AF100 Rig Advice Needed!

I don't know if you'd consider it "similarly" priced, but the Lumix 20mm f/1.7 has a good reputation. Probably not any easier to pull focus, though, since it's a little bitty pancake as well.

- Greg
 
That is definantly a great lens! I will use that in the kit instead. The only downside is that it will equate to about 40mm, a bit less standard of a focal lengh whereas I would have liked a 25mm a bit more. This lens should still be fine though.
 
Do you think that bag will hold the camera + rails? i'm looking for a bag that can fit my AF100 when it's still on the shoulder mount...
 
You still have not said what you are actually going to be doing, working solo or with crew, and what gear you might already own, which would help in determining equipment choices.

But if it were me, I'd take the $2400 you were going to spend on the Manfrotto head/sticks, Genus shoulder mount, Dfocus, Matte Box, and Lumix 20mm f1.7, and spend it elsewhere. To start, drop the cheap follow focus and matte box which are pretty worthless with the 2 lenses you will have, the 20mm & 14-140mm. Get a follow focus and matte box when you really need them. Extra Power!!! Nothing says I'm a shlump bigger than showing up for a shoot with a single battery that runs out and ruins the day. Extra cards!!! Running out of storage is almost as bad as running out of power. Fluid head/tripod & Case!!! Get a higher quality unit that will work with all your cameras & last a lifetime, not a few years. You can save money here by purchasing used. I would also look at investing in a lens mount adapter, in the mount of your choice, which would open up the world of low cost-high quality still lens options for your camera.

Just my thoughts without knowing how the camera is going to be used.

All the Best!

Dave
 
I'm not sure what you're thinking, but I already have 2 extra memory cards on the list (all I will need at one time for my plans). The camera also includes an extra battery free, but I will add another one. The FF and MB are just fine for my plans and the FF is amazing for the price (just look at any review on it). Just because a FF doesn't cost 1k doesn't mean it sucks. The Manfrotto is also an amazing tripod according to the reviews I have seen on it. I'm not sure why you say it isn't high quality. Also if you had payed closer attention, you would see I have (Essential) next to some items to show what I will get to boot, the rest I will buy when I actually need it.

In terms of what I already have, nothing. This is a startup rig so of course I can't get the highest quality stuff, you act like I have 20k to blow on all this.

For what I will be using this for, I am going to be doing a lot of video work for my school, I can't say exactly the style though, but the rig I have listed will suffice.
 
Sorry, just trying to save you some cash, a few hard knocks, and be helpful by giving advice based on my 35 years of experience in the field, and as someone who has had the opportunity to use the gear you have listed.

I think you are also reading things into my posts which aren't there. For example... My reasoning for ditching the matte box & follow focus at this point was because the 14-140mm lens which comes with the camera extends dramatically, and fitting a focus gear, follow focus, and matte box together in the limited space provided on the 20mm f1.7 pancake lens is mute.

All the Best!

Dave
 
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ryansworld10 said:
I'm not sure what you're thinking, but I already have 2 extra memory cards on the list (all I will need at one time for my plans). The camera also includes an extra battery free, but I will add another one. The FF and MB are just fine for my plans and the FF is amazing for the price (just look at any review on it). Just because a FF doesn't cost 1k doesn't mean it sucks. The Manfrotto is also an amazing tripod according to the reviews I have seen on it. I'm not sure why you say it isn't high quality. Also if you had payed closer attention, you would see I have (Essential) next to some items to show what I will get to boot, the rest I will buy when I actually need it.

In terms of what I already have, nothing. This is a startup rig so of course I can't get the highest quality stuff, you act like I have 20k to blow on all this.

For what I will be using this for, I am going to be doing a lot of video work for my school, I can't say exactly the style though, but the rig I have listed will suffice.
Click to expand...

David is just trying to give a helping hand. I would refrain from being so defense with his guidance.

I have a D|Focus unit (Just sold with my CPM Film Tools Rig) and it's a good unit for starting out, however if you are serious about this spend the money upfront (If available!). It will really save you time later in the long run. Also as an FYI the Manfrotto head (Just sold my 504 with 546B sticks) is not a 'bad unit'. However if you are serious there is quite a difference between it and a much higher end product. I currently own a Sachtler FSB8 and let me just give you some advice it's worth the extra money. I would even suggest the cheaper 'Ace' unit ($500ish?) over anything in it's ballpark. Seriously there is a difference!

I'm taking the time to back up David's statements since I just went through the process of selling off my other equipment to 'Upgrade' to things. We are trying to save you from this trouble as...well it's a minor annoyance :)

That's not to say some less expensive items aren't good or quality. It's to say if you are really in this for the long haul make the investment now. The clients wil pay for it 10 fold and well more than that hopefully!

So don't take this as an attack on your list and what you can possibly do now. Take it as guidance from some people (David and others) who have done this for quite some time. And have made previous mistakes and are now doing the correct thing the second time around (Me! Haha).

So with that all wrapped up. A quality tripod and head, it's a staple for what you are going to do. Ugly pans won't be saved in post or by an amazing lens or whatever kit mind you.

Sorry for the lecture I just feel very close to this subject since i've done this before and would want to give this advice that I didn't receive on my first go around. Just trying to help seriously it would have been nice to know before!
 
ProAim makes cheap, low-quality knockoffs with coarse-tolerance machining. It's futile to spend $950 on a Genus shoulder rig, only to shortchange yourself with the gear you mount on it.
 
I recommend you to buy a nice tripod and maybe a NTG3 instead of cheap gears you listed. Don't buy cheap gears. They never work properly.
Here is the list of cheap stuff you don't need.

Manfrotto 504HD Head w/546B 2-Stage Aluminum Tripod System
PROAIM MB-600 Matte Box Without Rail System 4:3 & 16:9 ASPECT RATIO
D|Focus V3
Rode NTG-2 - Shotgun Microphone Basic Kit
Genus GL GVCSMK Video Shoulder Mount
 
Ok I get the idea that most of this stuff isn't amazing, but lets put things in perspective, shall we? My final build price is already a bit over my budget as it is, and this will mostly be used to do work for my school. I'm not trying to go shoot a movie with this. Now that things are in perspective, please only make a suggestion if you are going to offer a similarly priced alternative (with links).

Thank you
 
Ryan, if I can put things in perspective here -- the advice and opinions are coming pretty fast and furious in this thread and some of them probably seem a little hostile toward your choices. I'm pretty sure nobody means it personally. Everyone is trying to offer their best advice based on their own experience, and sometimes those notions conflict with each other and with your own best ideas about how to proceed. So I'd say keep on your own course and try to listen through the "noise" for the best and most consistent of the ideas being expressed here. As I read the thread -- and this isn't necessarily exactly the advice I would give you myself -- I note two consistent concerns:

1) There is not a lot of love out there for the Manfrotto tripod. Most people think you would be better off with a used Vinten, Miller, Sachtler or Libec that won't be too far out of the same price range.

2) The use of a matte box and follow focus is questionable with the lenses you'll be starting out with, and for many kinds of videography they're not necessary or appropriate at all. And the units you've chosen may be so cheap and frustrating that they'll be more trouble than they're worth.

The rest of the points are all fairly debatable, but these two themes seem to keep coming up. I think you'll probably do OK whatever you choose, but each of us has a budget and the goal is to get the best "bang for the buck" within the amount of dollars we have to spend. I think it would be reasonable to forego the MB/FF and put the money saved toward a little nicer tripod. (IMHO, the Manfrotto is actually not all that terrible; I own a slightly older model myself and have used many others, and I think it's a little clumsy to transport and set up but works OK once you get it squared away. But I also have a Sachtler, and the difference between them is pretty much like night and day.)

BTW, just to let you know that a youngin' can teach an old dog new tricks, I started looking closely at the Genus rig after reading your thread, and I'm kind of lusting after one myself now. There are some other things ahead of it on the wish list, but I appreciate your pointing it out to me.

- Greg
 
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Sachtler Ace $535: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/822102-REG/Sachtler_1001_Ace_Fluid_Head_with.html

Will hold 8.8lb's the AF100 is 2.9lbs (as listed on the specs sheet from B&H)

So depending on what you will be mounting to the AF100 you should be within the weight limit.

I've seen a review of this product and it seems to do quite well in the price range. I believe it's not rivaled in that price range actually from what I hear.

*On a side note you can always go up to the FSB6/FSB8 as well if you want a system with more weight tolerances and other perks. Note there is a price difference and sometimes quite significant depending on model number you are looking at.
 
stancemedia said:
Sachtler Ace $535: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/822102-REG/Sachtler_1001_Ace_Fluid_Head_with.html

Will hold 8.8lb's the AF100 is 2.9lbs (as listed on the specs sheet from B&H)

So depending on what you will be mounting to the AF100 you should be within the weight limit.

I've seen a review of this product and it seems to do quite well in the price range. I believe it's not rivaled in that price range actually from what I hear.

*On a side note you can always go up to the FSB6/FSB8 as well if you want a system with more weight tolerances and other perks. Note there is a price difference and sometimes quite significant depending on model number you are looking at.
Click to expand...

That looks like an excellent tripod! I have added it to the rig.
 
Ryan, people are giving you advice straight and to the point, try not to get defensive about any critiques they offer about your choices (you did ask for advice).

The Sachtler Ace does look good (on paper), but it's not available for at least another month, so it may not be the best option depending on when you need a tripod. Also, there have only been a few "first impression" reviews of a preproduction model, so you may want to budget $200-300 more in case it doesn't live up to the hype. A Libec RS-250 is an incredibly smooth tripod on nice sticks and can handle 13lbs of weight. A Sachtler FSB-4 has a good reputation, and the sticks look better than the Ace IMHO.

As others have said, drop the mattebox and the follow focus, especially since they're mostly useless for the 20mm lens you'll be using. The dfocus may work, but since the lens is focus by wire, marks on the FF may not be all that useful. Here's some info to look into regarding using the dfocus with the 20mm.

If you think you need something to avoid flare, then start with a $5 lens hood from eBay. It'll do a great job for a fraction of the price of that Proaim mattebox. It'll probably last longer too...

You haven't really said what you'll be shooting, but several have already suggested getting more memory cards, and I would recommend this as well. Even if you only need 1-2 for what you'll be shooting, flash memory (just like any recording medium) can and will become corrupted and unusable at the worse possible moment. Get a few extra cards and a good case to protect them in. They're so cheap, it doesn't make sense not to get several cards, even if only for backup.

This Pelican SD card case is great for ~$20-25.

Also, get more batteries. 1-2 extra at least for the same reason as extra memory (redundancy), or if you'll be shooting in a studio, get an AC adapter.

Save a bit on the articulating arm: $40 (same thing, probably even cheaper elsewhere)

The Genus rig certainly does look quite svelte in the pics, but I'd rather pay less than half that on a Gini rig and get something that's more ergonomic and will stay comfortable for longer periods of shooting. One of the best things about Gini rigs is that the handles are longer, which allows you to lower your elbows more into your body, reducing fatigue. In addition, the ball joint on the handles allows you to articulate the handle so that your wrists are in a neutral position (as opposed to twisting your wrists to hold the handles on most rigs). These 2 features make Gini rigs (and more expensive Zacuto rigs) a lot more comfortable than other rigs out there.

I don't have any experience with Domke, but have used Porta Brace bags for ENG cameras professionally for over a decade. Top notch quality. The CS-DC3R appears to have more interior space than the Domke you listed, and at $144 is also cheaper, so it might be worth a look.
 
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I will drop the mattebox until I get a lens that would work well with a MB. I will keep the D|Fcous and work around the small lens issue (I mainly want the FF for the kit lens). I will also look into all the other suggestions you gave me. I will update the build list again when I get home.
 
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