dslr rig comparison

Its not just photos or even drawings of products that are missing from various MFG's product descriptions. For instance how about something simple like thread information for tripod mounting? I have half a dozen various HDSLR support rigs in front of me on their various websites and can't find the simple info on what sort of screw thread the various systems take on 50% of them.

As for writing the various folks and asking for more info or pictures... I have been trying that and the normal response I get is "Look at our website" I even had one company tell me they could not answer my question via email and would have to send it snail mail...Which for me at the moment is a hassle as I am sailing in the Caribbean so it involves a mail forewarder and my having to be at a certain place as well as the fun that is Caribbean mail...So what did they send? A printout of their WEBSITE! For me to have that info snaiil mailed to me cost me $35...

My take is that customer service of the selling kind in this section of the industry is akin to the evolutionary level of fishing with clubs...

On the other hand one must give credit where credit is due as the damning with faint praise or serious slagging of other peoples gear is pretty well advanced overall. folks might not be able to tell you whether the thread is 3/8" or 1/4" but thay can certainly tell you that the other guys stuff really sucks.

Bob
R.L.Wise SOC
 
I am a professional shooting with a GH1, and not a professional shooting with a RED. So that makes me a low-budget professional, right? :cry:
If I was Maurice from Cannes with a RED I would purchase your rig right away. But I am just René from Auxerre and to me it just doesn't make sense to buy a $700 rig for a $1200 camera especially because I also need to invest in lenses and other hardware.
Then I take your word for it that your product is the best quality but I refuse to believe that there is $700 worth material in it. And if you would price it drastically lower you would sell much more copies of it and you would make it much less interesting for copy cats to duplicate it and sell it on e-bay.

Illya Friedman said:
My equipment is still a fraction of the cost of some other brands, and I can say with out question that mine has the highest build quality. That may not matter to you, but it matters to a lot of professionals, especially business that rent equipment to major productions, and those people need to be certain that the equipment will not fail.

I have several more testimonials I'll be posting over the next few weeks, so you don't have to take my word for it.
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LooseMoose said:
Its not just photos or even drawings of products that are missing from various MFG's product descriptions. For instance how about something simple like thread information for tripod mounting? I have half a dozen various HDSLR support rigs in front of me on their various websites and can't find the simple info on what sort of screw thread the various systems take on 50% of them.
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Well I'm glad you're not referring to my company- Clearly listed at the bottom of every product description is "Hot Rod Central Support with (11x) 1/4” tripod mounts (1x) 3/8” tripod mount and 15mm lightweight (mini)-rod adapter."

LooseMoose said:
As for writing the various folks and asking for more info or pictures... I have been trying that and the normal response I get is "Look at our website" I even had one company tell me they could not answer my question via email and would have to send it snail mail...Which for me at the moment is a hassle as I am sailing in the Caribbean so it involves a mail forewarder and my having to be at a certain place as well as the fun that is Caribbean mail...So what did they send? A printout of their WEBSITE! For me to have that info snaiil mailed to me cost me $35...

My take is that customer service of the selling kind in this section of the industry is akin to the evolutionary level of fishing with clubs...
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That's appallingly bad service! I humbly suggest that you do not patronize companies and products that get basic service so wrong. I don't/won't.
 
RieniO said:
Then I take your word for it that your product is the best quality but I refuse to believe that there is $700 worth material in it. And if you would price it drastically lower you would sell much more copies of it and you would make it much less interesting for copy cats to duplicate it and sell it on e-bay.
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It's true it's not $700 worth of materials, but total cost to manufacturer is close. The cost of materials, labor to precision machine parts, anodizing and QC/QA means my profit margin is very, very slim. My profit margin is a much smaller % than the cheap-o systems and overseas sand cast stuff found on ebay.

I understand if you don't have money to spend, it just means that perhaps my product isn't for you. Believe me when I say how incredibly difficult it was to find ways to get the prices as low as I did. I had to build a system that is affordable to most people and still be capable of supporting lenses that cost more than a new Lexus convertible safely and securely.

There are plenty of ways to make a cheap product- that part is easy. It's much more difficult to make something precise that can hold up to the abuse of professional production, there is a reason professional rental houses only stock certain brands, the others don't cut it in the rental world- which is the vast majority of professional production.

If someone just wants something cheap, there are usually a number of options for mechanical parts- I'm not trying to compete with that stuff. Heck, you can go with the DIY hardware store method if cheapest is what you're into. You can never show up on a professional set with one of those- but that's not a concern for the people building those things.

Back when I was in film school (a long time ago now) I would be the first to run to the hardware store and attempt to cobble together something that would take the place of a piece of equipment I thought I could duplicate. Before there was "the internet" I made a Skate Wheel Dolly, Jib Arm and a Steadicam (vest, arm and sled) in my garage from an external frame back pack, aluminum tubing and gate springs. When I added the time, effort and materials I put into the project I realized I had saved about $7000 over buying the lowest end equivalent product made by CP (the first company to own the Steadicam brand)

After months invested in trial and error of my 'steadicam', I finally had something that worked- yes! But it was ugly as hell and I would have been laughed off the set if I had ever managed to land a gig is a steadicam operator, and showed up with that thing. It was a great educational experience for me but I was under no illusions that what I had built could take the place of something that a professional would use.

Every company out there making products for this market has been selling widgets longer than I have. But I've been in this business for the last 16-years and I'm trying to do something different with Hot Rod Cameras. There are several other (larger) players selling products that have a similar function to my support system from about the same price to hundred (or thousands) of dollars more, and I'll gladly put my build quality up next to any of them.

There are also those that are selling extremely low-end products, for nothing- the reason is because they cost nothing to produce. And of course they'll sell a lot, because the target customer is much less discerning. I personally know Dave from D|Focus, and his follow focus at $99 is awesome, it's made of two angle irons, plastic and delrin and works with lenses that have no focus ring resistance, which means the $99 rig isn't stong enough to turn the focus gear on ANY professional lens (zeiss/cooke..etc), but the people who are buying it aren't doing that. They're hobbyists and the product is designed for those people. It's amazing that he can build and sell something for that amount of money (I'm sure he has a much higher profit margin than I do too). Dave doesn't claim for one second that the quality of what he's selling is anywhere near an Arri, Chrosziel or a Cinetech follow focus, and I don't think he believes they'll be using his follow focus on the next Transformers movie either.

In this new era of filmmaking it's quite common to find a camera that costs less than the tripod that holds it or the lens that's strapped to the front- and that's the way it should be- when cameras are becoming nearly disposable as manufacturers consistently out-do themselves with new models inside a 12-month period (and sometimes much less). Tripods and lenses should be built to last- and I think the same about the hand held supports. You'll want to hang on to those and just upgrade your camera, not all the other pieces that go with the body. It's a much safer investment than any camera these days.

I've been receiving thank you letters from customers telling me how happy they are to receive a quality products, so something tells me that I'm doing the right thing- I'm sorry if you believe my prices are too high, but I won't compromise quality, and as long as I'm running this company I'm not planning on ever changing that standard. If anything, I expect my prices to go up if I can justify the expense/quality ratio.
 
Illya, I just wanted to say that I appreciate you taking the time to respond to posts in this thread. It's fantastic to see someone representing a business spend so much time replying to non-customer posts with such clarity and respect instead of just saying, "Sorry, it's not for you". I admire your commitment to quality, and wish you the best of luck.
 
Tripod base, rails and lens gears from Shoot35. Follow focus, grip rods and handles from Red Rock Micro. Will replace the right grip rod with a 4" instead of the 8" that's there now. Manfrotto 323 quick lock both for camera on top and tripod attachment. Looking at various matte box options. Currently have Cokin P series snap-on holder and filters. Very easy to hand hold this setup and pull focus. Using the EVF mostly.

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I just received my 361. How do I attach it to GH1? The mounting screw is too big for GH1. I was hoping to take it on my trip tomorrow but can't figure this out. I don't have any instruction for it.
Thanks

Martti Ekstrand said:
As a lucky coincidence I just got delivery of a Manfrotto 361 which is intended as a shoulder / chest brace for monopods but it works very well on it's own with the GH1. I simply prop it against the shoulder and the camera is much more steady at once. The circular plate spins and the front part tilts so it's very flexible to both position and quick to pan / tilt with. Quality feels good enough and price is low so if I wear it out I won't be sorry to buy another.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...Bogen_Imaging_361_361_Shoulder_Brace_for.html
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Steadicam Jr. anyone?
2009-08-07%2017.34.27.jpg
 
For the Cavision Rig. If you remove the hand grips and the shoulder mount I can use the rod system an attach a quick release baseplate to put on a tripod right?
 
Jean Dantes said:
What would you guys go for between the "indiRailspro DSLRsm" and the "Redrock Micro Shoulder Mount + DSLR baseplate"?

Do you guys think the Redrock gear is worth the extra money?

And what is the point of the "DSLR baseplate"? The GH1 won't sit on the Redrock Micro Shoulder Mount without the DSLR baseplate?
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You can get a Bogen quick release setup at B&H to attach to the redrock shoulder mount so it doesn't block your battery door. I have three of these quick release plates and they rock for switching between stuff.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/554151-REG/Manfrotto_by_Bogen_Imaging_357_357_Pro_Quick_Release.html
 
jamesc said:
My original purpose for this post was to find a shoulder system that would support a mattebox/follow focus, not to compare the lightest stabilization options. There are several shooting situations where adding 2lbs is negligible for me. But if weight were a concern, I would agree with you that a gunstock would be optimal and the Zacuto would be a great choice.

I think I chose a poor thread title for my original purpose, which I don't think I can change. I'll update the first post to add in gun-stock options as well.
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If you have shot with bigger 2/3" cameras then you know how nice it is to have a balanced weighted configuration. The weight adds stabilization and the counter balance weights that redrock sells adds balance to the rig. Really nice if you plan on running and gunning with a follow focus and matte box.
 
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