Ben_B
Veteran
So my replacement parts for the incorrect parts I was sent came in today and I've been shooting around with the DSLRsm from Indifocus. There's another thread, go look at it if you want.
It's a pretty big improvement over what I was sent before. All of the parts (with the exception of the rails and their clamps) attach with pressure from bolts on rods (not the carbon fibre rods...those are only attached to via clamps and stay pristine.) I had originally been sent one with the wrong bolts which dug into the rods and created all kinds of nasty gouging, and had to be slowly adjusted via alan wrench. After a short talk with Tim over at indifocus, and sending them some pictures so they knew what to replace, I promptly received all of the correct replacement parts. The bolts now have a convex tip that, instead of leaving gouging, instead leaves small, still noticeable but not terrible, dimples that rarely expose bare metal unless overtightened.
Tim was very helpful and understanding and apologetic. Again see other thread.
Unfortunately one of the new rods on the trombone handle system was loose where it connected to the part that connected it to the main crossbar...hard to describe I apologize, and kept wiggling around (which in turn caused me, thinking the wiggle was somewhere else, to overtighten a part, causing some minor cosmetic damage but nothing even close to the gouging I experienced with the wrong parts.) The rod eventually came out. I will be seeing about getting it replaced but I managed to get it back in and tightened, and now whenever it becomes loose I simply turn it till it seems to set itself into another good spot, loosen the handle part, and adjust...again sorry for the difficult imagery, but in any case things seem to be functioning fine now despite the problem...I can put as much stress on that piece as I expected to be able to, and that I could on the other piece that does not have the problem.
Now onto performance. The whole system is quickly adjustable via a number of plastic half-wing knobs and rachet-knobs that work pretty well and allow for quick adjustments to be made. My favorite, somewhat unique, part of the system are the "trombone" handles, which can adjust in many different ways. One of my favorite configurations involves them up in the air in an off-set pilot-grip, similar to the hot-rod camera grip setup. This works really nicely, and, with the new riser plate/block indifocus sent me because I wasn't happy with the tolerances on the old one, can be used to pan/tilt the camera while on a tripod with no shake on the rails, in addition to handheld work.
I really like the light, carbon fibre rails, and the system clamps onto it just fine, with a knob, further adjustable via alan wrench on the bolt (sometimes I need it tighter or things get loosened too much.) The plate that the camera sits on is adjustable up and down via a half-wing knob and bolt, and attaches to the rails via a metal block which is adjustable via alan wrench (no knob.) Atop this is a Giotto MH 621 sliding quick release, which is an improvement over the non-sliding one they accidentally sent me last time. The quick release is affixed to the camera block via two bolts (as apposed to screwing in one spot) and does not twist around at all!
Not the fault of indifocus or Giotto but mainly me: I had some trouble figuring out the Giotto quick release mount's attachment knob (you need to pull it out, it's spring loaded, to keep adjusting so it doesn't run into your camera) and managed to scrape a little rubber off my GH1...and then noticed a little bit coming off in another spot...darn. Between that and a (small) scratch in the dead center of my LCD I am having a bit of a bad day
Back to the DSLRsm: The system feels pretty good when all setup...not as solid as something from Redrock or Zacutto, but good enough if everything is tightened down and you're not putting too much force on it (pulling, pushing, leaning, etc.)
However what might be the most critical part of the system is also the part of the system which I am still finding the least functional and most annoying: the shoulder-piece. It's actually pretty comfortable once you bend it to fit your shoulder properly, and it gives you really great, steady static shots without a tripod. The problem comes when it's time to do any kind of walking or running. The mount is made of pretty thin metal which allows it to be adjusted, but also causes problems. Because the mount is connected to the rest of the system by this thin metal it tends to bounce around pretty severely whenever the system is moved. As you land every step you take you're greated by a tremendous bounce as vertical movement of your steps is amplified by a spring-like effect from the metal.
So far the only really useable configuration I've managed to find for moving around is with the handgrips pointed up like the control yoke of a jetliner (with the left handle further back to not get in the way of the focus ring or follow focus.) You put the shoulder piece on, grasp these handles, and thrust the whole system (rods first, OUCH without a pillow or a folded-up towel or something!) into your stomach. Keeps it pretty steady and is pretty comfortable...but is not how the system is designed to be used, and requires you to carry around something to protect your stomach.
Ultimately as configured the indifocus DSLRsm is a great handgrip system, a great set of rails, (I really really love it for these two things actually, I cannot stress that enough! I dream about it!) but not a great shoulder mount (which is probably why you're spending as much as you are on it...because you want a shoulder mount.) Tim and I spoke about the possibility of exchanging the shoulder piece in for the one from the IndirailsProXVsm and I will follow up with him on that...maybe he can give me some more pointers on how to set the one here up so it actually works, maybe I am doing something wrong. Tim had the thought that if I wanted to use the more traditional, underrail shoulder pad, that I would probably be wanting a longer set of rails, but I think with the GH1 I should probably be fine with the 18" ones..but we'll see. If I do decide to get the other shoulder-piece I will let you all know how that goes, and I will be posting photos soon.
It's a pretty big improvement over what I was sent before. All of the parts (with the exception of the rails and their clamps) attach with pressure from bolts on rods (not the carbon fibre rods...those are only attached to via clamps and stay pristine.) I had originally been sent one with the wrong bolts which dug into the rods and created all kinds of nasty gouging, and had to be slowly adjusted via alan wrench. After a short talk with Tim over at indifocus, and sending them some pictures so they knew what to replace, I promptly received all of the correct replacement parts. The bolts now have a convex tip that, instead of leaving gouging, instead leaves small, still noticeable but not terrible, dimples that rarely expose bare metal unless overtightened.
Tim was very helpful and understanding and apologetic. Again see other thread.
Unfortunately one of the new rods on the trombone handle system was loose where it connected to the part that connected it to the main crossbar...hard to describe I apologize, and kept wiggling around (which in turn caused me, thinking the wiggle was somewhere else, to overtighten a part, causing some minor cosmetic damage but nothing even close to the gouging I experienced with the wrong parts.) The rod eventually came out. I will be seeing about getting it replaced but I managed to get it back in and tightened, and now whenever it becomes loose I simply turn it till it seems to set itself into another good spot, loosen the handle part, and adjust...again sorry for the difficult imagery, but in any case things seem to be functioning fine now despite the problem...I can put as much stress on that piece as I expected to be able to, and that I could on the other piece that does not have the problem.
Now onto performance. The whole system is quickly adjustable via a number of plastic half-wing knobs and rachet-knobs that work pretty well and allow for quick adjustments to be made. My favorite, somewhat unique, part of the system are the "trombone" handles, which can adjust in many different ways. One of my favorite configurations involves them up in the air in an off-set pilot-grip, similar to the hot-rod camera grip setup. This works really nicely, and, with the new riser plate/block indifocus sent me because I wasn't happy with the tolerances on the old one, can be used to pan/tilt the camera while on a tripod with no shake on the rails, in addition to handheld work.
I really like the light, carbon fibre rails, and the system clamps onto it just fine, with a knob, further adjustable via alan wrench on the bolt (sometimes I need it tighter or things get loosened too much.) The plate that the camera sits on is adjustable up and down via a half-wing knob and bolt, and attaches to the rails via a metal block which is adjustable via alan wrench (no knob.) Atop this is a Giotto MH 621 sliding quick release, which is an improvement over the non-sliding one they accidentally sent me last time. The quick release is affixed to the camera block via two bolts (as apposed to screwing in one spot) and does not twist around at all!
Not the fault of indifocus or Giotto but mainly me: I had some trouble figuring out the Giotto quick release mount's attachment knob (you need to pull it out, it's spring loaded, to keep adjusting so it doesn't run into your camera) and managed to scrape a little rubber off my GH1...and then noticed a little bit coming off in another spot...darn. Between that and a (small) scratch in the dead center of my LCD I am having a bit of a bad day
Back to the DSLRsm: The system feels pretty good when all setup...not as solid as something from Redrock or Zacutto, but good enough if everything is tightened down and you're not putting too much force on it (pulling, pushing, leaning, etc.)
However what might be the most critical part of the system is also the part of the system which I am still finding the least functional and most annoying: the shoulder-piece. It's actually pretty comfortable once you bend it to fit your shoulder properly, and it gives you really great, steady static shots without a tripod. The problem comes when it's time to do any kind of walking or running. The mount is made of pretty thin metal which allows it to be adjusted, but also causes problems. Because the mount is connected to the rest of the system by this thin metal it tends to bounce around pretty severely whenever the system is moved. As you land every step you take you're greated by a tremendous bounce as vertical movement of your steps is amplified by a spring-like effect from the metal.
So far the only really useable configuration I've managed to find for moving around is with the handgrips pointed up like the control yoke of a jetliner (with the left handle further back to not get in the way of the focus ring or follow focus.) You put the shoulder piece on, grasp these handles, and thrust the whole system (rods first, OUCH without a pillow or a folded-up towel or something!) into your stomach. Keeps it pretty steady and is pretty comfortable...but is not how the system is designed to be used, and requires you to carry around something to protect your stomach.
Ultimately as configured the indifocus DSLRsm is a great handgrip system, a great set of rails, (I really really love it for these two things actually, I cannot stress that enough! I dream about it!) but not a great shoulder mount (which is probably why you're spending as much as you are on it...because you want a shoulder mount.) Tim and I spoke about the possibility of exchanging the shoulder piece in for the one from the IndirailsProXVsm and I will follow up with him on that...maybe he can give me some more pointers on how to set the one here up so it actually works, maybe I am doing something wrong. Tim had the thought that if I wanted to use the more traditional, underrail shoulder pad, that I would probably be wanting a longer set of rails, but I think with the GH1 I should probably be fine with the 18" ones..but we'll see. If I do decide to get the other shoulder-piece I will let you all know how that goes, and I will be posting photos soon.
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