How to attach monitor to new crane

K

kaydawgy

Active member
So I bought a new crane and I have a 7" Lilliput monitor. What is the best way to attach the monitor to the side of the crane? I've been searching brackets, but I can't seem to find anything. Anybody point me out in the right direction?
 
I've tried super clamps and supers with the gooseneck - thought they were kind of heavy/overkill.

On my 8' Kessler, I found a dynamite solution - I made a 90 degree bracket from some hardware store aluminum stock - one leg is drilled for the handle, and I attach it to the crane where the handle bolts in - the other leg is drilled for a 1/4-20 bolt, and I use a short bolt to mount a $17 Delvcam monitor bracket w/ swivel. Now the screen tilts to whatever angle the crane is at. Less than $25.

Here's a link to the mount, which is handy as heck;

Here's a rough sketch of how it works:
mount.gif
 
I use the super clamp with an Ikan 6" arm, like this:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/648153-REG/Ikan_MA206.html

I use this on a kessler crane (12'). It has worked great. You can see a bunch of images of me and the other director using it on my crane (I am the bigger guy with the blonde hair in the left top shot balancing my blackbird stabilizer) That is a DP6 or DP1X being used on the crane shots.

http://www.beatdownboogie.com/archives/1325

I decided to stay with the super clamp because i also attach it to my monopod for doing crazy shots, see this image of me shooting over a door frame:

http://www.beatdownboogie.com/archives/312

Rick
 
They key thing here (imho) is having the monitor angle change with the crane angle - it's hard enough to get the right crane move, harder still if you're craning your neck as well;

2nd to me is not adding much weight.
 
Well that is true. We had to move our monitor down the crane to get it so it wasn't rotating so fast near us up and down. A solution under the tripod plate that rotates with the tripod would be best. Using the DP6 was almost too small for that far, whereas the DP1X was a lot better in that condition.

As far as weight, it was of no concern to us, the whole unit / clamp wasn't that heavy and the crane was easily balanced with it on there.
 
grimepoch said:
A solution under the tripod plate that rotates with the tripod would be best.
Click to expand...

I suppose a center-post sort of solution would work in many cases, but I find I get more control by holding the weights or the very end and often crouching back there, and standing/crouching with the moves. So I wanted the screen close to the crane's rear. I couldn't come up with something that pans (rotates on the horizontal axis) with the crane that was close enough to the rear to be useful.

I tried all sorts of things, but found the optimal attachment point was something physically attached to the camera platform - in the case of the kessler, it's the handle - it duplicates every move the crane makes, whether the camera platform is tilting or static, and (of course) the overall angle of the crane itself. I don't know if every model of crane has such a point - and my "whole body" movements may not be that common.

The little doo-dad I linked to is priceless for your monitor bag though - I've had to mount monitors all over the place for low or high shots & straight-down angle ceiling mounts, Grab one of those, a couple 1/4-20 knobs from the hardware store, and a double 1/4-20 stud (for superclamp threaded holes) and you can stick a monitor wherever you need it - and the bogen superclamp flex arm is killer in those situations (Amnova used to sell one for six bucks which seems just as butch as the $40 manfrottos, too).
 
That's a cool little find for the monitor bag. Shooting music vids I find I get into all kinds of weird setups... here's a T2i bolted to a ceiling, and the monitor clamped to a set wall... and a frame grab.

I was able to reach over the set and spin the head - used laundry pulleys to bring it to the sides where we focused & setup from a ladder. Could not have pulled it off without a screen.

rig1.jpg
rig2.jpg
monitor.jpg
frame.jpg
 
Yeah, once you spend the extra $80 or so for the manfrotto bowl adapter for a slider... it suddenly occurs to you you have a way to stick a tripod head all over the place.

I drilled & tapped the hell outta mine, got a perfect padded bag for it that holds a 46" slider, various bowl gear, plywood bases with rubber feet, quick releases, pulleys and 3/8 hardware... cool as heck. Low angles, apple boxes, once"bridged" it across a 1930's bathtub in a sweet tile alcove. The slider's a cool, adjustable camera platform now.
 
Agreed! I have mine in a huge pelican case with my tripod, monopod, blackbird stabilizer and my DP1x monitor. That way, I have all my tools with.

(Outside of my crane, crane tripod, and flexdolly system) :)

Soon I will need a small semi to go to shoots with :P
 
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