ex1r/ex3

[jimstamos]

ive been shooting alot with an ex1r to see if i want to go this route or the ex3
i love everything about it and have used the hoodman loupe which is a must but after i borrow an ex3 i will decide. my big problem with the r is that im left eyed and its not as easy on a tripod. shooting handheld isnt too bad.
i know on the 3 i wouldnt have this problem in that the viewfinder is laid out to work for me perfectly.
any ex3 users on why they went with 3 over r? removable lens isnt a factor for me on this.
i know the 3 has a pretty lame 1/2 shoulder brace.
for those using the 3 how difficult/easy is it to shoot handheld with this one . r is probably easier im thinking and for shoulder purposes im guessing people are going with something like olofs design.
ive heard the 1/2 shoulder brace isnt that great.
any comments from x3 users on their overall opinion would be great
thankis

 

[Duke M.]

Since they are pretty much the same camera internally and you don't care about the interchangeable lens its mostly going to be what feels better to you, ergonomically.

About the only other features that I recall that one has over the other is that the EX1R has better SDHC card handling out of the box and HDMI out. Generally HDMI is a consumer option, but it does let you plug directly into your HD TV whereas HD-SDI doesn't and component is analog.

Also some people like the shoulder mount, but you can always mount an EX1 on a rig.

OTH some people really like the idea of interchangable lenses, if they can afford them.

 

[MPB]

being able to sync time code was a big reason for me in deciding on the ex3. i wanted the camera to be viable for multi-camera jobs. and the viewer on the 3 is fantastic.

sometimes hand-held is an issue, sometimes not. with the rotating hand grip, i can take the weight of the camera across my forearm and be rock-solid for hours. as long as i don't mind shooting at belly level. discomfort comes from my neck, looking down at the viewer. holding the camera at my shoulder is good for a short while, but the stock shoulder mount is not very stable, so it'll kill my back if rolling continuously for more than 40 minutes or so. more than a few hours of that and i'm hurting. a couple days in a row, and i'm hurting... more.

the vfgadgets bottom plate and shoulder mount changes things dramatically. shooting from the shoulder is very stable, with less torque and weight on your wrist. your right arm and shoulder are still getting a workout though, if rolling for any length of time. but it isn't as deadly as without. it does kind of commit you to shoulder shooting though, so if that's not your style you should think about that. and it makes the whole rig considerably heavier. and to balance it properly you should really invest in some v-mount or AB batteries to put on the tail of the plate.