Kitting out on a budget

[NorBro]

For anyone who's interested on saving a little money and building a rig on a budget, here is my setup.

I'm all about spending money on cameras and lenses and other things that I TRULY need. Personally, I think the expensive rail systems, follow focus units, monitors, mount adapters, matte boxes, etc. are just a waste of money. There are people who definitely, definitely need them for what they do, but I don't. I'm not really into impressing clients because most of the time they don't know what's going on. Yea, it's pretty, but then they are over it.

I've attached some photos and listed the parts and prices (these numbers may change a little based on tax and s&h).

Shoulder Support - Dynamic Motion Video (SS-302) with handles - solid support, comfortable, compact, built-in top handle, built-in counter weight (6lbs) and stands by itself. (Only negative for me - you cannot attach it to a tripod)
Price: $198

Follow Focus - DSLR Solutions - choose the system you need for your lenses. Comes with velcro clips that makes pulling focus easy. Nice and tight, no play. Super easy to work with.
Price: $98

Monitor - LCD4Video - I choose the model with the battery adapters that they supplied - I think they discontinued it. Regardless, the battery mount attaches to the monitor and I use my DVX100B batteries to power the monitor. HDMI.
Price: $311

Nikon/NEX dumb mount adapter - CowboyStudio from Amazon - best thing I've ever bought. No screws. Attaches easily. No play. Works perfect.
Price: $30

Alzo Bracket Handle - this handle was designed for their square bracket support. I just bought the handle and reversed the screw to go in the other way. Money.
Price: $33

HDMI cable and straight flash bracket for monitor - $9 + $15 = $24

Total Price = $694

Again, if I needed the bigger and badder stuff, I would definitely buy it, but I really don't.

So at the end of the day...$694 is not bad for a whole bunch of stuff.

 

[robfilms]

norbro-

sweet!

rob
smalltalk productions

 

[Chris Johnston]

If you put that on your shoulder, how far is the monitor from the end of your nose?

 

[LiamR]

Exactly, how are you supposed to fix your eyes on the monitor if it's that close?

I've bought cheap up until this point, I have cheap monitor,tripod,steadicam,etc... and have now stopped doing so, because all of those products, are crap.

 

[NorBro]

Yea, in that pic, it's super close...I just recently drilled two more holes and I moved the bar back...it's perfect now...

You can't really see it but that bar can slide all the way to about half way under the camera...I don't have it back that far because then it's too far, but somewhere in the middle between the middle of the camera and where I have it in that picture.

 

[NorBro]

A good tripod is something that's 100% worth the money. I will easily throw out 1k on a nice tripod, which is nothing compared to the 10-15k nice sachtler ones out there.

Steadicam..if you're doing that kind of work, no DIY is ever acceptable.

 

[morgan_moore]

Mate my rig has diy elements.. true not every component needs to be $100s

You might note a couple of things about it

The monitor is positioned in front of the lens - miles forward of where yours is, Id get it on the handlebars at least

The camera basically over the shoulder - you should try to get your cam back, miles back

While building using diy/cheap might work you need to get the ergonomics in the right ballaprk IMO

(my rig does go on sticks BTW)



S

 

[Michael Solomon]

how do you get the camera that far back over the shoulder pad?

 

[morgan_moore]

Its mounted on a long plate (home made from 2 inch X1/4 aluminium) drilled to fit a frotto 501/577 up top and my rails blocks below

I have a similar long plate on my sticks to get balance on sticks right

Inspired by the classic (but costly) sony ENG camera mounts

the plate on my sticks has a frotto 577 up front and a home made support at the rear to keep it all rigid on sticks becaus it connects to the sticks on front of and behind of the shoulder 'pad' which is from a billingham bag

I have a miller arrow 25 tripod head, which not only supports all this but really sings once loaded up a bit

S

 

[robfilms]

Its mounted on a long plate (home made from 2 inch X1/4 aluminium) drilled to fit a frotto 501/577 up top and my rails blocks below

I have a similar long plate on my sticks to get balance on sticks right

Inspired by the classic (but costly) sony ENG camera mounts

the plate on my sticks has a frotto 577 up front and a home made support at the rear to keep it all rigid on sticks becaus it connects to the sticks on front of and behind of the shoulder 'pad' which is from a billingham bag

I have a miller arrow 25 tripod head, which not only supports all this but really sings once loaded up a bit

S

maybe more detailed pix?

also, rigged as is, approx weight?

(for those of us judging weight capacity of their tripods)

thanks in advance.

be well

rob
smalltalk productions

 

[NorBro]

morgan, doesn't your hand get in the way of monitor and focusing?..looks a little akward for me..

 

[Rick Burnett]

NorBro, I had initially set my rig up similar to yours. I am using a CPMFilmTools system, but, I thought I wanted the camera that far out. I did two shoots with it that way and to be honest, it NEVER felt right. The amount of weight needed to counterbalance the camera that far out with the fulcrum being so far back was A LOT. If I added less weight to just have enough weight to keep the rig on my shoulder in the back, the weight of the camera with an LCD and everything up further was just too much on my arms. They'd get tired quick and it killed my back.

So then, I studied a lot of cameras professionally that were setup for shoulder recording, like the Alexa, various Panasonic cameras, etc. All these had built in shoulder support, but, what was interesting, was where the internal sensor was compared to my head. I moved the camera WAY BACK and disregarded the built in LCD. I use a DP6 from smallHD and my setup is VERY similar in terms of where the camera is as Morgan's. It works AWESOME.

It took some time to get my hand to get to the lens correctly, or get to the record button timely, but as far as balance, stability, weight distribution, it all works right.

(and PS, I use my right hand to focus, so it is never in front of the LCD)

 

[NorBro]

Thanks for sharing. I'm definitely going to try various setups. I have filmed some run and gun stuff only two times with this rig and it's been okay. The back is a little bit heavier than the front so it balances very well so far..

What I would really love is an offset viewfinder that you can extend or shorten...kind of like the Sony supplied one but one that breaks a right angle and sticks out..kind of like in the Canon XL1.

 

[morgan_moore]

morgan, doesn't your hand get in the way of monitor and focusing?..looks a little akward for me..

I have taught myself to focus with the right hand - so much more balanced - very ENG feel to the rig - which I put an Epic on today.. big mistake

You can see my hands on the cam/rig



S