Steve Kahn
Well-known member
Those rods don't look long enough for a matte box and follow focus.
Will 40cm rods be the sweet spot for most applications?
Will 40cm rods be the sweet spot for most applications?
Affordable Rods and support
- Thread starter swanny
- Start date
Melvin Harris
Black Flag Member
They are tough rails, but again, you need an allen wrench to adjust them and they strip easily. I love them on my GH13, but they are an epic fail on anything else, plus you really have to work solutions to keep the front riser from scratching stuff, etc. I dig them, but I wish I would have made a different purchase.
You get what you pay for.
You get what you pay for.
Melvin Harris
Black Flag Member
they aren't.
Steve Kahn
Well-known member
Pharpsied, what is the best solution? I still have no idea which ones to buy.
jdesignhi
Well-known member
I just received my set of these Cavision rails. As I do not need any support for my Nikon F lenses, I'll simply remove the lens support bracket.
And, when you talk about price/quality ratio, my Cavision follow focus unit (their part no. RFD15S) is way up there: inexpensive, sturdily made, smooth in operation.
kylekmd
Well-known member
Same here, I removed the lens support bracket...
AND there's definitely enough room for my advanced mini FF (the RFD15SM) and my Genus Matte box with Nun's nickers on this support system.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/626642-REG/Cavision_RFD15SM_RFD15SM_Advanced_Mini.html
Not sure what to say in response to the other comments above, but this rod/support rig works great!
Also use these QUICK SNAP gears--they are magnetic--and use Cine pitch (0.8). Save LOTS of time.
http://www.indisystem.com/products/snap_gears
Last edited:
Melvin Harris
Black Flag Member
Precisely, there are work arounds to get what's needed from this. What if you go long lens? What if you use a heavier lens (my canon FD 85mm 1.2l is a little heavy and makes me nervous on an adapter without support)? Truthfully, you can get a system like this for less than $199 but for a little bit more, you can get gear that just works. That's all I'm saying.
Melvin Harris
Black Flag Member
Honestly, it depends on your immediate budget, your willingness to admit you made a short term choice, and your ability to then buy what you should have gotten in the first place. :smile:
I bought those rails, now I am looking for a better system. Don't make my mistake
So...
I am leaning toward Zacuto because I saw it used with the camera I plan to get and have seen it used on all of the cameras I currently own. It will allow me to adapt it rather than buy a new kit. Now, I know that other companies have other options (I love the idea behind the Raptor system from Letus), and I know that it's pricey, but that initial cost will give ME the personal convenience I need to work efficiently and quickly, and that will help me to make the money back.
Last edited:
Starshine Video
Well-known member
This is what I have, the Zacuto Universal Baseplate. It is great, I have used this with everything from a DVX to a 7d to a HD110 and even a Krasnagorsk-3 16mm camera. It is a top quality piece of kit and will last a lifetime.
Melvin Harris
Black Flag Member
There we go...
Steve Kahn
Well-known member
bgundu
Veteran
There are different type of rods. Carbon fiber, solid steel, or hollow aluminium. Some allow to have extensions if needed. This is handy but typically require the extension to be from the same brand. As for how long you need them, that depends on how you plan to use the camera. Some rigs like this one from cinevate, don't have the the rods go much behind the camera because it sits in front of your chest.
but, if you where the whole rig on your shoulder, like Zacutos, the rods will be much longer.
but, if you where the whole rig on your shoulder, like Zacutos, the rods will be much longer.
RyanDeFranco
Active member
CPM Film Tools makes excellent products. Never scratched, never bent, very, very sturdy, not too heavy.
Whatever you do, don't buy the Zacuto shoulder pad. It might seem decent if it's all you've ever used--and it is, in fact, decent--but as soon as you try a real solution, the Zacuto feels like a ridiculous hunk of plastic. For a cheap option, the Video Innovators shoulder rest is unbelievably sturdy, very comfortable, and perfectly suited to mounting a rail system...
... for the more endowed, Vocas makes what is probably the world's most balanced, comfortable, classic wood and metal shoulder mount. Great matte boxes too.
Don't get me wrong, the other zacuto mounting options (and Z-finder etc.) are great. It's just that insanely expensive hunk of rubber that barely conforms to your shoulder.... that's just a joke. I also don't like that many of their "sniper" "tactician" etc $2,000 packages can't be set down on a table and built or adjusted properly. That's what I like about the VI package... the chest piece immediately folds back so I can set camera down / lock it to my hip for low angle in seconds.
Whatever you do, don't buy the Zacuto shoulder pad. It might seem decent if it's all you've ever used--and it is, in fact, decent--but as soon as you try a real solution, the Zacuto feels like a ridiculous hunk of plastic. For a cheap option, the Video Innovators shoulder rest is unbelievably sturdy, very comfortable, and perfectly suited to mounting a rail system...
... for the more endowed, Vocas makes what is probably the world's most balanced, comfortable, classic wood and metal shoulder mount. Great matte boxes too.
Don't get me wrong, the other zacuto mounting options (and Z-finder etc.) are great. It's just that insanely expensive hunk of rubber that barely conforms to your shoulder.... that's just a joke. I also don't like that many of their "sniper" "tactician" etc $2,000 packages can't be set down on a table and built or adjusted properly. That's what I like about the VI package... the chest piece immediately folds back so I can set camera down / lock it to my hip for low angle in seconds.
RyanDeFranco
Active member
CPM Film Tools makes excellent products. Never scratched, never bent, very, very sturdy, not too heavy.
Whatever you do, don't buy the Zacuto shoulder pad. It might seem decent if it's all you've ever used--and it is, in fact, decent--but as soon as you try a real solution, the Zacuto feels ridiculous. For a cheap option, the Video Innovators shoulder rest is unbelievably sturdy, very comfortable, and perfectly suited to mounting a rail system...
... for the more endowed, Vocas makes what is probably the world's most balanced, comfortable, classic wood and metal shoulder mount. Great matte boxes too.
Don't get me wrong, the other zacuto mounting options (and Z-finder etc.) are great. It's just that insanely expensive hunk of rubber that barely conforms to your shoulder.... that's just a joke. I also don't like that many of their "sniper" "tactician" etc $2,000 packages can't be set down on a table and built or adjusted properly. That's what I like about the VI package... the chest piece immediately folds back so I can set camera down / lock it to my hip for low angle in seconds.
Whatever you do, don't buy the Zacuto shoulder pad. It might seem decent if it's all you've ever used--and it is, in fact, decent--but as soon as you try a real solution, the Zacuto feels ridiculous. For a cheap option, the Video Innovators shoulder rest is unbelievably sturdy, very comfortable, and perfectly suited to mounting a rail system...
... for the more endowed, Vocas makes what is probably the world's most balanced, comfortable, classic wood and metal shoulder mount. Great matte boxes too.
Don't get me wrong, the other zacuto mounting options (and Z-finder etc.) are great. It's just that insanely expensive hunk of rubber that barely conforms to your shoulder.... that's just a joke. I also don't like that many of their "sniper" "tactician" etc $2,000 packages can't be set down on a table and built or adjusted properly. That's what I like about the VI package... the chest piece immediately folds back so I can set camera down / lock it to my hip for low angle in seconds.
Personally, I've decided to go with the Cinevate system. I'm getting essentially what you see pictured above by bgundu, but with longer rails, 2 of the Uno grips, and Titan 4x2 matte box, and I'm going to try adding a Varizoom Riglits Shock Absorbing Body Mount Kit to it as well. I'm getting another smaller rig for the GH2 too. Not exactly "affordable", but it's great stuff and at least adaptable to other camera setups in the future.
CPM Camera Rigs
DVXuser Sponsor
Funny you should mention it. Jan was kind enough to send us some dimensioned drawings of the AF100. We are currently making up a 3D proto type of the camera to better test what gear will work with the camera and what new gear will need to be designed. It is our intension to make some AF specific items to go with our gear and a non functional proto type of the camera will go a long way in helping the design process. We want to use some of the existing camera attachment points and of course the overall scale of the camera is important. The main thing is we want the rig to compliment the camera, not be a generic "Throw the pieces at the camera and hope it sticks" type of design.
Steve
I would like to know as well. Particularly I will be using Zeiss ZF lenses with my AF100. The heaviest and longest is the 100mm macro.
RyanDeFranco
Active member
I have never felt the need for lens support with my heavy Zeiss lenses on the GH-1, and given that the AF-100 isn't coming out of the consumer division at Panasonic, I expect the AF-100 mount is as strong or even stronger. I've never felt the slightest bit of flex or tension even with my Contax (even heavier than ZF) 60mm Macro at it's full (nearly 6" long) position.
That said, a lens support ain't a bad idea if you're going to get a full studio rig and shoot with it all the time. Especially if you can afford to shoot with cinema glass (I usually can't). The one thing I would recommend is don't buy cheap.... the gear rings I bought from CineCity are amazing, but the riser (similar design to lens support) is very cheap/stiff and locks up on the rods. So something along the Zacuto, Shoot35 etc line is probably the safest future-proof bet.
That said, a lens support ain't a bad idea if you're going to get a full studio rig and shoot with it all the time. Especially if you can afford to shoot with cinema glass (I usually can't). The one thing I would recommend is don't buy cheap.... the gear rings I bought from CineCity are amazing, but the riser (similar design to lens support) is very cheap/stiff and locks up on the rods. So something along the Zacuto, Shoot35 etc line is probably the safest future-proof bet.