MF With Shoulder rig - EVF or LCD + Viewfinder?

I

iflight

Active member
I'm new to video and soon to be receiving my GH2. I am wondering how people are pulling focus with manual lenses on their GH1's / GH2's using a support system without an external monitor. I am trying to put together an entry level system and hoping to avoid having to use an external monitor

I know on other cameras people are using add-on viewfinders to their LCD screens, but with the wonderful EVF on the GH2, is it possible to focus using a support system (ie. shoulder rig)?

Is the LCD good enought to pull focus manually without magnification?

I've never done either (used a support system OR shot video) so I don't know if trying to use the EVF with a support system is even doable, so again i turn to the dvxuser community for guidance.

Thanks for your help with this one!
 
I'd say with the LCD, while not the highest resolution for the size, its plenty high to focus manually. It just takes practice. On the other hand, I'm speaking as a guy who makes home movies, not short films with budgets and high expectations.
 
DanDOF said:
On the other hand, I'm speaking as a guy who makes home movies, not short films with budgets and high expectations.
Click to expand...

That would be me as well! There is an inexpensive 10" HDMI screen i've heard of, but trying to keep it simple....

Thank for your thoughts.
 
iflight said:
I know on other cameras people are using add-on viewfinders to their LCD screens, but with the wonderful EVF on the GH2, is it possible to focus using a support system (ie. shoulder rig)?
Is the LCD good enought to pull focus manually without magnification?
I've never done either (used a support system OR shot video) so I don't know if trying to use the EVF with a support system is even doable, so again i turn to the dvxuser community for guidance.
Click to expand...
I have a GH1 camera: as the LCD is very low resolution, I use the viefinder of the camera for focus. Resolution is higher, and focus is easy.
About shoulder RIG, In Italy we are designing a good and cheaper shoulder rig for DSLR, expecially for GH1 and GH2. When we have newas, I'll open a thread here about this.
 
Willyfan said:
I use the viefinder of the camera for focus. Resolution is higher, and focus is easy.
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Great; keep me posted. But is focusing with shoulder rig using the EVF i a possibility, a goal, a desire....or a pipe dream? Never used either, so don't know if it's even a "design capability".

Thanks.
 
iflight said:
But is focusing with shoulder rig using the EVF i a possibility, a goal, a desire....or a pipe dream?
Click to expand...
It's simple and it works well, esp in sunny outdoor conditions which make the LCD useless and even external monitors with hoods nearly useless, particularly when the sun is coming from behind the cam.

If you don't want to wreck your neck, then you need some sort of offset rod kit to get the viewfinder lined up with your right eye. This is why Redrock makes their offset kit.
 
ajcourtney said:
It's simple and it works well, esp in sunny outdoor conditions which make the LCD useless and even external monitors with hoods nearly useless, particularly when the sun is coming from behind the cam.

If you don't want to wreck your neck, then you need some sort of offset rod kit to get the viewfinder lined up with your right eye. This is why Redrock makes their offset kit.
Click to expand...

OK. Thanks a lot for all the tips. Much appreciated!
 
ajcourtney said:
If you don't want to wreck your neck, then you need some sort of offset rod kit to get the viewfinder lined up with your right eye. This is why Redrock makes their offset kit.
Click to expand...

Just from looking at a picture of the Redrock offset, it kind of seems like they designed it assuming the user would have a hoodloupe over the LCD, and in effect a viewfinder that extends a few inches from the camera body. Since the GH1/GH2 do not require a hoodloupe, it seems like you'll be mashing your face against the end of the offset rails.

Am I picturing this incorrectly? Does the camera mount in such a way that this is not an issue?
 
Good question Sam. I have not yet bought a kit for either the canons or the GHx. but i also don't use the dlsr baseplate - i use the extra clamp adapter with a manfrotto 357PL quick release kit for mounting the camera which gives you a ton of fore and aft positioning options. so i'm hoping the riser kit will work (height-wise) with the canons w/battery grip and the GHx without the 357PL kit.

i'll buy one and let you know...
 
figured i'd update this in case it helps anyone...i did receive the RR offset kit for use with the shoulder mount and i must say i've got this rig dialed in pretty nicely for both the canon and the panny dslr's both with a wide range of lenses. either one will work well. the key is to have both the manfrotto QR 357 and the 577? - whatever the plate for the 501/503HDV heads is. I've put a 70-210 2.8 APO lens up there and the longer plate is perfect on the GHx since the plate is attaching to the tripod ring of the lens. it pushes the viewfinder on the GHx right into your eye which is perfect. but you can't use the longer plate with smaller lenses like a 50 because the back end of your plate will be hitting your face. so you also need the short plate and QR adapter that is used with the 501/503 heads.

with the offset riser kit you can also use a 550d with batt pack with one of the viewfinder loupes for the LCD - this also works very well. i've also got a follow focus mounted on the offset rail kit and this works perfectly.

if you must mount a 7" or 8" lcd on the shoulder mount, you can even do that although the weight with those sony batteries starts to get pretty heavy esp with long, fast glass. but it's doable because i also had my 7" panel up there with hoodman shade - no prob.

totally love this setup now - i feel i can go anywhere under any lighting condition with either set of cams and film perfectly at ease. very highly recommended!
 
I'll snap some pic's tomorrow in the daylight showing my setup. John can speak for himself, but I'll say that I don't think anyone in their right mind would attempt to use a fig rig with these current DSLRs that pretty much require fulltime manual focus. The shoulder mounts stabilize the cameras but also provide a secure spot to anchor your follow focus, monitor, and whatever else you need for the cam. And of course, it's easier to support the weight of your kit on your skeletal frame rather than handholding it in a very disadvantaged position (with respect to leverage).
 
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so here are some pics of both a 550D and a GH1 - the GH2's have not yet been delivered! i have a sigma 70-210 MF mounted to the GH1 and you can see the longer QR plate is perfect for this setup. for smaller lenses, however, i swap out the long plate with a shorter 501 plate.

on the 550D with the LCDVF again, the offset kit gets the cam in a perfect spot for my LEFT eye - either eye works, but it's lined up best with my left eye. and you can use it with or without the batt pack.
 
thanks for the pic..
It looks as though the GH1 is just hanging off the end of the lens mount, and not screwed onto the base plate?
Do you have a pic with the shorter glass and base plate on the GH1?
 
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