Here is my DIY figrig solution...it rocks

bballplaya283 said:
So if I buy a bogen 501 or 503 and get the Manfrotto 577 quick-release plate, is that all I need to be able to quick release back and fourth between the tripod and my DIY figrig?
Click to expand...

Yes, I think that's the tripod release system you will need to add on the figrig.
 
Kdawg said:
Here is a pic of mine. It has a walnut platform with a $3 window sash routed in for the quick release mount.

Fig.jpg
Click to expand...

The window sash may cost $3, but the router is a lot more!! Also handling one is not an easy task.

Interesting thing that you used a wood platform (also routed) as camera base. That is a real DIY job!


Isn't it a bit tiring holding your setup, with that weight on the base?
 
Last edited:
The foam material you used is also interesting, probably similar to the self-sticking tape I found here.

Now I would like to find something to put over the foam. A friend suggested a tape used on tennis rackets, but I found it to be a bit expensive.

Perhaps something designed for car steering-wheels might be an option. Something that will prevent hand-sweat.
 
Yes definately diy. I happen to do woodworking so I have the tools to accomplish this. Well it gets a bit heavy after a few minutes. But I dont stand there and hold it long. It sits by my side till I am ready, otherwise I put it on the tripod.

I didnt fill the tubes with anything. I was wondering what the purpose of that was.
 
Carlos_E._Martinez said:
I miss something: who's selling what?
Click to expand...

I was talking to this guy, who no doubt has a quality product despite its dubious marketability.

jsinicropi said:
Why not just use the real deal, http://www.sinivision.com/photo/quickbaseuniversal/index.htm
Click to expand...

EDIT: Ah but I misunderstood--he does not in fact sell any variant of the Fig Rig, just a way to mount the rig to a tripod. I question the neccessity of this as well but I'm sure some would find it useful.
 
Kdawg said:
Yes definately diy. I happen to do woodworking so I have the tools to accomplish this.
Click to expand...

Good for your woodworking. I almost bought a router once, but to use it only for my speaker boxes.

Well it gets a bit heavy after a few minutes. But I dont stand there and hold it long. It sits by my side till I am ready, otherwise I put it on the tripod.
Click to expand...

I mean heavy to hold it during the shooting. Using a weight on the base I think is fine for the center of gravity being down below, which helps stabilizing. But just enough not to make it heavy for longer handling.

I didnt fill the tubes with anything. I was wondering what the purpose of that was.
Click to expand...

Filling the tubes is good for damping them when you handle the camera. Even more if the microphone support is on the tubes instead of the camera. The question is what to use and still keep weight down.
 
Carlos, won't a shock mount isolate the microphone enough? Especially if you have the thing wrapped in padded tape?
 
jmc said:
Carlos, won't a shock mount isolate the microphone enough? Especially if you have the thing wrapped in padded tape?
Click to expand...

It probably would, but I am not too sure.

In any case there have been some advances on mine, which I expect to finish tonight.

1) Found bike foam handles. Very effective. Fit just in the longer tubes, which should be the ones to hold it from. They seem to do a good job.

2) There some pop-up points that I intend to fix with screws, so I can disassemble the rig and, eventually, fill in with something.

When I get back from my three-day shooting I will try to bring a total report, and possibly put some photos here.
 
Ok, my DYI fig rig was a disaster. Maybe my DIY skills suck, LOL. I purchased some sort of black pvc (i think) piping, 3/4" diameter, sold in a coil (i.e. rolled). I then cut it, and attempted to join into a circle with a little plug that slips into either end and has 'teeth' that keep it from pulling out. All was going well, or so I thought, when suddenly, the piping "crimped" at two places - I guess too much stress on it from bending it into the circle. After it "crimped" in those spots, it became totally flimsy and useless, and it doesn't seem that it will "uncrimp".

Sorry for my vocabulary - not sure what the proper terms for this are! Anyway, after this fiasco, I thought maybe I should shoot for one that is more octagonal like some of the designs here. Or maybe I used the wrong type of piping? Another idea just occurred to me - is there any reason it needs to be circular as opposed to, say, rectangular? It might not look as cool, and it might not be "fig rig DIY" so much if it wasn't circular, but would a square or rectangle do the job? I know, I know, it would be UGLY - but I'm not so concerned about looks at the moment.

Another idea crossed my mind - I'm thinking of trying to mount both my DVX and a little capture camera in the middle of this thing, so that I can strut around w/ my rig and capture to my cheap capture camera's heads. Anyone tried anything like that?

Cheers, Steve
 
Thanks for the heads up, Citizen. I'll have to watch out for that. What diameter were you trying to make it?
citizenjournalist said:
Another idea crossed my mind - I'm thinking of trying to mount both my DVX and a little capture camera in the middle of this thing, so that I can strut around w/ my rig and capture to my cheap capture camera's heads. Anyone tried anything like that?

Cheers, Steve
Click to expand...
I don't understand why you want to do that. Won't that affect your image quality?
 
capture cameras

capture cameras

jmc said:
Thanks for the heads up, Citizen. I'll have to watch out for that. What diameter were you trying to make it?
I don't understand why you want to do that. Won't that affect your image quality?
Click to expand...

Diameter was probably circa 19", but to tell you the truth I just eyeballed it. As for your second question - I'm a complete newbie so probably I have a misunderstanding of capture cameras and what the purpose of them is... I was under the impression it was to save the heads on the DVX - maybe they are used only for playback/rewind but not record? I don't want to do anything that adversely affects my image quality, for certain.

Thx, Steve
 
Steve you are right in that capture cams are used to dump your DVX shot tapes to your computer instead of using the DVX for playback/FF/RW etc.
 
matt s. said:
Steve you are right in that capture cams are used to dump your DVX shot tapes to your computer instead of using the DVX for playback/FF/RW etc.
Click to expand...

That's good to know, thank goodness I have this forum for all the stupid misconceptions I have, LOL. So, if I captured (i.e. recorded) to the cheap camera, any idea just how much quality loss would occur? I guess that might depend on the quality of the capture camera used - mine is a cheapo, for sure. I guess the name "capture" confused me, as I figured it meant capturing (recording) video... anyway, i guess this isn't a fig rig topic. Back to the fig rig - if capture cams aren't used to record, then I certainly won't be mounting my capture cam in the middle of my DIY fig-like-rig!
 
Steve, I took regular pvc pipe to make the circle. I heated it up little by little with a butane torch, and bent it around a 45 lb olympic weight. That is about the size of my steering wheel, so I figured wth and it worked. I used a bucket of water and a rag as soon as I got the shape, I cooled it off. Then cut the excess on the ends I was using to hold on to. Very stiff and sturdy fig rig that way.
 
Kdawg said:
Steve, I took regular pvc pipe to make the circle. I heated it up little by little with a butane torch, and bent it around a 45 lb olympic weight. That is about the size of my steering wheel, so I figured wth and it worked. I used a bucket of water and a rag as soon as I got the shape, I cooled it off. Then cut the excess on the ends I was using to hold on to. Very stiff and sturdy fig rig that way.
Click to expand...

Kdawg,

I've been seriously considering the same approach you took. In my mind, it seems like the lightest/strongest way to approach it, apart from using machined aluminum. I do have a question for you though: Why did you choose to use a flat bottom? Was this a limitation of the procedure, or did you specifically intend on using a flat bottom from the get go?

Eric
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top