El Cheapo shoulder support arrived today

I bought one of the El Cheapo's when I first got my EX1 but decided not to use it. If anybody is interested, make me an offer offlist.
Dave
 
Yep. Bought it over a year ago, maybe two... Frankly, I find it useless. The only way to get a steady image is to stop breathing, as the front of the support presses against the chest area. The plastic worries me too.. if that should snap in two, there goes any economic advantage into an economic sea of red ink (for repairs to the unlucky camera.)
I'm becoming ever more convinced that there is no really cheap way other than a good DiY design. My next camera support system will be a gimble and articulated arm system. MAYBE the one from India.. maybe.
 
Saw those videos. Thanks for linking them. His "funny thing" rig is similar to that commercial thing called the "Turtle". Most useful I think is the handle grip on the side. I think I'll make me one of those in short order. The man actually THINKS about how to improve the ergonomics and comes up with brilliant and economical enhancements that are DiY.
 
Nasser said:
Folks;

I presume this the original version by Smith-Victor ?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=cart&A=details&Q=&sku=583157&is=REG

Is this the ebay version ?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270501591748&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
Click to expand...

We are witnessing the incarnation of the evergreen hope... that any good idea (including sliced bread) must have been invented in the US so there MUST be a better quality somewhere under Uncle Sam. There is not.
The fact on the other hand is, that this is not a Smith & Wesson and even Smith-Victor does import it from China. Apparently a hundred company sell this thingy under various brand names, there wont be any difference - apart form the price. In BH the thingy is nicely marked up from the 18 bucks your trusted HK seller would send it from the eBay - so if you follow the approach "think global, buy local" (or how does that go..?) then pay 80 bucks and be relaxed that you got a trustable product with BH behind. :happy:
For those who are short on breath: men tend to use the so called abdominal breathing which means the belly makes the move while taking breath, not the chest. Chest breathing is characteristic for females.
So if you try to place the front support above the beer tank, it greatly reduces the movement caused by your air intake.
This thing is great for the price, look at what primitive pieces of metal garbage you can get for hundreds, let me not listing here the "big" names good in making a thousand dollar bill from pipe and painted screws.
 
I used el cheapo during one year or more. I did a lot of works with it with an ex1 and 5dmII. Never saw my breath in the videos. I think is easy avoid this problem but one guy said me that if you're fat is difficult minimize your breath. I've other shoulder supports. Some times I prefer more balanced rigs (with heavy setups), el cheapo charges the weight in your ribs and is uncomfortable if you use it all the day but all the works I do with it don't would be better with the high-end rigs. More balanced, more confortable, more pro-look but with the same end result.
 
Mark Bolding said:
Chad, can you completely remove the screw and put a washer or 2 under the mounting plate to shorten it?

mb
Click to expand...

Hey Mark.

I went the other rout and ordered a manfrotto mount plate: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...ng_577_577_Rapid_Connect_Adapter.html#reviews

I have a Manfrotto tripod, so this should work as a way to quickly take the camera off the el cheapo, and put it on the tripod.

I am buying a nice Sachtler head w/ Gitzo legs as my main tripod. I figure I'll be able to leave one EX1 on that, and be able to use the Manfrotto tripod for EX1 #2, and switch to the el cheapo using the mounting plate. It would be nice to have a similar thing for the Sachtler, but I haven't seen one, and I suspect they would be 2 or 3 times as expensive.

I am able to attach my camera using a little extension they give you designed for use with small cameras. The problem is that it raises the ex1 too high for my taste, and the contact surface is pretty small. I have to say that the el cheapo is pretty comfortable in use, It feels secure, and the part that rests on your upper belly is comfortably wide.

While this link is still good, you can see that the camera is mounted on a little extension platform. You may prefer your camera used this way, in which case there is no need for any modifications.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Shoulder-Suppor...I%2BIA%2BUA%2BFICS%2BUFI%2BDDSIC&otn=10&ps=63

But I want quick release, so even though the Manfrotto plate is 52.00, my total cost still comes in under 100.00 for a nifty way to shoulder mount your EX1.
 
Hi Chadfish, Do u know where I can purchase El Cheapo shoulder mount and other accessories for my EX1?? The e-bay sites mentioned above were been cancelled now as it's too old. If u know a website, please let me know. Thanks in advance.
 
Just look back through the pages of this thread. I listed some that are being sold at B&H under a different name.
 
Sounds a bit scary to have" a £4500 camera on a £29 piece of plastic".

I went for Gliders Grey from India. It has what I feel to be a solid screw to a rather large base plate that came with the shoulder mount. I paid around $175 USD. I am generally very pleased with Gilders Grey.

I do like the idea of an adjustable strap and will use this and have added this to my list.
 
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