EX3 Shoulder Mount w/ Lectro wireless

[Christoph Gelfand]

Thought I'd throw this up for folks to have a look at. After struggling to find an adequate way to deal with wireless on my EX1 I upgraded to the EX3 and it's theoretically easier shoulder mounting options. However, I wasn't satisfied with the built in mount and thus did a significant amount of research to arrive at the VFGadgets mount modified slightly with a Zacuto Red Plate to attach BEC bracket and boxes for wireless. I put an Anton Bauer battery mount on the Red Plate to power the whole package and it all serves to backweight the camera sufficiently to shoot comfortably for long periods of time (in theory).

I've yet to field test the rig, but at first glance, it's a pretty solid system that alleviates wearing a hip pack to hold wireless (as I often work with a sound mixer sending wirelessly to camera).

[William Griffin]

Looks good...I have the same problem with mounting my Sennheiser G2-100 mikes, as I have been looking at the DM plate...one question

Does that plate have a foam back to it or any type of padding?

thanks

[Christoph Gelfand]

It has a thin piece of foam that has a sticky back, but for a little extra cushion I also got the Camera Comfort Cushion to pad all the weight.

[Evan Meades]

Great job! Although is there a gap between the back of the camera and plate? If there is, I can't imagine it's very secure or resists twisting, especially with all that weight.

Please have a look at my design which takes advantage of the two screws that normally hold the EX3's built in shoulder pad. Once that is removed, you can use those holes to attach the plate making 3 contact points.

Here is a link to some photos I took a while ago.

My_Ex3_Mount

Evan

[Jeff DeMaagd]

I'm addressing the need for handling wireless boxes, but my next update won't quite support two boxes and a battery mount, as the picture shows, just one box. It would still need an angle bracket to support the second box.

The shoulder segment will also be removable for stowing or other uses where the extra length might be a problem. At the moment, it looks like less than two weeks to shipping.

[Ron Wilk]

Originally Posted by Evan Meades

Great job! Although is there a gap between the back of the camera and plate? If there is, I can't imagine it's very secure or resists twisting, especially with all that weight.

Please have a look at my design which takes advantage of the two screws that normally hold the EX3's built in shoulder pad. Once that is removed, you can use those holes to attach the plate making 3 contact points.

Here is a link to some photos I took a while ago.

My_Ex3_Mount

Evan

Looks like a step was skipped in the installation process ... the shoulder pad/rest should have been removed so that the VFGadgets plate could attach to the area beneath the rest just as your photos depict. In summary, it installs in the same manner as your device.

[Mike Chandler]

Originally Posted by Jeff DeMaagd

The shoulder segment will also be removable for stowing or other uses where the extra length might be a problem. At the moment, it looks like less than two weeks to shipping.

Looks terrific, Jeff. Any chance the shoulder segment could be quick release?

[Alister Chapman]

Your going to break the EX3's tripod mount using the VF plate like that. Pick up that lot by the EX3's handle and that's putting a hell of a load on the 4 small screws that hold the tripod socket to the camera. As other have said the VF plate should attach to the rear cheek plate holes which are under the shoulder pad.

Hope you guys with batteries sticking out way behind you where you can't see them have good liability insurance. Swing that around in a press crowd or busy party, into someone's face and they stand to loose teeth. I don't like that design myself.

[Charles Newcomb]

I like the Bebob mount on back. It balances things out nicely without creating a hazard.

ex3 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

[Christoph Gelfand]

Originally Posted by Alister Chapman

Hope you guys with batteries sticking out way behind you where you can't see them have good liability insurance. Swing that around in a press crowd or busy party, into someone's face and they stand to loose teeth. I don't like that design myself.

Thanks, Alister- I'll try that. As far as jutting out, I agree- it's a bit unwieldy, however a Betacam or DVCam sticks out comparably I think...

[Jason Davenport]

That's the problem. These camera are never going to be perfectly balanced unless you've got 1ft extra in the back, of adapters and battery mount with a 3 pound or more battery. Mine is still front heavy unless I put a 3 pound weight in the wireless bag.
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/sony-xdca...ate-today.html Pics

[Alister Chapman]

What I would really like to do is move the viewfinder forward 4" - 5" so the camera will actually sit on your shoulder. Then the Beebob adapter with a V-lock would help balance the camera.

If it didn't invalidate the warranty I would be willing to give this a go. I see no reason why with a basic machine shop you couldn't make a longer viewfinder arm and extend the wires in the arm, possibly making it removable in the process.

[Olof Ekbergh]

Originally Posted by Alister Chapman

What I would really like to do is move the viewfinder forward 4" - 5" so the camera will actually sit on your shoulder. Then the Beebob adapter with a V-lock would help balance the camera.

If it didn't invalidate the warranty I would be willing to give this a go. I see no reason why with a basic machine shop you couldn't make a longer viewfinder arm and extend the wires in the arm, possibly making it removable in the process.

I second that idea. It would solve a few problems with the EX3. Airline carry on with EX3 is a problem, if the LCD came off it would be a huge improvement.

I hope Sony takes note of this.

I have been fooling around with a base for the EX3 that would be like the bottom of a Betacam including holes for a set of rails, and a VCT-14 front and back interface with shoulder pad in between and a side plate for chord-less mic.

[Denis OKeefe]

These are some excellent ideas. I've spent considerable time trying to make the EX3 comfortable for handheld shooting too.
In my hands, my right hand to be more precise, I find the lens grip is too far back - or everything else is too far forward. To comfortably shoot and balance the camera I compared it to my 600 and HDX 900 and realized I needed to move it forward, and get the shoulder support about three or four inches behind the back of the camera. That does put the viewfinder about a half inch too far forward, and all these little things add up in back, neck and arm pain after a while.
Being able to move the viewfinder is almost worth risking the warranty - it would be a huge improvement.
I put a small breakaway plate (plenty strong for daily use) so I can pack the camera in a case easier, or take the back off when on tripod. Obviously this is made of oak and not painted professional black - I guess aluminum will be the final product. The shoulder pad is recycled from an old Sony betacam.

[Alastair Traill]

Originally Posted by Alister Chapman

What I would really like to do is move the viewfinder forward 4" - 5" so the camera will actually sit on your shoulder. Then the Beebob adapter with a V-lock would help balance the camera.

If it didn't invalidate the warranty I would be willing to give this a go. I see no reason why with a basic machine shop you couldn't make a longer viewfinder arm and extend the wires in the arm, possibly making it removable in the process.

Alister, I would give it a go too if it was not for the warranty.

I am currently working on a new loupe for my EX3. It will use a shorter focal length eye piece that enlarges the image of the screen by nearly twofold. The reason for this development is that when using Nikon lenses the "expanded focus" function is not available. The shorter focal length eyepiece will make the new loupe 2.5 inches shorter than the Sony loupe and if used when handholding some of the weight is taken on the shoulder. However this puts the grip of the supplied lens even further back.