FS7: Another Baseplate/Shoulder pad/Rig thread for FS7 thread

Had a great Skype conversation with Olof at Westside AV about the fact that I found the pad on his FS7 rig uncomfortable. Turns out what's uncomfortable to me is great for Olof and many of his customers. The great thing is he is committed to trying a couple of different methods to make it work for me.
Rare customer service and a lot of fun to talk.

Results will be posted.
 
A few bad iPhone shots of FS7 on Chrosziel baseplate with XDCA back and Tokina 11-16 on Commlite.

I really like the Chrosziel. Just installed it so need to move the pad a bit for balance. But despite what Sony tells me, I find it far easier with baseplate. Also mounted the arm on the Chrosziel rosette and that gives a little more reach.

Ned


Chrosziel2.jpgChrosziel3.jpgChroszielBasePlate1.jpg
 
Spoke too soon on the Chrosziel baseplate. Looks great in the photos above. We had it on a shoot today. I was not operating, but the camera operator had camera on his shoulder with the Sony arm attached to the Chrosziel rosette. Rosette broke off and he made a superbowl like catch to prevent camera from falling on a wooden floor in a museum. Pulled the hand grip connector out of the socket and bent the mini plug slightly (no problem, still works) and in catching the camera knocked off the VF loupe, which now has loosened.

I'll give Schneider Optics (US distributor of Chrosziel) a shout.

Cannot figure out how that rosette attaches. There are no screws. Small central threaded bolt which looks like it was held just by compression. I'll keep you posted on what Schneider says about it.

Ned
 
Here's how I'm mounting the 7Q onto a Wooden Camera Nato Handle with a custom D-Tap made by Olof from Westside AV powering both the camera and the 7Q. This is probably as light and sturdy a setup you can get with the 7Q. I barely notice it's there on my shoulder. I got the 7Q mounting bracket off E-Bay for really cheaper. I think it was $15 or something like that.

It's great for Run and Gun and also on a tripod.

View attachment 97074
 
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The answer to my Chrosziel issues--
1) The plate was designed only to fit a VCT14 plate, not a TM700 plate
2) The unit shipped to me for evaluation was pre-production and apparently they neglected to put the screws in the rosettes. They are sending a set of screws. Guess that explains why it came apart. Glad no real damage to the camera. Hate dealing with insurance companies.

Ned Soltz
 
snapper said:
Where did you pick up this plate? What did it run?
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That, and others like it, won't allow any sort of shoulder balance in the least and long days of hand-held will seriously kill your arms and your shooting ability for that project. If you dont have a pad that's under the lens mount area (generally) you are wasting your time and throwing money in the trash.
 
nsoltz said:
A few bad iPhone shots of FS7 on Chrosziel baseplate with XDCA back and Tokina 11-16 on Commlite.

I really like the Chrosziel. Just installed it so need to move the pad a bit for balance. But despite what Sony tells me, I find it far easier with baseplate. Also mounted the arm on the Chrosziel rosette and that gives a little more reach.

Ned
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This is 100% useless, with all due respect. If you use this in a professional environment you will end up in serious trouble. It may be fine for a few minutes here and there but that pad is WAY off from where it needs to be.

For any of you who don't do this stuff often, here is a piece of pro advice for you:

Any camera that is being set up for handheld use MUST be able to sit on your shoulder with NO support of any kind from your arms in testing for balance. The balance point MUST be directly over your shoulder, no exceptions. If you dont follow this, you are killing yourself, your shoot and making yourself look about as expereinced as a first year cinematography student. It amazes me how many people on these forums make life hell for no reason other than ego.
 
VinceinLA said:
This is 100% useless, with all due respect. If you use this in a professional environment you will end up in serious trouble. It may be fine for a few minutes here and there but that pad is WAY off from where it needs to be.

For any of you who don't do this stuff often, here is a piece of pro advice for you:

Any camera that is being set up for handheld use MUST be able to sit on your shoulder with NO support of any kind from your arms in testing for balance. The balance point MUST be directly over your shoulder, no exceptions. If you dont follow this, you are killing yourself, your shoot and making yourself look about as expereinced as a first year cinematography student. It amazes me how many people on these forums make life hell for no reason other than ego.
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It's not as easy as you might think. Without any weight on the back of the camera yes it would be better to have the lens mount right above your shoulder but that makes the camera difficult to operate when you try to reach buttons on the camera body and adjust the lens. With the extension unit I think the placement of the stock pad works fine.

The biggest issue to me is not the center of gravity but the hand grip that's to far right to be used any length of time. I solved this by moving the grip position in line with the camera.

So anyway you do it there will be compromises and it's up to each shooter to find the best solution.
 
Yup, while everyone is entitled to an opinion, the form factor of the FS7 and configuration options mean camera balance plus the ability to use a follow focus is a constantly shifting target. No call for telling people they are Looking like amateurs as they try to make it work for them.

Also lest we forget the camera is only around 2kg anyway. It's not like you have an epic and cabrio punishing your spine.
 
VinceinLA said:
This is 100% useless, with all due respect. If you use this in a professional environment you will end up in serious trouble. It may be fine for a few minutes here and there but that pad is WAY off from where it needs to be.

For any of you who don't do this stuff often, here is a piece of pro advice for you:

Any camera that is being set up for handheld use MUST be able to sit on your shoulder with NO support of any kind from your arms in testing for balance. The balance point MUST be directly over your shoulder, no exceptions. If you dont follow this, you are killing yourself, your shoot and making yourself look about as expereinced as a first year cinematography student. It amazes me how many people on these forums make life hell for no reason other than ego.
Click to expand...

Yeah, seriously, no reason to call others amateurs. This camera is so light that I have no problem using no rig at all. Everyone is different and for myself, the camera is not always on my shoulders as I like to cradle it as well, so no big rigs for me unless it's sitting on the shoulder all day or maybe a bigger set job.
 
Ben Scott said:
Yup, while everyone is entitled to an opinion, the form factor of the FS7 and configuration options mean camera balance plus the ability to use a follow focus is a constantly shifting target. No call for telling people they are Looking like amateurs as they try to make it work for them.

Also lest we forget the camera is only around 2kg anyway. It's not like you have an epic and cabrio punishing your spine.
Click to expand...

With the 28-135 lens and a BPU-90 it's about 5Kg and that's without the plate and the extension.
 
Guys,

I'm using my FS7 without any additional support so far and like it as it is for doco work.
I need to use it on my shoulder for some time and then switch to the camera being pushed to my chest
and then taken for a walk on the handgrip and then on my shoulder again and then on sticks and...

Everybody uses this camera in a different way. What's wrong with that?
The FS7 is not a shoulder camera in the 1st place, it's a lightweight camera that can be extended to a
shoulder camera with the back, huge v-mounts and additional shoulder support.
I like it for being so small and versatile ans delivering F5'ish images without the need for additional support.
 
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