Cinevate's 5D rig, now with XY adjust

[Dennis Wood]

We just finished testing with a very simple part (add-on) upon request from a few shooters which allows centering the viewfinder in front of the shooter's eyes. The part will be added to Cinevates DSLR shoot kit in about 5 days. If you've already got our kit, the parts are 100% retrograde friendly. Here's what it does:

1. Allows left or right shoulder mounting with offset adjustable from zero to six inches.
2. Tooless removal of the entire shoulder mount component in seconds for folks using either our Pegasus LTS systems, tripod or steadicam.
3. Adds another 3 inches of adjustment of the 5D (at any offset) vertically.
4. Allows locking the rig at any angle, including continuous pivot up or down while maintaining shoulder position. This feature allows allows folding the rig up for car travel.
5. Allows rearward rails use at any angle. This permits using our upcoming 12V battery supply as a nearly perfect 5D counterweight tucked against your back.

Best part, it only adds about $45 to the kit A video going over the kit (and we're not showing you the XY kit yet) is here: http://www.cinevate.com/website/index.php/cinevatevideouniversity/ entitled "5D on Roids". Additionally we're shooting a comprehensive video in a few weeks with the Stillmotion crew showing the 5D being used on Steadicam, Pegasus LTS, tripod and hand held/shoulder mounted..all using the same rig.

Cheers,
Dennis.

 

[Humanoid Typhoon]

Can't wait to see the vid with the SM crew. Keep us updated please .

 

[booggerg2]

Hi Dennis... Maybe it was only obvious to me and a few select others who had DIY rigs with offset positioning of the 5D2... Why wasn't the Cinevate rig originally designed to have the camera offset? Was just an oversight? I also noticed this problem with RedRock Micro's rig.. I think Zacuto was the only one with its initial offering to be properly designed with the offset. I mean you guys are masters at this yet overlooked this obvious design requirement? Now it's a $45 upgrade? I understand this upgrade includes other new features as well but the offset mount is such a fundamental requirement for shoulder shooting with the 5D2.

 

[Jackson Miller]

This and a few other things kept me from buying this rig.

 

[Toenis]

.. I think Zacuto was the only one with its initial offering to be properly designed with the offset. I mean you guys are masters at this yet overlooked this obvious design requirement? Now it's a $45 upgrade? I understand this upgrade includes other new features as well but the offset mount is such a fundamental requirement for shoulder shooting with the 5D2.

Cavision, the oldest and cheapest of rig makers have always been offering their shoulder mounts with offset - I can't see how on earth any other manufacturer hasn't noticed that in 5 years or so ...

 

[booggerg2]

Cavision, the oldest and cheapest of rig makers have always been offering their shoulder mounts with offset - I can't see how on earth any other manufacturer hasn't noticed that in 5 years or so ...

Well it's not that a rig manufacture would have needed to see Cavision's offset examples to realize the need for it. It is so blatantly obvious that offset is required for the 5D because the LCD screen is directly on the back of the camera body. Testing with any prototype (heck, even without testing a prototype I would have been able to appreciate the need for offset) without offset would have made this requirement obvious.

 

[Dennis Wood]

The reason we didn't have it is simply because prior to NAB09, few asked! I don't recall a single request to this effect on the video side of things likely as the back of the camera body would end up in your face. I did spend about 16 hours on the weekend shooting video with the 5D on our Proteus rig in an effort to fine tune a solution that would satisfy all of our requirements for the mod. Somewhere around 5am Sunday morning the final epiphany hit followed by a few hours of solid modeling..and 3 hour meeting at the machine shop. The parts were in my hand the next day The system retains our Proteus rear rails mount which to me is 100% essential for rear counter-weight (unless you've got monster pipes!). I used our 12V brick running down my back all weekend which allows you to stand with your hands off the grips if you're brave

Btw, a few folks asked us for hard stops for the Durus FF at NAB too. We sorted out a very simple, effective part...and they're being annodized likely as I type this Ask and ye shall receive.