Any advice for attaching Smallhd DP6 onto Canon 5D for a minimal handheld rig

[jbklynnyc]

Hello everyone,

I like my SmallHd DP6 and often mount it to my 5D on a hotshoe ball mount. But I want something sturdier, and I would like to place a small shotgun mic in the hotshoe. Any advice?

I don't want to go the route of a full shoulder rig. I'm comfortable handholding the camera and / or using it on a monopod.

I was thinking of getting a DSLR plate, two short rods, and attached the DP6 to the rear of the camera, which would work toward balancing the weight of, say, the 5D and a 35mm 1.4. Is this the way to go?

Many thanks for any help you can provide.

 

[Shawnvfx]

go get a kessler K-plate http://www.kesslercrane.com/product-p/k-plate.htm, although its heavy but the quick release system is so much better than anythingelse on the market, if you have 1k to change all of your quick release systems, I recommand this along with kiwi baseplate. you can build a small rig around it. and it has the screw on the side, go get a RAM mount

order 2 of these (http://www.rammount.com/CatalogResu...d/082065077045066045050051055085/Default.aspx)
and 1 of these (http://www.rammount.com/CatalogResu...65077045066045050048049085045065/Default.aspx)

then you build something like this


similar system as the image shown below, but I say its future proof and you can build a rig in the future if you need it .


OR, get Cinevate simplis baseplate (it has screws on the side you can mount anything to it with a short arm like this http://www.cinevate.com/store2/universal-accessory-mount.html#sthash.5HQ9uSYy.dpbs) this is RAM brand, Cinevate just reselling for double its price, you can get it from RAM's website for half the price.



http://www.cinevate.com/store2/camera-support/camera-rigs/simplis-plate.html#sthash.AfEO20Tw.dpbs

good thing is it takes manfrotto plate and it can adjust width to fit any other baseplate

but ! this baseplate lock gets loosen from time to time, you need a flower shape screw driver always on you , and it takes 10 mins to fix it.

 

[Michael Carter]

I've tried all kinds of iterations of this with a similar sized Marshall - I still find you can't beat a loupe. For handheld, the loupe really tightens up your shots since you're pressing it to your head.

Anyone have trouble focusing their eyes on a monitor that close? (I use those drugstore reading glasses).

I'm curious - to handhold a rig like this, what are you actually holding onto? Just the sides of the body? That got too jello-ish for me very quickly...

 

[yoclay]

I've tried all kinds of iterations of this with a similar sized Marshall - I still find you can't beat a loupe. For handheld, the loupe really tightens up your shots since you're pressing it to your head.

Anyone have trouble focusing their eyes on a monitor that close? (I use those drugstore reading glasses).

I'm curious - to handhold a rig like this, what are you actually holding onto? Just the sides of the body? That got too jello-ish for me very quickly...

If you use the neckstrap trick, (pulling it taught) you will find that it tremendously stabilizes the shot. This can actually at times create a floaty steadicam feeling.

 

[joema]

I've tried all kinds of iterations of this with a similar sized Marshall - I still find you can't beat a loupe. For handheld, the loupe really tightens up your shots since you're pressing it to your head....

I have the exact same experience. For a minimal "rig", you can't beat the camera, a loupe or EVF, and small shotgun mic. The EVF/Loupe provides another point of contact which greatly stabilizes the shot, plus makes focusing easier. It also works in bright sunlight, which can be hard with a field monitor.

The camera only has one hot shoe, so to mount both shotgun mic and EVF you need a simple bracket to hold one of them. Even something this basic will work: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=918053&Q=&is=REG&A=details

I have a Zacuto Cross Fire rig, but I use the above basic "rig less" configuration more frequently.

One reason is switching between 24-105 f/4 and 70-200 f/2.8 typically requires different mounting methods -- if using a rig. With shorter lenses you mount the camera base, for longer lenses you mount the lens adapter ring. It's a hassle to switch. Using the EVF for additional stability I can simply hand-hold shorter shots, which expedites lens switching. This mostly requires optically stabilized lenses.

 

[jbklynnyc]

Great thread. Thanks for sharing.


I've been using a Novoflex flash bracket and the camera's hot shoe.


I'd like to move the DP6 to the rear of the camera to counterweight the lens weight in front.


I agree a loupe or evf are great solutions. But I prefer the "both eyes open" approach. I like to fully see what's going on around me while I'm shooting, and I can do that better with a monitor. I use a velcro'ed hoodman hood on bright days. Works well, and it's not as large as the unwieldy native hood that smallhd sells, which is more like a sail.


I'm going to test out the cinevate baseplate and the redrock dslr baseplate with two short rails out the back to hold the monitor.


Would love to investigate the Zacuto but it's out of my price range and I think for small footprint shooting the redrock baseplate is a better solution. But this is just a guess-- will report back after I've tested. Thanks.