Docking the Sony SR-R1 to the Sony F35

V

Viddovation

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It's great to see we now have a proper Sony F35 forum! Hello everybody! I'm truely excited that there's apparently a vibrant community of second hand owner/ops saving these cameras and keeping them working.

I bought my Sony F35 in early January 2013. At about the same time I bought the Sony SR-R1, having determined it had excellent recording capabilities. I got both at amazing prices, and products like the Oddessy hadn't even been announced yet.

Anycase, I went about configuring the recorder to dock with the camera, and I came up with this rig based on a v-lock:

f35.jpg

Unfortunately, pretty as that photo is, the setup had several problems:
1. The vlock just wasn't rock solid sturdy. I never had a failure, but it could get wobbly, and the lock didn't have a nice "click" to confirm it was engaged.
2. It relied on a single battery to power both camera and recorder. The Dionic 90 in that publicity photo is a joke - you needed a Hytron 100 or 140... but even those ultimately proved unreliable to power both items.
3. It was massively back heavy when using small primes.

Moving forward a year, not only have I continued to add to my accessories: an Arri MB20 II, an Arri FF4, new tripod head, etc... but I'm taking a whole new look at docking this recorder to the camera. Here's what v2 looks like:

DSC00978.jpgDSC00980.jpgDSC00981.jpg

It feels like a whole different camera. It now has two battery plates, one for the camera and one for the recorder, the weight can be centered, cable runs can be kept fairly tidy, and it docks. Solid like a rock. It locks down just like the IF box. Here's the backside:
DSC00982.jpg


You lose the top handle, but the L handle works fine. For extended walks, removing the recorder and attaching a top handle plate is pretty fast.

Also, not pictured, but this camera/record config fits in my flight case, docked, no new foam cutting.

As well - if have house power over the 8-pin lemo, you can dock the recorder on the back instead of the top.

Which, if anyone has a DT-500 they want to sell, let me know!


I know some recorders are smaller and lighter than the SR-R1, but the SR-R1 can record pretty much everything the F35 offers (except ramping and Select FPS). It also is probably the only recorder than looks visually like it was meant to dock to the F35.
 
Where did you get the docking attachment? So basically it's a v-mount -> metal plate -> docking mechanism sandwich isn't it? I was thinking about the same thing too except the recorder goes on the back like on the F65 :D
 
dangtienanh said:
Where did you get the docking attachment? So basically it's a v-mount -> metal plate -> docking mechanism sandwich isn't it? I was thinking about the same thing too except the recorder goes on the back like on the F65 :D
Click to expand...

Are you asking about version 1 or version 2?

For version 1, I used an element technica vlock set: http://elementtechnica.mybigcommerce.com/v-lock-assembly-kit/

It also required a machined metal plate attached to the IF Box.


For version 2, I took the metal docking plate off of an IF box (I have two), and then had an aluminum plate machined to connect the SR-R1 to the F35 (IF Box) Dock plate.

You can use something like emachineshop.com or a local machine shop can do the work. I've done both.
 
It was the 2nd one I'm talking about. Did you connect the alum plate directly on to the SR-R1 (bolt-on) or did you have to create some sort of V-mount connection for it? If I don't have a 2nd IF box how easy it is to have one machined? It doesn't look to complex though except I thought it has to be very precise.
 
dangtienanh said:
It was the 2nd one I'm talking about. Did you connect the alum plate directly on to the SR-R1 (bolt-on) or did you have to create some sort of V-mount connection for it? If I don't have a 2nd IF box how easy it is to have one machined? It doesn't look to complex though except I thought it has to be very precise.
Click to expand...

It's bolted into the holes where the foot pads go. No v-mount. 4 M3 bolts.

I supposes the dock plate could be machined - I'd looked into it before remembering I had a spare I could steal.

But... you could likely just order one. The part is available from Sony pro parts, and costs $105. Ends up being a bit more with shipping/tax. But cheaper than the cost of fabricating it as a one off prototype.
 
"I haven't yet acquired a SR-R1 unit myself to fully understand what you did, but by looking at the photo, I guess you 'foot pads' holes are those covered with rubber feet? And the fabricated metal plate you made goes over the V-mount on the back of the SR-R1? So it would be possible to actually remove the plate that has the vmount on it and replace it with another plate that has the docking mechanism attached correct?"


IGNORE THIS :P
 
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Also would you mind letting me know the part number for the dock plate? I've tried finding on Sony pro parts but kinda at a lost as what to fill out in the search box :)



EDIT: this is what I found

309660803 DECK CA JOINT $105

A1259530A

[TD="class: tableData, bgcolor: F2F5F8"]CA CHASSIS SUB ASSY [/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: D5DEE9"]
spacer.gif
[/TD]
[TD="class: tableData, width: 120, bgcolor: F2F5F8"] $12,765.18[/TD]

Just kinda curious what's that CA Chassis Sub Assy is, could be the actual electronic connection. Man but that's expensive!
 
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srr1_2.JPG

The only rear view of the SR-R1 I could find on the net... Turned out my impression has been all wrong :P There is no v-mount mechanism on the back of the unit. And there isn't any plate to remove either. The surface is not flat (?), that kinda explains Viddovation 'umbrella' plate that goes over the whole thing. Anyways, seems like a very neat solution, similar to what Yachacha did to his Hyperdeck.
 
dangtienanh said:

[TD="class: tableData"][/TD]

Just kinda curious what's that CA Chassis Sub Assy is, could be the actual electronic connection. Man but that's expensive!
Click to expand...

The Chassis is the IF Box itself - the shell, if you. And yes, the price is outrageous. You could machine your own for far less.
 
The vmount rail options were designed with the Sony F3 in mind. Also, it's expensive. The solution I'm using will cost you less than $500 total, including the $105 plate from Sony. How much less exactly depends on your machinist, and how accurately you machine your first prototype.

I'm actually working on a v3 that will include internal signal communication - meaning, you dock it, and without attaching any cables it already gets the video signal from the dock. I hope to have this in a month. At that time I'd be willing to sell my v2 plate if anyone wants it.
 
Lemme guess, are you butchering the IF box and building it into the SR-R1? If that's true that's a hell of a project man :D not for the faint of hearts like myself. Still very eager to see how it'd come out though :)
 
More like, I'm taking the guts of the IF box, and putting them into a completely different box, designed to line up with the bottom of the SR-R1. The panel on the bottom of the SR-R1 is intended for access to the clock battery - but I beleive I can use it to route wiring into the SR-R1. Once completed, there should be no external wiring for video in. You would still need external power and any video outs or audio ins.
 
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