C100: Help with front handles for my rig

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drummondb

Well-known member
I'm building a rig for my C100 mkII. Can you guys confirm these parts will work like I want them to?

I've discovered I like the handles coming off a 15mm cross bar right below the main rods with the baseplate. Will the Wooden Camera grip relocator allow me to mount the grip to one side of a bar like this?

Also, does anyone have any experience with the wooden camera grip reloactor? I'd just get the Zacuto, but it doesn't look like it would allow me to get the grip where I want it.
 
drummondb said:
I've discovered I like the handles coming off a 15mm cross bar right below the main rods with the baseplate. Will the Wooden Camera grip relocator allow me to mount the grip to one side of a bar like this?
Click to expand...

Yes, it will fit. But just so you know, the SmallRig rosettes have a smaller diameter then the Arri Standard. So while they will fit together just fine, the rosettes on the Wooden Camera grip will be larger (in case you care about how it looks).

drummondb said:
Also, does anyone have any experience with the wooden camera grip reloactor? I'd just get the Zacuto, but it doesn't look like it would allow me to get the grip where I want it.
Click to expand...

Wooden Camera makes high quality products, nothing to worry about there. Send them an email and ask about the cable length on their grip relocator to make sure it's long enough for where you want to place the grip.
 
I looked at the ARRI piece (same as Wooden) and thought to myself, this is a hell of lot of money to buy this and the rod mount for it. I bought the Zacuto version (not much less$$). Keep in mind, with the Z version, you can mount crossmember vertically to give you that extension you are concerned about. That coupled with the drop on the C100 grip will get you in perfect position with the left grip. True on the rosettes, this is why I steered clear of the mess.
 
I own the Zacuto ENG style grip relocator and the Arri HGA-1. Probably am going to try to sell the Zacuto. I strongly prefer the flexibility that the rosette mounting system offers. With the Zacuto grip relocator, I could never quite get the grip in a comfortable position. I haven't used the Wooden Camera grip relocator, but it looks pretty similar to the Arri and Movcam ones, except for the straight cable.
 
Actually, I was thinking of the ENG Grip relocator.

This is more for hand-held rigs whereas the other contraption seems better suited for shoulder rigs. Either would allow some decent manipulation of the grip.
 
Resurrecting this thread, I am almost ready to buy the Zacuto ZGrip Canon Handgrip Relocator. I already own the ENG version. I tried out a friend's rig today with the ZGrip and I like the flexibility on where it allows you to place your right hand. But my friend commented that he is not thrilled with how the tie downs for the actual ZGrip, hold the handgrip, especially with there is a lot of pressure being exerted as you shoot in awkward positions. I am wondering, have any of you bought and used the Wooden Grip Relocator instead? It's less money and the Arri Rosette mounting with even a cheap Tilta 6" extension seems as if it would be more heavy duty and less likely to get loose or wear out with a lot of usage, largely because of the rosette teeth? But I have no idea if the Wooden electroncis are any better or worse than the Zacuto. After two years, my Zacuto ENG stopped working, I sent it to Zacuto and they fixed it and got it back to me although it took a while. Wooden Camera is in Burbank so if I has an issue with the Wooden, it's only 45 minutes away to visit them instead of waiting a month for Zacuto. I love my Zacuto gear but nothing wrong with thinking outside of brand loyalty for certain things.

Opinions?

Wooden plus the Tilta Arm = $345.00
Zacuto ZGrip = $500.00

Not that money is the main concern. My biggest priorities are reliability and sturdiness. When my Zacuto ENG Relocator gave out last time, it was during the morning of the last day of a big doc shoot, that was not a fun day having to reach up and start and stop the camera recording all day and night and manually locate white balance and ISO gain. Once you are used to using the grip, using the buttons on the camera feels archaic.
 
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I sent my Zacuto relocator in for repair as well. I have the whole Zacuto rig, but am wanting to get a full Wooden Camera rig as well. I prefer the Wooden camera setup for quickly changing between Steadicam and shoulder mount. The Wooden Camera setup also looks more rigid.

Zacuto is pretty nice though for all day shoulder mount work.
 
^^I think your looking for info on grip relo hardware bracket?? The Zacuto piece is under-engineered IMO. The Wooden 213500 (and whatever rod bracket from them) is super strong. If anything, there could be play in the Canon screw collar after a while of shooting.
 

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I think the only thing the ZGrip has over the Wooden Camera Relocator is if you are using the Zacuto VCT Pro Baseplate, look how far back the Arri Rosette is located on the rig versus look how far forward you can slide the ZGrip, if you need/want to. In the picture above, the Wooden Handle looks heavier duty but I would probaly want to buy an additional 15mm rail mounted rosette as shown in the picture above so I could slide it around on the front rail rather than just being tied to within 6" of the Arri rosette on the VCT Pro Baseplate. Look in this picture how much farther forward the ZGrip is than the Wooden would be if attached to the VCT Pro Baseplate. I have experimented enough with different rig configurations to know that the placement of your balance point, head, shoulder all have to be in a very precise, ergonomic position to avoid stiff neck, shoulders or wrist. Still debating on the Wooden vs. Zacuto for the relocator.

Recoil 2.jpg
 
These pieces will solve the problem you just mentioned...

Wooden Camera 15mm Rod Clamp with Arri Rosette (guess you already mentioned this one): https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1237310-REG/wooden_camera_wc_220000_15mm_rod_clamp_with.html
Wooden Camera WC-150600 Rosette Arm: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/891080-REG/Wooden_Camera_WC_150600_Rosette_Arm.html
Wooden Camera Rosette Arm (Short): https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1076931-REG/wooden_camera_wc_176500_rosette_arm_short.html


You can find cheaper options as well...
http://www.smallrig.com/SMALLRIG-Rosette-Style-Dogbone-Arm-1242.html
http://www.smallrig.com/SMALLRIG-Dogbone-Rosette-Arm191mm-1400.html
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ARRI-type-R...ony-NEX-FS700-FS700-Handle-Grip-/271615971674

The rosette arms should be much stronger than the rail based setup that Zacuto uses, as well as being capable of going further out than the Zacuto relocator rail does. With Zacuto's rail based setup I often find myself tightening things super tight (which takes extra time) and there is still some play.
 
Hi Eric:

Thanks for all of the links and advice.

I am actually thinking about using the Wooden camera rod clamp, because that is a point of stress and will have everything riding on it and I know Wooden is good stuff, well made and smooth operating.
Thinking of the Tilta 6" extension arm as the Wooden one you linked to is five times as expensive and it's just an arm, all it has to do is not bend or break https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1047882-REG/ikan_tt_e02_tilta_extension_arm_for.html

I tried out the ZGrip yesterday and while it is nice, I get a sense that the two tie downs, the one for the attachment to the front rod and the one on the handle, will loosen up and will get sloppy with wear, after a year. Zacuto is good about repairs but it is downtime as shooting with the entire Recoil Rig is dependent on that Zgrip Relocator. If it's gone for repair for a month, it kind of makes shooting with the whole rig difficult. Even though we are not supposed to, I know that the camera will occasionally get hefted onto and off the shoulder largely with most or all of the weight of the rig on that handle attachment, rather than the top handle, it just happens. When you are mounting and dismounting the camera several dozen times in one shoot day, for days in a row, that handle and arm are going to feel the pressure. It seems to me that the great thing about the rosette system are the teeth, teeth don't slip and wear out nearly as quickly. I hope the electronics in the Wooden Grip Relocator are good, typically Wooden makes good stuff and they are close to me if there is an issue. With that Tilta Arm I linked to, if I need to lay the camera on the ground for a minute, it would be quicker and easier to just loosen the Tilta arm to move the whole handle assembly up momentarily so the rig can be set on the ground or a table, whereas uncranking on the Zacuto fitting would be more difficult and take longer is seems.
 
puredrifting said:
With that Tilta Arm I linked to, if I need to lay the camera on the ground for a minute, it would be quicker and easier to just loosen the Tilta arm to move the whole handle assembly up momentarily so the rig can be set on the ground or a table, whereas uncranking on the Zacuto fitting would be more difficult and take longer is seems.
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Yeah, with the Zacuto you often have to crank it so tight that it can take extra time and energy to un-crank it, so a rosette should be a little quicker and need less force.

Speaking of speed of adjustment, I was looking at the Shape setup for their arms (which could be used on a Zacuto VCT or a Wooden Camera Shoulder Mount) and they look pretty nice (not cheap, though, though most nice double arm setups aren't). You simply press a button and you can adjust angle and such, which must be the quickest adjustment compared to a rail or rosette. Telescoping arms are a nice feature too.

SHAPE Grip Relocator Bracket with Extension Cable for Canon C Series Cameras: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1259179-REG/shape_hac300_re_grip_relocator_bracket_and.html
SHAPE Single Right Telescopic Wooden Handle Grip for ARRI Rosette: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod..._wr_hand3_single_right_telescopic_wooden.html



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I'm a fan of double arm setups. Gives you more control over the camera when you don't need your hand on the focus (and even then you can often brace your human arm against the second arm for added stability while your hand is on focus) as well as giving you a way to quickly put the camera on the ground or a table without adjusting the arm at all.


Arri also sells a grip relocator for the C-series camera. It looks just like the Wooden Camera design, but has a coiled cable instead and costs $220 more.

Arri HGA-1 Handgrip Adapter for Canon EOS C100 /300 /500: https://www.abelcine.com/store/Arri-HGA-1-Handgrip-Adapter-for-Canon-EOS-C100-300-500/
 
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