty is nice But it is Heavier then
I though it would be. I adapted it last night with a manfrodo 328 quickmount
plate and bracket so I can get it off the mount and onto the tripod pretty quickly. As far as stability goes it seems to work just fine and it certainly does take the weight for the camera off your forearm, but you need to have a stout shoulder, If your used to hiking a small kid around on your shoulders then you will be fine, padding is high density foam and quite comfortable. What I do Like about it over the spiderbrace is I am still Both hands On the camera so control access
is better and using the Manual zoom ring is much more natural then with the spiderbrace but as mentioned at the begining it is somewhat heavier then the spiderbrace, my Take for the price
its a good deal.

From my short tests yesterday with it Iam looking forward to giving it a longer workout, Iam using it with my Canon A1 and bought the extra
balance weight but I don't think I am gonna need it even with the added Mic and camera mounted light on , maybe if you had a large Matte box on the front of the camera you might need it but I figured I would get it just in case.

[Korey Kirschenmann]

I received my CB 105 recently. It is a good piece of equipment. However, it is designed for someone who will be shooting from their shoulder all day. Unfortunately, I do not. Due to it's size and weight, it is great for that application but not great if you are not going to be shooting in this matter.

[J.J. Kim]

Originally Posted by Robin Hall

Well My CB105 Arrived yesterday, the quailty is nice But it is Heavier then
I though it would be. I adapted it last night with a manfrodo 328 quickmount
plate and bracket so I can get it off the mount and onto the tripod pretty quickly. As far as stability goes it seems to work just fine and it certainly does take the weight for the camera off your forearm, but you need to have a stout shoulder, If your used to hiking a small kid around on your shoulders then you will be fine, padding is high density foam and quite comfortable. What I do Like about it over the spiderbrace is I am still Both hands On the camera so control access
is better and using the Manual zoom ring is much more natural then with the spiderbrace but as mentioned at the begining it is somewhat heavier then the spiderbrace, my Take for the price
its a good deal.

From my short tests yesterday with it Iam looking forward to giving it a longer workout, Iam using it with my Canon A1 and bought the extra
balance weight but I don't think I am gonna need it even with the added Mic and camera mounted light on , maybe if you had a large Matte box on the front of the camera you might need it but I figured I would get it just in case.

I just got mine this morning, and I second your opinion. It does feel pretty comfortable and yes, I do have 19months old son, and i work out everyday, so i am good. :)
I need to find better (and faster) way to switch from CB to my sachtler dv62d tripod, though.
good product. best part is that, as you said, i can use both hand!

[Jerome Cloninger]

Originally Posted by J.J. Kim

I need to find better (and faster) way to switch from CB to my sachtler dv62d tripod, though.

Find a quick release adapter such as one of these to work with your tripod head.... that will make for a quick change out.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...k_Release.html