RedRock Shoulder Mount or Zacuto's News Man

U

USLatin

Panamaniac
I am planning on getting a Carrion and RedRock Matte Box and Follow Focus.

The question is on what mix of RR and Zacuto parts do we conjure up?

Zacuto
http://www.zacuto.com/zacuto_newsman_package.htm
RR
http://www.redrockmicro.com/assets/images/product/microSM_main_02_lg.jpg
all I see of RedRock shoulder mount is the pictures on their site.. it doesn't look perfectly designed... at least I havent a nicely well assembled rig with it....yet....

Also defenitely getting the Zacuto monitor Arm... and the base plate...

I am very interested in the Zoffset which get's the HVX's LCD and viewfinder smack in front of your face.... then the 1AC can focus on the Carrion.

I also want to use good affordable big batteries in the back to balance

So that leaves me with the RR shoulder mount, 18" CF rails and their handles? That's what kills me, the handles......

I dunno... I want good stuff, solid, but cheap is great too
 
I've already ordered the RR matte box and shoulder mount the day they were released (had a matte box reservation). I have the RR follow focus/rails, Carrion monitor, and AB batteries. I'll be glad to post pictures and let you know how it all fits together and what was needed to complete the package.

If Red Rock's promises hold, should see product before the end of May.

Mark G
www.newmediadevcorp.com
 
ok being the resident Zacuto fan here... I'll give you my two cents.

First on the Redrock... Brian and the RRM boys have made a fine product. I played with it at NAB this year. The bottom of the shoulder pad is actually compatible with Manfrotto mounting plates... no need to attach one! Which is a plus for all those 501HDV and other Manfrotto users. It is a well made product. The whole system is nice. The grips are rubbery and soft.

Second on the Zacuto... Zacuto has a brilliantly configurable design. It's grips are hard but very configurable in terms of position. The newsman system has the Zoffset which allows you to bring your eye right up to the eyepiece of your camera. You already noticed this element.

The real matter comes down to the price you are willing to pay. I will say I love Zacuto and trust their lifetime guaruntee. RRM and Zacuto can mount batteries like you want to do. They both have grips that are great.

So I guess do you want the red pill or the blue pill?
 
Red Pill for me. I already ordered the RR Shouldermount but I hope that I can attach a different plate to the base. Manfrotto? GROSS>
 
Kholi you know Brian shoots with a Manfrotto tripod right?

I was implying that red pill means Zacuto and blue pill means RRM. The color of the pill corresponds to the color of the company's logo?
 
Wouldn't it make more sense to be Red Pill for Redrock? :B

I really hope that you can addapt a different tripod plate to the base. That would suck if you couldn't!
 
Jstunzi... you said that the RR Shoulder Pad is hard like a plate?
About the Zoffset... have you used it? Does it flex at all with heavy rigs?

Here is my list of definitely want to buy (IF):

RR MB
RR FF (but no plate please!)
Zacuto Base Plate
Zamerican with the things you need for it
Carrion B

The rest is up to their quality which we don't know enough about yet
 
Yes, that's why I am getting the Zamerican... cause I know I will want to also...

but maybe you can help me figure out which shoulder pad... you said you didn't know if you could use a different plate? Is the shoulder mount a plate also? Can I use it with the Zacuto main plate?
 
The RRM shoulder pad can mount any plate to the bottom. The Manfrotto adaptability is just a plus. The zoffset is a solid piece. It is indeed sturdy as hell. In terms of flex it has none. I really don't see much flex in my Zacuto gear cept for the clamping pieces like the q-release which does so very slightly.

If you get Zacuto's shoulder pad get the q-release
 
Wow... just for the thread's purpose here is a pic of the piece jstunzi is talking about having a miniscule ammount of play


q_release_w_extra.jpg


I bet you this is something that might come in handy for the future to move the point of support!

So the Zoffset is the shizzle for HVX-220's 200a's andvery likely just as good for the DVX's and 170's!

I am guessing that the 18" CF rails from the Deluxe shoulder pad package from RRM will work perfectly in the back with my rear plate the RRM Power Pod with some sort of batteries... it should be a bit more than I will need to offset the weight of the front... but that should still work out fine... I would have enough rail for most long lenses and a DOF adapret which I will only rent.
The 18" in the back is 4 more inches than the dual 7" Zacuto rails put together to make one 14" that seems will work fine with no DOF and lens. Just look at the studio hanhelfd package they have set up HERE where all they have is the 12" from the Universal plate in the front holding the MM FF camera handles and going to the and the Zoffset then they have the 7" from the Shoulder Pad and the 7" from the Double Plate making a single 14" so I will have 4" more... probably a bit more... but if I can use the 18 in the front, just have some rail go past the MB's swing away arm mount and have the operators face a n inch or two further away from the HVX's LCD...

Now, I am sorry but I am totally not getting how the RRM shoulder pad works... does it have a plate built in or does it need something like the Double mount? DOUBLE MOUNT
 
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oh, and BTW, I want to end up with an hpx like this... but of course with some BLUE too :D

http://www.zacuto.com/1777LG.jpg

what sucks is that you can't use the Zoffset with the cam op on the built in LCD using the Zoffset with the RR shoulder pad

OH! wait.... it has screws for mounting plates too right?
 
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That cam in the pick to me... seems kind of like when guys spend thousands of dollars to pimp out their ford escort. Not sure how practical that is.. and or if there's some personal compensation going on.. lol


Both products look nice.. but that Zacuto stuff should be gold plated for what they overcharge.
 
USLatin said:
I am very interested in the Zoffset which get's the HVX's LCD and viewfinder smack in front of your face.... then the 1AC can focus on the Carrion.
Click to expand...

You really do not want the camera that far forward. You will be supporting half of it's weight with the front shoulder muscle, and you will 'feel the burn'.

A properly set up shoulder rig should have its center of mass over your shoulder itself, or even a little behind it. This loads the collar bone, not the shoulder muscle.

The rig below is still front heavy thanks to the Marshal monitor. It will have a bigger battery and even some lead weight slung out back to bring the nose of the camera up.

ShoulderMnt.1.gif
 
I guess you totally missed the posts were I talked about the batteries in the far back... that is what balances the rig and it frees up the monitor for the 1AC and producer, director, or DP to share
 
Okay... no more will I be posting from my iPhone. I finally got back to my computer. The Redrockmicro shoulder pad has the rails built right in.
microSM_main_02_lg.jpg


Both systems have their own unique way or enabling the center of balance to be at (or more specific under) the camera.

USLatin, the Zoffset is a really nice piece! Keep in mind however that Zacuto rails are threaded enabling them to expand and what not. Redrockmicro rails currently are not threaded, but they do offer CF now. What else can I answer to make your decision easier. I've played with both systems.
 
Yes, 18" and CF ones too... so with the Zoffset I can use the RRM rails on the Universal plate, FF and MB... at the butt end onf the RRM rails across the Zoffset I could put the 12" Aluminum Zacuto with the RRM Micro able to take the Zamerican also I am getting three pack of the RRM little mounts... that way I can mount the Carrion elswere along the rails.
 
you can pretty much mount a Zamerican whereever. the RRM little mounts will not accept the Zamerican ... just clarifying.

What shoulder pad are you planning on using?
 
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