Red Rock Micro Deluxe and the EX1R

[Fred Davis]

Has anyone used a Red Rock Micro Deluxe Shoulder Mount with the EX1R? What are your thoughts? Is there any other options for stabilization like the Red Rock?

[Olof Ekbergh]

You could check out my shoulder brace system for the EX1:

Westside A V Studios WEB Store

[Les Wilson]

Some shoulder mounts have handles and some don't. There's a difference and you need to decide which you want. The problem with the handle design is that your hands are removed from the camera so controlling it is a problem. Adding a lens controller (for the EX) puts zoom and record on your thumb but that's about it. But if all you need is to compose/record, then that design may serve you.

A variation on the two handle design is the one handle design that at least gives you left hand access to camera controls.

On the other hand, designs that keep your hands on the camera such as the one from Westside A/V, have the obvious advantage of giving you access to all the normal other camera controls.

These are the basic design issues. I have two handle and no-handle rigs and use them as appropriate. YMMV.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Very well put, Les!

I'm using both the RR shoulder mount and Olof's rig, though in a slightly different configuration than depicted in his post above (with the "small" shoulder pad). Each has its uses in different scenarios...

The RR is based around the rails, so sooner or later you will think what the heck, and add the mattebox to it. Also, the EX1 seats quite high on it, so that it's difficult to use its own LCD (though possible, especially with the Hoodman loupe). So, the next thing you do is mount a field monitor to the rig! By now, it's already large and heavy, but also quite unbalanced with most goodies at the front....So inevitably, you would add some large battery behind the camera, in order to balance the whole ring on your shoulder! This is how I use it, and can tell you it's close to 15 kgs...

On the other hand, Olof's rig is the lightest and most compact solution imaginable, and allows to use the EX1 with nanoFlash without any fatigue for a long time (works best with that additional weight of the nanoFlash at the back, and with the Hoodman loupe). It can also be mounted directly on the RR shoulder mount, or on the tripod, without removing a single thing. What's more, it can fit a medium sized bag without any problems...

As you can see from what Les wrote about the difference in your ability to use your hands for controlling the camera, and from my own summary of other differences - each solution has its pros and cons. The choice is yours.

[Fred Davis]

Do you guys have photo of your configurations

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Fred,

I've posted quite a lot of my rigs' pictures in this forum, so wouldn't like to use the space with more. But you can take a look at one of them here:

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/sony-xdc...ml#post1509253

The beauty of this monster is its modularity: I can use it on the tripod as shown, or take the whole RR rig from it and use it on my shoulder (when I need the mattebox and feel strong enough on a given day), or just pick the camera with Olof's reinforcing plate, nanoFlash wing, and the small shoulder pad...