shoulder support ex-1

[Steve Wargo]

I went to NAB looking for 4 things, one of them being a shoulder support for our EX-1 rental cameras. The only one tat qualified was the RedRock Micro unit. The bad thing is: There’s a 3 month waiting list for those

Steve Wargo
Tempe, Arizona
It’s a dry heat!

Sony HDCAM F-900 & HDW-2000/1 deck
5 Final Cut (not quite PRO) systems
Sony HVR-M25 HDV deck
2-Sony EX-1 HD .

[Lawrence Robbin]

Thanks for info Steve. I’ll check out your suggestion.The only other one I found was the VSB1 Video Camera Shoulder Brace. Maybe it’s fine but it looks awkward.

Lawrence Robbin
San Jose, CA 95136
408. 265. 0684
Cell: 408. 646. 3041
Web site: https://members.aol.com/lrobbin1/index.html

LR

[Lawrence Robbin]

Thanks for info Steve. I’ll check out your suggestion.The only other one I found was the VSB1 Video Camera Shoulder Brace. Maybe it’s fine but it looks awkward.

Lawrence Robbin
San Jose, CA 95136
408. 265. 0684
Cell: 408. 646. 3041
Web site: https://members.aol.com/lrobbin1/index.html

LR

[Michael Slowe]

If you have seen the Vortex Media double DVD workshop on the EX1 you will have seen a shoulder brace used there. I forget the name but it looked really good and I meant to investigate, I think I will now because my hand and wrist is wearing out holding this great camera!

Michael Slowe

[Bruce Schultz]

I bought a PAG Orbiter shoulder mount and I’m quite happy with the way it works with the EX1. I also bought a zoom control and attached it to the right hand grip so that the camera could be zoomed without letting go of either grip. When focusing is required, it’s easy to let go of the left grip to grasp and turn the focus ring. I use this rig when the shot requires an eye-level shot similar to a normal shoulder height shot you would get with a larger F900 or DigiBeta camcorder.

At around $700 it’s not the cheapest one out there, but the range of motion it allows is better than any of the less expensive units I’ve tried and eliminated as either too cumbersome or restrictive.

I also occaisionally use a unit called CamHandle for camera stability. This unit gives you one grip on the left side of the camera which helps stabilize and level the camera since it notoriously likes to drift downward on the right. Removing your hand from this grip to focus is problematic though – so I only use it when the shot does not require any re-focusing as I’ve found that with the 1/2 inch chips giving you less depth of field – the autofocus feature is nearly useless as it constantly searches and therefore changes focus during a shot.

Bruce Schultz
Primetime Digital, Inc.
F900R / EX-1
IATSE 600 – Los Angeles based

[Lawrence Robbin]

Havent seen the Vortex Media double DVD workshop on the EX1… think I will take a chance on the red rock micro support system. got my fingers crossed.

LR

[Ron Shook]

Steve,

[Steve Wargo] “The only one tat qualified was the RedRock Micro unit.”

What do you mean by “qualified?” Did none of the units from Varizoom or DVTEC “qualify?”

Ron Shook
Shoulder-High Eye Productions
CreativeCOW Forum Host for Discreet edit*

[Steve Wargo]

[Ron Shook] “What do you mean by “qualified?”

Manhandling cameras is what I’ve done for 25 years. The RedRock was the only one that felt stable, had a professionally machined base system and had the versatility to be configured in a few configurations. The handle mounts were flexible in how and where they mount. The locking levers were splined correctly and had a nice feel that won’t dig into your fingers (compared to the garbage locking devices that are sold by the RED camera people). The color is properly applied to the aluminum and everything is finished.

Before video, I was a journeyman machinist and steel fabricator. IMHO (Actually, not too humble)

Steve Wargo
Tempe, Arizona
It’s a dry heat!

Sony HDCAM F-900 & HDW-2000/1 deck
5 Final Cut (not quite PRO) systems
Sony HVR-M25 HDV deck
2-Sony EX-1 HD .

[Ron Shook]

Steve,

[Steve Wargo] “Manhandling cameras is what I’ve done for 25 years. The RedRock was the only one that felt stable, had a professionally machined base system and had the versatility to be configured in a few configurations. The handle mounts were flexible in how and where they mount. The locking levers were splined correctly and had a nice feel that won’t dig into your fingers (compared to the garbage locking devices that are sold by the RED camera people). The color is properly applied to the aluminum and everything is finished.”

Hmmm, OK. Was this company at NAB?

https://www.dvtec.tv/index.html

The particular reason I ask is that if I get one of these devices, I’d definitely want one that has a support arm that puts most of the weight of everthing on my hips, not my arms.

[Steve Wargo] “Before video, I was a journeyman machinist and steel fabricator. IMHO (Actually, not too humble)”

Ha, I gave up using the H in that acronym a long time ago, figuring I never meant it anyhow. I’d rather be willing to admit to my mistakes than pretend humility. (g)

Ron Shook
Shoulder-High Eye Productions
CreativeCOW Forum Host for Discreet edit*

[Ken Hon]

Aloha Ron,

We bought the DVTec DVrig Pro HD and I like it. It’s certainly not sleek, but we bought it to hang a gyro off of for boat and helicopter use. I couldn’t find a better inexpensive setup that would take our gyro. It’s nice because we can put the big old gyro battery in the counterweight position on the shoulder pad and it offsets the camera and gyro weight pretty well. Just from photos, I think the PAG orbiter may have a better support stick setup, but I haven’t used the one with the DVTec unit yet.

All that said, I can certainly see why Steve likes the Red Rock unit. It’s sleek, simple, and robust–all pretty important if you are renting it out. We can afford to be a lot more fault tolerant as no one else uses our gear.

The other major player is Zacuto, but these are pretty complex sets of components (and appear easy to lose pieces if you are renting them out) and cost 3-4 times what the competitors do. You would have to be using these a lot more than we do to make the investment worthwhile.

Aloha,

Ken