FS7: Balancing an FS7 - a year down the line

moldcad said:
]Unless you men keeping the Vocas plate and OEM arm/grip, but simply replacing the left handle assembly with the 2 Smallrig parts you posted pictures of? This may sound like an idea - thanks![/B]
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Trying to pick the right Smallrig handle to the Vocas plate rosette - the Vocas plate is said to have "Arri-style" rosette(s), while the several Smallrig handles available do not seem to use Arri rosettes. Please advise will they fit? Thanks

Piotr

PS. Apart from the rosette systems compatibility between Vocas and Smallrig, I'm also a bit concerned with the length of the arm and handle: the one from Vocas which aligns nicely with the FS7 arm as per the picture I posted above) is 150mm plus 100mm plus the wooden grip; the Smallrig arm is just 120mm. What do you think? I mean, both handles should be roughly of the same length/angle for comfortable and secure/stable shooting, shouldn't they...
 
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Could someone answer my above questions, please? I'd like to go with the Vocas plate, but SmallRig handle - and just recived the following answer from SmallRig support:

"As for your question: is the Smallrig rosette (28mm; see pic) compatible with Vocas plate’s rosette?
Could you please kindly send me some detailed and clear picture of Vocas plate’s rosette, so that we can check if it fit well."

So it looks like my concern about the rosette matching between Vocas and SmallRig has been a valid one... Please share your experience; thanks

Piotr
 

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Here's what I have done to balance the FS7 - most parts are Zacuto but I am a huge fan of the wooden grips. Allows me to set the camera down flat and not worry about it tipping over, and doesn't require me to adjust the handgrip when going to sticks. The wood grips have a start/stop button on them which is all I really need anyways.

The new Zacuto VCT plate is a nice improvement over the old one, but in my opinion is not worth the price they are going for now vs used older versions. 15069107_10154815501724797_7963660471294184818_o (2).jpg14990981_10154815501544797_1883603968136620505_o.jpg15003240_10154815501554797_313475835619774841_o.jpg
 
broughtonfilm said:
I don't know Vocas diameter but it should not matter as long as the center screw thread is the same.
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OK, so I finally got the confirmation from Vocas that their FS7 Base Plate rosette is standard ARRI rosette ( 31.8mm ), with the M6 center hole. Smallrig says their handle which has Smallrig rosette (28mm) will NOT fit; do you agree guys? or - should the Smallrig also have M6 thread hole - the difference in outside diameter shouldn't matter?

Piotr
 
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SmallRig Rosette is definitely not 18mm in diameter. Maybe it refers to the diameter of where the rosette begins (going from the center hole). Didn't you post a picture of Small Rig Rosette with 28mm diameter? Such small difference does not matter as long as the "rosetted" parts of the rosettes overlap reasonably. Not to mention that this is what SmallRig claims now:

SMALLRIG-ARRI-Style-Rosette-1589_03.jpg
 
OK, so they do have handles with both rosette types (28 and 31.8mm), but arms are currently only fitted with the smaller rosette type (28mm). I appreciate very much the honesty of SmallRig Support who told me NOT to buy one of those arms, as the connection with 31.8mm Vocas rosette would not work (this is what the said - perhaps the difference is not just in the outer diameter, but also the pitch?).... Anyway, next month they will start shipping handles with the full 31.8mm Arri-style rosettes, so I've been told to wait...

Piotr
 
ARRI standard rosettes are Hirth tooth gears with 60 serrations at 60 degrees. 28mm rosettes that are made to that spec will mesh with 32mm rosettes. That said there are rosettes out there that do not mesh with others, off hand I can't recall exaclty which ones they are. Piotr I woud not be concerned - chances are you'll be fine. Vocas is solid and so is SR, they should fit fine. If the worst happens you may have to swap one out. It always pays to do your homework but It's difficult / sometimes imposible to predetermine every detail when interfacing from different manufacturers. It comes down to old fashioned testing.
 
Thanks Caleb - as I said however, a very nice guy from SmallRig support says those 28mm ones will not fit with Vocas' (have no idea why exactly), and says handles with full Arri rosettes are out in March, so I guess I'll wait.

The more so that in the meantime I came across handle solution from Shape. They offer complete rigs , plus the extension to partially replace the FS7 original control arm. It's neat in that you can change the length and angle of both handles on the fly, and even collapse them facing rearwards on the tripod...

I'm trying however to get just the left handle and the right extension, and combine them with the new (MK ii) Vocas Base Plate as this sits lower on the shoulder than the more universal in shape, Shape bottom plate (pun unintended :)). Asked CVP, but get a feeling they'd not sell the Shape handle "solo" as they do not have it even listed separately.

What do you guys think: should I be doing my best (including finding another dealer if CVP are unwilling to sell just the left handle to me; perhaps even buy direct from Shape) to assemble the lower-profile Vocas plate with those two Shape arms, or will the slightly higher Shape plate (complete with both Shape handles, of course) be good enough ?

Piotr

PS. The funny thing is I never was going to use my FS7 permanently attached to a shoulder rig - but my purchase of Shogun, followed naturally by XDCA and V-lock batteries, made the rig so heavy (while better balanced at the same time) that getting a rig now seems almost essential... One thing worries me a bit: with the right extension arm, the Sony control grip will go outside instead of what I was planning with Caleb's solution: to move it inside so that it support the bulk weight of the rig directly from the bottom. I hope though that with the left arm also present, this will become much less important.... Opinions?

PPS. One of the advanced features of Shape baseplate is that you can adjust the level of front 15mm rods up/down several mm, thus making it compatible with any mattebox out there. But does it mean that with fixed rail position on the Vocas, a particular mattebox might not fit (in terms of its lens opening concentricity with the camera lens)? Could it happen with a renowned mattebox brand?!!
 

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Two handles are basically essential to allow you to put the camera on the ground.

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Rosettes.
Another little confusion is the thread. Mainly 1/4 whit (camera thread) but in some intances like the side of the fs7 m6.
Generally swapping out screws bolts is trivial.
 
Piotr do you ever actually get away from your computer /house and shoot anything.. :).. relax a bit.. stop worrying about gear..deep breath.. grab the camera open door.. press record .. have fun.. !
 
Why do you think I never get away from the computer? Man, I've got so much to do - I'm actually rarely near it... Never switch it off, though, so probably always logged. Anyway, I asked a very valid question whether the adjustment in rails height (available with the Shape plate, but not the Vocas) might indeed be important - but instead of answering constructively, people started arguing how it's better to put the FS7 on the ground when it's only one handle... Why is it me again who is being mocked at? Cheers

Piotr
 
Piotr I am suspicious the Small rig person told you wrong.I have got absolutely terrible communication from SR - language? Translation? Inexperience? No idea but Ive bought a lot of SR rosettes and they are ARRI standard- to the point that they are 60/60 which is all that really matters. Vocas rosettes must be 60/60 so I would tend to discount the SR rep on this. SR fits ALEXA perfectly. Vocas is not using a rosette that does not pair with ARRI.
 
OK guys - so I have made my choice, and am buying:

- Vocas base plate MK II (for it will give me the lowest CoG) of the rig)
- Shape right arm extender (for original Sony telescopic arm)
- Shape left telescopic arm with wooden handgrip

This is all very costly, so I'm having a really difficult time trying to pick the right version of the VC_14 adapter. Of course, probably the easiest would be to buy the original Sony one, but I am really stretching my budget so I have a question:

- have a very good offer for a VCT-14 (not the U14) equivalent, the Secced VCT-18 adapter. The only info I've found is that it' all-metal like the VCT-14, and terribly heavy at 1.4 kg. PLEASE advice urgently - anyone heard anything about the latter one? TIA

Piotr
 
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The reason I'm asking you guys for advise on this specific VCT-14 adapter replacement from Secced vs. the Sony original is that - having invested like crazy recently - the price difference between the two is really meaningful in my limited budget. So please, refrain from the usual comments like "the original will always be better than a cheap Chinese copy" or "you get what you're paying for"; I'm simply hoping that some of you actually have personal experience or read about the Secced products - who knows, perhaps this particular replacement is not much worse from the original? And the retailer I'm buying all the other parts from can either sell the Secced VCT-18 or the original Sony VCT-14, with nothing in between... TIA

Piotr
 
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