FS5: Best way to mount Odyssey?

[SamEdwards]

I'm using a manfrotto hot shoe adapter to mount the Odyssey on top of the FS5 but it adds a lot of wobble when the camera is tripod mounted.
How can you mount the Odyssey lower? On rods?
TIA for your help.
San

 

[Lenilenapi]

That's a lot of weight for a hot shoe. Don't know the FS5 but on the FS7 I have a top plate (Berkey or wooden camera) with lots of places where you can screw in a small israeli arm and mount the 7Q on that. Works well though I've noticed I get a more solid fit if I use a 3/8" screw hole with 3/8 to 1/4 reducer in it and then use an arm with a 1/4" stud. Somehow the reducer seems to make a tighter fit almost like a lock washer.

 

[Mitch Gross]

You can mount the Odyssey7Q+ on rods. Several manufacturers make mounts that will work, including Wooden Camera's Recorder Slide. Some people don't look at the screen all the time so they mount the unit so that it runs parallel along the right side of the camera, which can be useful for an assistant, sound person or producer to see the image. One trick is that the image can be flipped (control in the OLED menu) so that the SDI connectors are along the top. That puts the rear mount near the top and makes it easier to hang the Odyssey.

 

[SamEdwards]

I use the LUTS so the odyssey is my primary monitoring device. The WC unit looks nice, but maybe overkill just to mount lower. Thanks Mitch.

 

[aldolega]

SmallRig has some pretty affordable monitor/EVF-mounting bits and bobs, using either 15mm rods, NATO rails, or Arri Rosettes. You could grab one or two of their FS5 top plates and then build out/down from there, or build upwards from rods or a full baseplate, I believe they just came out with a full FS5 baseplate that has rosettes on either side.

 

[Gene Sung]

EDIT: Sorry, misread your thread, so disregard the info below, but someone else might find it useful.

I use this Ballhead. It's a bit more heavy duty than the light ones, but not quite a bit as the heavier ones. Medium duty. This is attached to the hot shoe on my handle. It's very sturdy and nice because it swivels. Because the 7Q's mounting point is on the back, you need a sturdier ballhead than if the mounting point was on the bottom.

https://www.amazon.com/ePhoto-Profe...=UTF8&qid=1471442087&sr=8-2&keywords=FT6691AH

This one got a little better reviews and would probably work as well

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MGJH5U6/ref=pd_cp_0_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=A96RGST5677Y68SK1RP8

 

[DerekDock]

This is my struggle as well as I got my Odyssey last week. I got a super heavy duty Noga Cine arm that I mount to the Zacuto top plate but the arm weighs so much. I figured it would better to be safe than have the odyssey drop but now I'm looking at other solutions. Balance is also such a big issue when it's on the shoulder.

 

[Gene Sung]

I'm using a manfrotto hot shoe adapter to mount the Odyssey on top of the FS5 but it adds a lot of wobble when the camera is tripod mounted.
How can you mount the Odyssey lower? On rods?
TIA for your help.
San

Hi Sam,

It's a bit hard to envision what you're describing, but could it be something like this (link below)? I did this rig on my FS700, but the theory would work on an FS7 as well. In the picture it's a SmallHD, but I replaced it with the 7Q and hung it so it works kind of like a really large LCD.

You just need a 15mm rod that can access a 1/4 40 threaded insert (I believe SmallRig makes one) which goes into the side of the 7Q.

http://www.builtbyugene.com/blog/blog1_rigs.html

 

[allenfacemire]

You can mount the Odyssey7Q+ on rods. Several manufacturers make mounts that will work, including Wooden Camera's Recorder Slide. Some people don't look at the screen all the time so they mount the unit so that it runs parallel along the right side of the camera, which can be useful for an assistant, sound person or producer to see the image. One trick is that the image can be flipped (control in the OLED menu) so that the SDI connectors are along the top. That puts the rear mount near the top and makes it easier to hang the Odyssey.

I kind of do the same thing but use a short CineArm. In hand held mode I mount it on the dumb side so the producer/director can view. Sometimes I will mount the unit facing towards the back for the same reason. But if I'm in tripod mode, I want to have the 7Q+ all to myself, especially if I have multiple signals coming in. The 7Q+ a dynamite monitor and since I generally work as a two man team, the additional cameras are lock offs so I need to make sure the shots are working and I just like the picture.
I was using a movable friction mount by Extend but it adds weight and can sometimes get in the way. The CineArm works great for me.

 

[JPNola]

Seen this setup?-



Likely not a mounting I would go with personally. But it does keep the weight low and in line with the center of gravity. And rearward weight always helps with the front-heavy Fs7. I know some Field Producers who would love that setup.


When it comes to mounting anything on the camera: Low is good. High is bad.

 

[olof]

Seen this setup?-

View attachment 116024

Likely not a mounting I would go with personally. But it does keep the weight low and in line with the center of gravity. And rearward weight always helps with the front-heavy Fs7. I know some Field Producers who would love that setup.


When it comes to mounting anything on the camera: Low is good. High is bad.

That is only one way to use the mounting system, her are other positions, this is on a 700 but it works well on the FS7 as well or the FS5:








The kit can be ordered here, and photos of the FS7 kit are here as well:
http://www.westsideavstore.com/index.php?p=product&id=102

 

[SamEdwards]

What smallrig parts would I need to attach it to rods? Lightweight is better.

 

[olof]

This is my minimal O7Q+ rig for the FS5. The nice thing about this is it is very light and the Odyssey is always level with the horizon, and has no tendency to unscrew and flop over like with Noga style arms.

 

[allenfacemire]

Seen this setup?-

View attachment 116024

Likely not a mounting I would go with personally. But it does keep the weight low and in line with the center of gravity. And rearward weight always helps with the front-heavy Fs7. I know some Field Producers who would love that setup.

"Totally get it. I can adjust to sit lower and have but in this config I have access to it at the ready.
And while rear mounting is dandy for some, for my using the Extension adapter with brick batts, I need a place to mount my Zaxcom audio link. In my case the read mounting would make my machine a bit too long for me.
No wrong way to mount the 7Q really. It's all about personal needs."

 

[SamEdwards]

Mine is very high, like Olaf's, but it's not as steady on the tripod as I'd like. Something lower would be better.

 

[Mitch Gross]

One trick you can use with Olof's mount is to flip the Odyssey upside down. Use the image flip control in the OLED menu to correct the image. This puts the Odyssey mostly behind the camera with the screen tilted up some, which actually works very well for tripod use. The configuration is not very tall so it's not tippy, and the balance is also improved. Olof's system uses a simple clamp on a rod, so flipping it back over to the configuration shown in his post takes a couple seconds.