Looking for Recommendation on on board monitor, shoulder rig etc..

M

MoGorjestani

Active member
hey guys i got a hpx set up with the brevis 35 and cavasion rails. im looking to get a on board Monitor, follow focus, and shoulder pad with handlebars...

what do you guys use and recommend?

thank you to everyone!
 
and there are LOTS of things to consider before you make this decision.

1st thing to consider: have you ever shot this kind of setup on the shoulder (or otherwise) before?
i ask because a person would think that a camera on rails on the shoulder with a 35mm adapter, follow focus and "handlebars" would be kind of like shooting a large old-school manual focus ENG camera. but its NOT. its a whole other ball of wax.

i have either used or owned about 4 different rails/shoulder/grips rigs. and all of them fall to some degree short of what i was looking for.

the first problem is if you have both hands on the grips, how are you going to operate the focus? (be it either on-board or external follow) the first and most logical is you have a camera assistant or "focus puller" - GREAT! but thats another mouth to feed on set. OR you could get a remote focus control like a varizoom, bebob or other. but that just controls the on-board focus NOT a follow focus. remote controls for a follow focus are a whole other physical and financial ballgame.

second thing to consider is the (and i HATE this term) "form factor." the rig needs to be properly balanced and wisely set up or youre going to get fatigued in very, VERY short order. with an adapter, grips and monitor a rig gets front heavy REALLY quickly. and you will need to look into either a way to simply re arrange things OR get some weight on to the back like a battery system, firestore, wireless plate or something like the zacuto lunch box.

another thing is monitor placement. something you will discover quickly is that if your monitor is too high, too low or off to the side of what youre shooting, it can be a challenge to mesh what you see on the monitor with the moves you make with your body.

ive been a zacuto user for a few years an i find that their stuff is by far the best for adjustability and its SUPER SOLID. LOVE IT! but it comes at a price. and like i said earlier NONE of the rigs out there perfectly suited my shoulder needs. they all were a compromise to one degree or another. i find myself always tweaking and buying and selling.

id strongly suggest that if you are sold on the idea of a shoulder rig to look into a single centered grip as opposed to left and right dual grip setup. the single, centered grip would allow you to support the weight with one hand and free up the other to operate the focus controls.

sorry to ramble on. just thought that it might help...
 
Thanks WGZN,
I always wondered if that was a big problems with the ff and two handles. I guess now I know it is... hmmm bummer. Even with a CA you'd have some awkward movement problems I'm guessing.
 
I guess now I know it is... hmmm bummer. Even with a CA you'd have some awkward movement problems I'm guessing.
Click to expand...
it all depends on what you shoot, how you shoot and what youre used to. i am typically a run and gun shooter so i have different needs than someone who mainly shoots shorts and features.

i almost never have an AC on camera, where others rarely dont have one...

im not trying to down talk the idea of dual grips or shoulder rigs. just wanted to point out things that id imagine many new adopters might not consider.
 
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