Issues building a 7D Redrock rig.

Finnegan

Finnegan

Well-known member
Hey everyone. A couple weeks ago I began the long process of assembling a custom rig built from Redrock parts and peripherals that would be tailor made for my uses as a filmmaker. The main thing I wanted the rig to have was the capacity for a follow focus, and I thought that it should be simple enough to rail support, a camera-to-rails attachment, a baseplate (to connect the rails to a tripod via quick release plate), a follow focus and some lens gears and then just assemble the rig straight up on my tripod. Unfortunately, that's when I ran into a couple assembly problems. It's very difficult to describe, so I have pictures to help illustrate.

IMG_0001-4.jpg


I secured the baseplate into place so that when I mounted the camera to the rails, most of the weight would be centered directly over the tripod. However, as soon as I mounted the follow focus I ran into the problem you see in the photograph. The front of the baseplate juts out so far that the follow focus is not even nearby the lens. Alternate view:

IMG_0003-2.jpg


So, I pushed the camera forward to see if I could close the distance between the lens and the follow focus, but then I end up with a highly unbalanced and frankly unsafe configuration, as seen in this photograph.

IMG_0004-1.jpg


At this point I tried to flip the baseplate around and remount the quick release plate so that the configuration looked like this:

IMG_0007-2.jpg


As you can see, the camera body is more centered over the tripod. But you'll also notice that the follow focus is now on the dumb side of the camera, which ironically is the only way I can get the follow focus to line up with the lens gear. If I mount the follow focus on the smart side, I again run into a space issue - except this time it's the body of the follow focus running into the body of the camera before lining up, as seen in this photograph.

IMG_0009-1.jpg


I'm pretty new to designing rigs for HDSLR cams. I consider myself a pretty experienced cameraman, although most of my experience in camera department is on s16 and s35 cams and higher end digital cams like RED, or Sony's F23 and F35. At any rate, on those rigs I haven't ever ran into problems like this. Everything seems to only go together one way. So my question is this: did I buy the wrong parts/peripherals to accomplish what I'm trying to do? Is there some key piece that I am missing that will make this a simple, fast setup? I mean, the ONLY thing I wanted to do was to be able to pull focus using a follow focus on my 7D and I figured that I had all the pieces to do it, but yet it seems like I'm wrong. So, I've come here to the experts to find out. Any suggestions?
 
My best suggestion would be an email to the folk at redrock for advice. Brian is pretty on top of queries from my experience with redrock products.
 
I recently did a short with the 7D with Redrock gear, I also have a 501HDV tripod system.

I had the same problem as you trying to balance the 7D on my tripod head. So I had the pull the plate all the way back to try to compensate for the camera being so advanced in the rails.

The first thing I did was remember the long baseplate Manfrotto sells, with this longer baseplate I'd be able to push further back the whole thing and get everything balanced.

Now one thing I couldn't get from the pics: Can't you pull the tripod plate back to the operator's side?
 
Pietro Impagliazzo said:
I recently did a short with the 7D with Redrock gear, I also have a 501HDV tripod system.

I had the same problem as you trying to balance the 7D on my tripod head. So I had the pull the plate all the way back to try to compensate for the camera being so advanced in the rails.

The first thing I did was remember the long baseplate Manfrotto sells, with this longer baseplate I'd be able to push further back the whole thing and get everything balanced.

Now one thing I couldn't get from the pics: Can't you pull the tripod plate back to the operator's side?
Click to expand...

I'll definitely look into the longer quick release plate from Manfrotto as that might help solve some of the problems I'm having with the balance and weight distribution. But what of the follow focus? Is it just that it's a Redrock v1 which has a huge gearbox? As for moving the tripod release plate back toward the operator - it seems like that would move the whole rig forward and not backward, which is what I need it to do.
 
I had a similar issue. I did what you did and moved the camera forward. I put some accessories on the rear of the rods to counter balance. It doesn't help if you're trying to go minimalistic; but better that than imbalanced pan & tilting.
 
Can't the gearbox be detached and reversed? I see only two screws holding it down. The way I understand it, Redrock doesn't even make that gearbox, it's Rosco or something.
 
Hey Finnegan,
Looks like you need an inch or so under the rod clamp so that the follow focus can slide in past the cheese plate. If this is what you ordered: http://store.redrockmicro.com/Catalog/DSLR-Tripod-Platform , than it should have came with a shim set (as seen in the technical description). You would loosen the rod clamp screws, slide the shims in, and than tighten down. This will bring the rods high enough off the cheeseplate for the followfocus to clear.
If you didn't receive a shim kit, contact redrock micro and support@redrockmicro.com and tell them the situation.
Not sure how much shiming you will need, it comes with 1/2inch and that is all you need for the V2 focus. If you more height, order the extended shim kit: http://store.redrockmicro.com/Catalog/Accessories/Redrock-Shim-Kit

P.S. @Meaunounhi;
Yes, it can be reversed, and than you just need a reversed indicator shown here: http://store.redrockmicro.com/Catalog/Upgrades/ReverseIndicatorArmForMicroFollowFocus
 
A friend has Redrock gear and the first thing I noticed was how ridiculously oversized the tripod plate is for DSLR use. That plate is a throw back from mounting HVX200, EX1 type of cameras with lens attachments.

I personally use parts from many gear makers since no one makes an ideal setup. DSLRs are small, so find a smaller tripod base, Shoot35 and Jag35 make good solutions.

The gearbox on the RR follow focus does not flip. There is an extra attachment that reverses the gearing, but the drive gear still remains on the front side. They have a newer FF coming soon that will flip. Cinevate, Shoot35, DFocus all make follow focuses which easily flip not just to have the drive gear to the rear but also if using Canon lenses, the direction of following focus is intuitive from front to back.
 
that baseplate has NO business on an HDSLR; what is redrock thinking? that gearbox is pretty much standard on all follow focus units, or direct knockoffs; they are interchangeable and reversible.

try looking for a riser baseplate that is sized appropriately to a DSLR; as it stands there is no way without counterweight you will balance your rig properly.

alternately maybe is possible to remount the base plate to sit further back on v-mount/tripod head in such a way that about half of that swiss cheese camera plate is hanging over the tripod handles, mount camera to very front of the swiss cheese plate, with follow focus on rods very close.

that baseplate is more massive than the ones i use on my XH A1/Letus/Focusing screen/CF recorder/NTG-1/Mattebox/Follow focus rig, and all that weighs 24lbs. i would expect a baseplate such as that to safely hold ME down to the tripod.
 
This is the baseplate: http://store.redrockmicro.com/Catalog/DSLR-Clamps/DSLR-Baseplate-Patent-Pending That is used to connect to any set of rods, which is yes, very small.

This is the tripod accessory: http://store.redrockmicro.com/Catalog/DSLR-Tripod-Platform that gives you a set of rods strictly on your tripod

Here's my take, the reason the tripod accessory is so huge is so that you can screw your tripod plate anywhere on the cheeseplate to get the best balance. I personally don't have a problem with the tripod cheese plate because it's the size of my tripod head and is for tripod use only.

The rig could easily be balanced by adding the shims under the rod clamp like i mentioned before, as that would allow the follow focus to clear the bottom and go as far back as the rod clamp technically and meet the camera wherever
 
Chris Santucci said:
As far as I know, that's an older baseplate design, right? That's the one they made for the adapter rigs. Not a good choice for DSLR for sure.

.
Click to expand...

i think you are correct; i have a similar swiss cheese plate that is pretty massive in comparison to a DSLR.
 
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