scorsesefan
Veteran
BTW what's the deal with the stock mic holder? When I got my used unit it was floppy. Adorama sent me a new mic holder... and it's still floppy. Is this just a design flaw?
FS7: FS7 accessory questions
- Thread starter scorsesefan
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Doug Jensen
Carbonite Member
Yes, my stock arm has never been used and has been resting comfortably back in the camera box since day one. Too much plastic and too much play for my taste. it is really the only thing I don't like about the FS7. I have no trouble with the mic mount and mine is still in perfect condition.
scorsesefan
Veteran
The only thing I don't like about it is you need a screwdriver to adjust it. But I intend to be the only operator, so I don't see why I would need to adjust it... As for the mic holder, it's comically bad. Was it meant to have so much play? It literally flops around...
Doug Jensen
Carbonite Member
The mic holder is designed to have some built-in suspension in order to isolate it from the camera. But if it is flopping around then someone has carelessly broken it or it is not installed properly. I assume you are not talking about the issue of some microphones being too narrow to fit in the holder without a rubber spacer around them. The holder on my camera works as well as the day I got it.
scorsesefan
Veteran
Thanks. There is too much play. Way more than on my fs5. I believe I installed the replacement correctly with all of the parts but maybe I'm missing something?...
scorsesefan
Veteran
I picked up the Smallrig pad. Comfortable, but having a tough time balancing the fs7 with my Canon 17-55/24-105 + metabones. Seems to be always front heavy. Where do you position the plate in terms of the lens mount (I'm assuming that's the center of gravity)? Any advice would be great. Thanks
I'm not sure what i did offhand, But probably the main thing is I extended the eyepiece with another 15mm rod from small rig , that way I could get the whole camera further back on my shoulder. I think the shortness of the eyepiece extension was the problem as I recall. Does that make sense? i'm just thinking from memory. Don't have the camera built in front of me. Haven't touched a camera since March to be honest.
scorsesefan
Veteran
Yeah, makes sense. I'll experiment with the rod length.. The other issue that comes up is the smallrig is bigger than the stock pad so it places the loupe further away from your eye so you're not really seeing the whole frame. Oh well, I guess there's no perfect solution...
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I'm not sure what you mean by that but I don't use the stock pad. I never have a problem seeing the fram. By the way I put a +2 to +4 diopter ( I use the +4)
in place of the one Sony supplies to make the VF image bigger. They are very cheap and screw in - 50mm very common size.
in place of the one Sony supplies to make the VF image bigger. They are very cheap and screw in - 50mm very common size.
Doug Jensen
Carbonite Member
Same here, I can't picture what the problem is. One way or another you have to get the loupe against your cheekbone or the system ain't gonna work right. No only to see the image properly, but also for steadiness during handheld.
scorsesefan
Veteran
A round rod... The the left side edge of the vf is a little out of my fov because my eye is not sitting squarely in the cup...
Doug Jensen
Carbonite Member
This conversation reminds me of the April 2020 cover of Film and Digital Times. The guy has got his camera pimped out with 20 lbs. of useless crap, yet somehow failed to get the viewfinder in the right place, which really should be the number one priority. Look at how far he has to lean his head back and angle his face upwards. Ridiculous. BTW, if you're not a FDT subscriber, you absolutely should be.
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scorsesefan
Veteran
Yeah, that's a pretty physically stressful position to be in for any prolonged period of time... TBH the stock pad feels best on my shoulder and puts the loupe in the best position. Balance wise it's great with, say, a Sony 18-105 or similar light lens. With a heavier lens it's a bit front heavy...
JPNola
Veteran
I see this often with use of the ARRI Mini and RED cameras. The shoulder pad setup has the camera high on the shoulder and as result the op ends up with their head tilted upwards, straining to see into the loupe.
It is seen in this marketing image from Zacuto, although this example is less extreme than other examples I've seen:
If you are operating in more of a film-set manner, where the shots are comparatively of short duration, it is less of a problem than if shooting for an hour continuously, needless to say. I was hired to operate an ARRI rig of a nature where I couldn't get the VF positioned low enough to avoid neck-strain and after a day of shooting handheld my neck was killing me.
Comfort Matters! ALOT!
To be honest I have screwed around alot trying to fix that problem of the eye not being squared off to my head angle. Its not awful but I can say I found any great solution. I wear glasses when i shoot though so that could be my issue. Flare problems when shooting into thej sun. or a bright backlights also because of the glasses. Bluestar vf chamois helps.
To be honest I have screwed around alot trying to fix that problem of the eye not being squared off to my head angle. Its not awful but I can say I found any great solution. I wear glasses when i shoot though so that could be my issue. Flare problems when shooting into thej sun. or a bright backlights also because of the glasses. Bluestar vf chamois helps.
scorsesefan
Veteran
With the stock pad it's not as much of a problem because the camera sits farther away on your shoulder. The other solution I guess would be to get a longer cross rod for the VF?... Anyway, looks like it takes a bit of screwing around to get it right. I'm finding in addition to eye placement issue, the smallrig pad puts the cam pretty high, too. I'm 6'2" so adding a few more inches makes it seem like I'm in Munchkin land LOL...
scorsesefan
Veteran
Any idea what size hex screws for the monitor clamp (to replace the rod)?