mounting add-ons on the V1

[Piotr Wozniacki]

With the HVL-LBP heavy lamp with 970 battery on the coldshoe, and the HVR-DR60 disk on the rear bracket, I'm lacking a place for my Sennheiser receiver; where do you think it could be put (velcro'ed?) on the V1?

Another solution would be a "shoe doubler" bracket; I have one but it'd raise the gravity center and not be stable enough with the lamp and/or disk (see attachment; shown with just a lighweight halogen lamp)...

Yet another solution can be the J-Rode with double shoes (one for a mic shock mount, the other for the wireless receiver). I actually bought one from Jeff, but unfortunately the Azden shock mount that came with it is too long for either of my short-gun microphones (the V1's own or the Edirol). Does anyone know what is the rubbers distance in the Rode SM-3/4 shock mounts? I'd appreciate giving me this info indeed. TIA!

[Leslie Wand]

are you on sticks all the time?

i used to velcro my receiver to the handstrap on my 170. but then again, it wasn't for long periods....

leslie

[Don Bloom]

BEC has a bracket thatis for the 200/2100, 15/170 and I am about 99.99999% sure it would work with the Z-1 or V-1. It attaches to the bottom of the camera and then attach the QR plate to it. Now you can either buy the right can for the receiver you have OR velcro the receiver to the bracket. It puts the receiver to the right rear of the camera which does throw some extra to that side but it seems to balance out pretty well. You can use the VF with it as well and if you are handholding it doesn't feel like the camera is so front heavy that you'll break a bone if you're not careful.

Heres a description.
BEC DVCAMB Sidemount Wireless Receiver Bracket - works with Sony DSR-PD170 and VX-2100 and other similar sized camcorders

Don

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Thanks Don, but I alredady have one bracket that goes between the camera bottom and the QR plate (it can hold the DR60 drive, or receiver - but not both) - adding another would make the whole thing flimsy.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

I've ben wondering - during hand-held shooting, can the DR60 drive be kept in the pocket, thus freeing camera's mounting points, and reducing its weight? I guess it can work in any position, so as long as the pocket is "ventilated" enough, well - it could be viable!

Anyone tried that yet?

[Douglas Spotted Eagle]

Yes. I've skydived with it, cable running down my back to DR60 in my jumpsuit.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Thanks Douglas! I've been playing with my new DR60 for 2 days and am delighted!

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Today I was shooting with the DR60 drive in my shirt pocket, and the V1 lightweight and handy again! This is really very, very practical and convenient. My only concern is the firewire port on the V1; those 4-pin sockets are fragile enough to potentially get damaged even in normal use, not to mention a cable being permanently connected and moved around. Any ideas on how to make it safer for long, trouble-free usage? One would think that - the HVR-DR60 drive being designed specifically for the V1 - Sony should have thought of a more elegant way of connecting the two; but then again, with so many configurations possible (DR60 on the coldshoe, or on the bracket, or... in the pocket) - well, a difficult task actually!

[Bob Grant]

The DR60 does have a kind of cable clamp for the firewire cable. A big rubber band though mightn't be a bad idea. Still I agree, these firewire cables aren't rugged, using something like a 4 pin Lemo connector and a purpose built cable would have been much more secure, with a price hike to match.

Best mounting arrangement is from BeBob, but at around $450 not cheap.

[Douglas Spotted Eagle]

Thread the firewire cable through the velcro (lengthwise) in the wrist strap of the V1. Stable, strong, protected...it should be plenty.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Originally Posted by Bob Grant

The DR60 does have a kind of cable clamp for the firewire cable. A big rubber band though mightn't be a bad idea.

Yeah, the DR60-side connection seems much safer, with the 6-pin socket and the cable clamp. This is why I'm more worried about the other cable end - the camera itself! As I said, designing the V1 with DR60 in mind, the Sony enginners shold have thought about some rugged yet elegant firewire port, in it's own compartment (so that all the other sockets don't need to be exposed to wheather all the time the disk is used), and some clamp to keep the strained firewire cable. Oh well, wishful thinking. I guess I'll just tie a ribbon around the handle's base...

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Originally Posted by Douglas Spotted Eagle

Thread the firewire cable through the velcro (lengthwise) in the wrist strap of the V1. Stable, strong, protected...it should be plenty.

Yes, that sounds like another good idea. Only I'd probably need a longer cable that the supplied one, which is not a problem (apart from those capacitors or whatever they are at both ends?)

Douglas, would you care to post a picture of your solution? TIA!

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Originally Posted by Leslie Wand

are you on sticks all the time?

i used to velcro my receiver to the handstrap on my 170. but then again, it wasn't for long periods....

leslie

No Leslie, actually handheld fifty-fifty - so this is out of question. But once I find a shock mount for my short mics, the J-rode (holding a shotgun and receiver), the cold-shoe for the light, and the rear bracket for the disk (when on sticks; in my pocket when handheld) is the way to go...

Again: with Rode SM-3, what is the rubbers' distance? Anyone?

[Michael Liebergot]

Originally Posted by Piotr Wozniacki

No Leslie, actually handheld fifty-fifty - so this is out of question. But once I find a shock mount for my short mics, the J-rode (holding a shotgun and receiver), the cold-shoe for the light, and the rear bracket for the disk (when on sticks; in my pocket when handheld) is the way to go...

Again: with Rode SM-3, what is the rubbers' distance? Anyone?

How about this shcokmount from Beyerdynamic:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...mera_Shoe.html

I use it currently with my JRODE and PD170 and love it. Very sturdy, not too long and very low profile.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Originally Posted by Michael Liebergot

How about this shcokmount from Beyerdynamic:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...mera_Shoe.html

I use it currently with my JRODE and PD170 and love it. Very sturdy, not too long and very low profile.

Michael, are you using it with the Sony ECM-NV1 mic? If so, that's what I'm looking for! Even if it's another (longer) mic that you're using, please let me know what is the distance between rubbers in this mount; thanks in advance!