Best shoulder mount have used for ex1/3

[Brett OBourke]

The RedRock is pretty adjustable. Check out their videos on Vimeo for different configs.

Redrock microShoulderMount Overview on Vimeo

B

[Bob Grant]

Piotr is entirely correct. We have the complete Zacuto mechano set and then some. We can mount an EX camera in any position relative to the shoulder you care to try, none work as well as a camera designed to be shoulder mounted.
The problem is not in the design of the shoulder mount, the problem is the position of the components of the camera. The only solution is taking a hacksaw to the camera.
Pretty much in our efforts you end up with two positions for the camera.
Body forward of the shoulder. Problem here is the lens is too low, shots are 'up the nose'
Body on top of the shoulder i.e. base of camera shoulder pad thickness higher than the shoulder. Now the lens is at the correct height. Problem is the viewfinder is too high. You can angle it down and look up into it but your neck will soon give out.

We have used a configuration where the rails drop below the shoulder. This sort of works. The viewfinder is now too far forward to be used. You need handles. You therefore need at least remote zoom and maybe focus control on those handles. You need a lot of counterweight thanks to having to add a monitor. This solution is NOT cheap, we use two big brick batteries for counterweighting. Add up all the Zacuto parts, the remote controls and a 9" TV Logic monitor and you've doubled the cost of the camera.
It's also not very practical, you need a lot of clearance behind you, you've got to be very careful you don't brain someone with the batteries. I think I'd rather go into battle with a 35mm camera on my shoulder than this configuration but it has been used.

No doubt at some time Sony will release a shoulder mount XDCAM EX camera.

I've now got my Hoodman Loupe. Will post my findings separately.

[Bob Grant]

Sorry no pictures. Home alone so the only pictures I could take have already been posted.

Quite a task opening all those clamshell packages.
This is a collection of bits, some of what you're paying for is rendered useless. The quite nice pouch for the original loupe will not hold the complete assembly and the neck strap is also now a waste. Not a big issue as you'd not likely be taking the loupe on and off the camera a lot.

Once assembled the unit works quite well. The diopter adjustment does cause the eyecup to rotate but once you set the diopter you can grip the ring and rotate the eyecup independantly. The attachment band does hold the loupe quite well to the LCD. Everything is well built, no complaints there. Landed cost to me inc freight was pretty high though. Hoodman could use a much smaller box and save us all some freight. None of the agents in AU seemed remotely interested in stocking these and even if they did I doubt it'd be any cheaper than buying directly.

For Piotr, yes it does work OK hand held. Rear left cheek of the camera ends up under my right cheek, EVF tickling my ear, some bracing from shoulder against battery. Right hand holds camera handgrip, left hand on focus ring. Eyecup against my glasses and I can focus loupe with glasses on, yeah. No excessive load on LCD hinge. The only problem is the lens is too low, it's workable but if walk up interviews are your bread and butter not good unless you're pretty tall. In this configuration your arms are carrying the full weight of the camera. Anything more than the basic camera would be tiring unless you're fit and exercise arm muscles.

I would suggest caution using the loupe outdoors. There has to be a very real risk of burning out the LCD if the sun gets focussed through the loupe onto the LCD. This is no new problem unique to this loupe. The sox loupe does avoid this problem but it's not really very practical for hand held. Once you 'fix' the sox loupe to hold it's focus you're back to the same problem.

Hoodman I think could have improved this solution. Sell the unit assembled minus the unneeded bits. I appreciate there's a question of inventory to consider though. The attachment system while functional is still crude. The extension piece could have been replaced by a complete mounting solution that has a 'U' section with a channel so it slides onto the viewfinder into the correct position. This would be much quicker to mount and dismount from the camera and look bit more professional. Perhaps Hoodman did consider this option but couldn't justify the tooling costs.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Bob is correct. As promised, 4 pics of my RR shoulder mount as is, after a long time trial & error testing. As you can see, the camera is almost on top of my shoulder (check its position relative to the shoulder pad). With the matte box and monitor, it's still front heavy (even with considerable counterbalance from the PAG battery, Tekkeon monitor battery, and soon to come NanoFlash on top of them). Not to mention my Letus between the camera and the matte box...

Judging from the relative position of the LCD and the shoulder pad, and using your imagination on where my head/eye would be - can anyone advise whether or not the Hoodman Loupe would fit? I guess it wouldn't - even though I wish it would, thus making the rig free of the monitor (which is now obligatory).

The Manhattan 10.9" HD monitor is great when on the tripod, but not with this shoulder mount arrangement!

[Vincent Oliver]

So much for keeping the EX camera as a portable system, it woulddn't look out of place as the alien space ship in a Star Wars movie.

[Barry J. Weckesser]

Originally Posted by Piotr Wozniacki

Bob is correct. As promised, 4 pics of my RR shoulder mount as is, after a long time trial & error testing. As you can see, the camera is almost on top of my shoulder (check its position relative to the shoulder pad). With the matte box and monitor, it's still front heavy (even with considerable counterbalance from the PAG battery, Tekkeon monitor battery, and soon to come NanoFlash on top of them). Not to mention my Letus between the camera and the matte box...

Judging from the relative position of the LCD and the shoulder pad, and using your imagination on where my head/eye would be - can anyone advise whether or not the Hoodman Loupe would fit? I guess it wouldn't - even though I wish it would, thus making the rig free of the monitor (which is now obligatory).

The Manhattan 10.9" HD monitor is great when on the tripod, but not with this shoulder mount arrangement!

Good Lord Pitor!! How much does all of that weigh?

In answer to your question (and after my test - which did not come close to reporoducing the actual height of the camera with your system) - there is no way the HoodLoupe will work - just too great a distance and tilt.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Originally Posted by Barry J. Weckesser

Good Lord Pitor!! How much does all of that weigh?

In answer to your question (and after my test - which did not come close to reporoducing the actual height of the camera with your system) - there is no way the HoodLoupe will work - just too great a distance and tilt.

So I thought, Barry :)

But I'm still considering the HoodLoupe for my naked-camera, hand-held shootng!

PS. The rig depicted IS heavy, but quite well balanced and actually working...

[Svein Rune Skilnand]

There seems to be quite a few solutions out there but after having read the posts and looked at various websites and the pictures you guys have put up, I must say I agree with Philip that the Protech, albeit pricey, probably is the best solution.

But I must also say that it should be unneccesary to buy these add- ons to such a camera.
I mean, the JVC HM700 is perfect on the shoulder right from the beginning as is the HPX301 by Panasonic.

I am not to happy with having spent so much money on an excellent camera as an EX3, just to buy a lot of accessories to make it work. Then again I should have checked that earlier, but I never thought it would be such an issue.

I like the camera better on a tripod, although it is a bit wiggly.

[Alister Chapman]

Piotr, what kind of shoot do you use a rig like that on? If your going to lug that lot around you'd be better off with a stedicam type device.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Originally Posted by Svein Rune Skilnand

There seems to be quite a few solutions out there but after having read the posts and looked at various websites and the pictures you guys have put up, I must say I agree with Philip that the Protech, albeit pricey, probably is the best solution.

I agree, but what about the EX1 users?

I'd love to have a small, lightweight, unobtrusive device that would allow me to support the rig on my shoulder, while allowing me to use the camera's own handgrip with my right hand, with an LCD extension like the HoodLoupe against my eye, and my left hand free to support the camera and operate its controls at the same time...

I wonder if all this could be achieved with Vortex' VSB3 (the one intended for the EX3), and the Hoodman loupe. Doug, could you try it for us?

PS. Considering its simplicity, the VSB shoulder mounts should be way cheaper, though...

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Originally Posted by Alister Chapman

Piotr, what kind of shoot do you use a rig like that on? If your going to lug that lot around you'd be better off with a stedicam type device.

I agree, Alister. I must admit that if I knew the LCD is useless on this kind of a shoulder mount, and a monitor is essential - I'd think twice before buying the RR shoulder mount (even though it's a very well made, and highly configurable system). I'd also buy a much smaller monitor...

Anyway, to answer your question: 90% of my work is done with a tripod anyway (I do live classic music concerts). It happens quite often that I do an ad-hoc interview with the artist right after recording his performance; those people are usually very busy, and in a hurry - so when there's no chance of a more controlled arrangement, I grab the rig as depicted and do a "standing" short interview. For up to half an hour, no problem for me - and much steadier picture than hand-holding a naked camera! Plus I've got a small fill light, a shotgun, and a matte box for filters as needed (still waiting for the promised IR one from Tiffen, though),

[Vincent Oliver]

Piotr,

Try a monopod it's quick to set up and keeps the camera steady. Better still you can enter a room without losing half the rig on the door frame or poking the second violinist eye out.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Originally Posted by Vincent Oliver

Piotr,

Try a monopod it's quick to set up and keeps the camera steady. Better still you can enter a room without losing half the rig on the door frame or poking the second violinist eye out.

Yes I've been using a monopod for those casual shootings as well - see my photo at vimeo, like here Marcin Dylla plays Rossinina at the Polish Royal Castle in Krakow on Vimeo

:)

[Vincent Oliver]

What superb guitar playing, love the setting too. A few close up shots of fingers would have looked good too.

Be honest here, did he wear a brown shirt or is it a case of IR contamination.

Must dust my violin fingerboard again, I've been inspired.

Thanks

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Originally Posted by Vincent Oliver

What superb guitar playing, love the setting too. A few close up shots of fingers would have looked good too.

Absolutely - there's plenty of close-ups elsewhere on the DVD.

Originally Posted by Vincent Oliver

Be honest here, did he wear a brown shirt or is it a case of IR contamination.

Bingo!

His shirt was black.