GH2 Need Advice on Setting up GH2, Cowboy Studios Shoulder Rig, Rails and D|focus V3

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synchroman

Member
Hi everyone, first post here.

I have spent a good number of hours over the past couple of days trying to figure out how best to add follow focus to a Cowboy Studio Shoulder Rig for my GH2. I am creating this rig primarily for narrative type shooting, not for documentaries or run and gun type shooting.

I decided that because I have never physically used some of the equipment I am reading about that I should just open up a new thread with a useful subject line so other people can find this info too.

So here is what I need help on. I am trying to get the following equipment to play nicely together:

Panasonic GH2
Manfrotto 755XB tripod
Manfrotto 701HD Head
Cowboy Studio Shoulder Support
D|focus V3 follow focus
3" CarrySpeed Viewfinder 3:2

After doing a lot of reading those are the components of the kit I have decided to put together(I have not bought the follow focus yet though). Here is where I am still a bit confused on what to buy:

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1. I need a rail system compatible with Cowboy studios support and the D|focus V3. Ideally I would prefer some type of setup under $150 total.

This is basically the rig I am trying to get close to:
http://foursandyfeet.com/reviews/cowboystudiorig/

It looks to be using Express35.com's RigX rail system which cost about $279:
http://express35.com/rigs/rig-x/

I already have this BARKSA handle grip:
http://www.shopbarska.com/Tripods_Mounts-BARSKA_ACCU_GRIP_HANDHELD_TRIPOD.html

I was hoping to use the BARSKA grip on the end of one of the rails of whatever rails I end up getting. I thought this piece might work to attach the grip to the rails:
http://express35.com/info/blog/90-degree-accessory-mount/

These "dog bones" and "rail blocks" below also seems like they might play a part in getting the BARSKA grip on the end but I don't know enough about them to be sure. Not sure if there are holes on the bottom to screw the grip into:
http://www.cinevate.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=68
http://www.cinevate.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=194

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2. I am not sure whether to get zip ties for the D|focus or a gear setup. Which is better?

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3. The focus on the GH2 is electronic... what are your opinions of how well follow focus works with the electronic lens focusing? Am I better off skipping the follow focus and simply doing touch screen focusing with the stylus? Currently I use a combination of using the touchscreen and using a wire tie on the focus ring to pull focus

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4. How do I make the rails and D|Focus work with my Manfrotto 755XB tripod? I would really like to be able to quickly take the GH2 + follow focus + rails off the Cowboy Studio support and snap it onto the Tripod.

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5. Can I get a lower cost IndiSystem rails setup as an alternative to the more expensive RigX system that also works with the D|Focus V3 and the Cowboy Studio Shoulder Rig? The setup at the link below is $129 and seems like it may fit the bill. Except it has no handle block at the end:
http://www.indisystem.com/products/indirails_pro

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6. Are these rail systems all universal? It seems many are 15mm. But are they also spaced apart the same distance between rails so you can interchange collars and blocks?

I asked a lot of questions, I know. Thanks in advance for any help you can give me with this!

synchroman
 
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Hey Xenogears, thanks for that link. That link helped a lot. That guy has a lot of good info in that video... it's 18 min long so I am going to have to watch it again. I did go ahead and order the D|Focus V3 from Jag35.com. I am thinking I may have to wait to get the D|Focus in hand so I can see how it is going to work with the Cowboy Studio rig.

But I think that I am leaning towards getting the RigX system for the rails. Hope to decide by end of the day. Thanks again for that link!
 
Syncroman, I like what you are trying to do. I have the Cowboy shoulder support. Very nice. I don't have a follow focus yet. But I am interested in rails that go from the shoulder mount to the camera. Be aware, many of these systems are for much larger Canon DSLRs. Don't loose the advantage of a small lightweight m43 system, with heavy and over scaled accessories. Report back with pics once you have it together.Good luck!
 
Picturequest,

Thanks for the tip on not overbuilding my rig. i hadn't thought about the weight of the rails. I'm definitely trying to keep it all light. I won't be mounting a mic at this point. Going to use a shotgun mic with boom pole to pick up sound. I'm still trying to decide which rails to get. I'm hoping within the next few days I will have it figured out. And by end of next week I hope to have it built. When I do get it finished I will definitely post pictures here along with detailed notes on what parts i bought and how i got it all to work together.

But in the meantime if anyone has any suggestions for a sub $150 rail system that will work with the Cowboy Studio shoulder mount and D|Focus V3 please post here and let us know.
 
I am looking to do something similar.. but I am thinking about going with the REWO cage on top of the RigX offset.. Then throw some rails in and maybe add a monitor... and maybe that follow focus that grips with friction. I think its he IKAN
 
For those of you looking to build an ultra cheap rail system the guy in the link below has built a rail system for probably about $50-$75 if even that much. This was what I was originally wanting to do but I don't have the equipment to cut the aluminum rails and drill the holes. I might look into having home depot or some place cut the rails for me. Here is his video of how to make your own DIY rail system. Great video. I am probably going to end up buying premade parts but this guy has the right idea if you have the equipment:

http://www.nextwavedv.com/diy-dslr-adjustable-shoulder-rig/

The same guy has done a weight test of the Cowboy Studio Shoulder Support here:
http://dvrebellion.com/2011/02/30-shoulder-support-weight-test/

Seems pretty solid.
 
go to ebay, type in "dslr rig" look for Gini rigs, Their silver and red, beautifully built and dirt cheap. They have many configurations, they are from Souel Korea, just so you know your looking at the right ones. this will enable you to set up a proper rig for narrative shooting.
 
maranfilms said:
go to ebay, type in "dslr rig" look for Gini rigs, Their silver and red, beautifully built and dirt cheap. They have many configurations, they are from Souel Korea, just so you know your looking at the right ones. this will enable you to set up a proper rig for narrative shooting.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice. I did end up ordering a new Gini Base Plate for $74 shipped off ebay. You can also buy it here for $55 plus shipping:
http://www.gini1.com/base-plate-no5.html

But I hear the shipping is pretty high if you order directly from the site and shipping might put the total cost around $100 or so.

So far here is what I ordered to make this rig if anyone is curious:

1. Gini Base Plate (new) $74 shipped : on Ebay
http://www.gini1.com/base-plate-no5.html

2. Cowboy Studios Shoulder Support $36 : from Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/CowboyStudio-Shoulder-Support-Camcorder-Camera/dp/B0036NMQ7S

3. Cinevate Universal Rail Block - $38.95 : from BHPhoto
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...02_CI_RA_AS_000002_Universal_Rails_Block.html

4. IndiSystem 12" 15mm Carbon Fiber Rods (x2) : $39 shipped : from IndiSystem
http://www.indisystem.com/products/carbon_fiber_rods

5. BARSKA Handle Grip $14 : from Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/BARSKA-Accu-Handheld-Tripod-System/dp/B001JJCI5Q

6. D|Focus Follow Focus + 1 Gear : $166 : from Jag35.com
http://jag35.com/new/products/dfocus/

So that is $368 so far. And I imagine another $30-40 in shipping not shown above so the total for this setup is right now at about $400. I'm hoping all of these parts will work together nicely. I think I might still need to get some type of offset bar so I can adjust the position of the camera laterally so I can look through the viewfinder I bought.

When all of these parts get here I will post comments and pictures on how it all works together(or doesn't if that is the case).
 
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For those of you looking for some do it yourself 12" 15mm (5/8) rails you might try here:

http://cgi.ebay.com/hobby-3pc-7-16-x-12-Round-Aluminum-Tubing-K-S-3034-/400182074736
http://www.amazon.com/Aluminum-6061-T6-Seamless-Tubing-Length/dp/B000H9NM9U
http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/k+s/k+s292.htm

I went ahead and went with the Indisystem 12" 15mm carbon fiber rails. They have a better finish, are capped, sturdier(be careful with the inner wall thickness on DIY rails) and look better as a part of the rig. And to get the aluminum DIY rails shipped will probably cost close to $20 anyways(half of the Indisystem rails shipped)
 
I maybe following in your footsteps. I like your selection and budgeting. Some other rigs are crazy expensive if you understand what a stick of aluminum costs. We have a surplus metal place and Aluminum is like $2 a LB. And they have 5/8" but I'd prefer to go with proper 15mm, which is a tad smaller than 15mm to fit all the attachments. Now to find a decent matte box to look professional.
 
Picturequest said:
I maybe following in your footsteps. I like your selection and budgeting. Some other rigs are crazy expensive if you understand what a stick of aluminum costs. We have a surplus metal place and Aluminum is like $2 a LB. And they have 5/8" but I'd prefer to go with proper 15mm, which is a tad smaller than 15mm to fit all the attachments. Now to find a decent matte box to look professional.
Click to expand...

I agree. I understand that these companies need to make their money and will never sell as many camera rigs as iphones for example and therefore need to charge a bit more. But i still have this resistance for paying tons of money for aluminum tubes i can buy at Home Depot basically(see the cool DIY rig Xenogears just posted above for example). That said, I'm happy with the parts i did wind up getting.

I did get the Gini DSLR Baseplate today. Well built, all metal pieces. That was really fast coming all the way from South Korea. In fact it got here faster than stuff I am still waiting on from the USA. It's pretty well built and i like the color. Looks like it has a "riser" built into it so you can adjust the height of the camera off of the rails. Just waiting on my rails, the cowboy studio support and the Cinevate rail block and then I can put it all together and see if it works.

And if you find a decent Matte Box,(preferrably under $100) please post it here.

Xenogears, thanks for the link to that rig. Very interesting. If I hadn't already bought all of this stuff I might have looked into going that route. Best DIY rig and rails setup I have seen with off the shelf parts so far.


pic of Gini DSLR baseplate from gini1 site:
base_plate_%282%29.jpg
 
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Got another question for you guys on this Gini baseplate on how to lock camera down on top of base so it won't unscrew.

I have taken the Gini baseplate and screwed it onto of the quick release plate that came with the Manfrotto tripod and 701 HD Head i have. The Manfrotto quick release plate has a second little post that sticks up on the lens side of the plate. You can slide the Gini base against this post and then tighten the screw and the Gini base will now not rotate and unscrew. Very nice.

So it looks like the Gini will work well for quickly getting the camera, base and rails quickly between the rig setup and the tripod. In the picture above you see the Gini base has a screw sticking out of the top plate. What you cant see is that the top of the base has cork inset into the metal top of the base to create friction against the bottom of whatever sits on top.

That definitely helps, but I was wondering if you guys know a way that I can screw the GH2 onto the top plate and not have it slip around at all? I want it firmly locked so the camera will not rotate and unscrew as I use it. (The Gini base seems really well made and the friction from the cork on top may be enough....once I get it all put together and tested, the cam may be pretty secure on top and this may be a non-issue)

Is there another type of plate I can put the GH2 on that will go on the Gini screw that secures the camera more?

Thanks!

(I will post pictures of the equipment when it all comes in)
 
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Seems like such a great rig for such a cheap price. I'm going for this very soon.... Thanks for sharing.
 
synchroman said:
I was wondering if you guys know a way that I can screw the GH2 onto the top plate and not have it slip around at all? I want it firmly locked so the camera will not rotate and unscrew as I use it. (The Gini base seems really well made and the friction from the cork on top may be enough....once I get it all put together and tested, the cam may be pretty secure on top and this may be a non-issue)

Is there another type of plate I can put the GH2 on that will go on the Gini screw that secures the camera more?
Click to expand...

I am having the same problem. It doesn't work at all with a follow focus (I got the ikan one for $400 at BH because the jag35 one was backordered). Slides all over the place and loses the gears; total pain in the arse. If you or someone has an answer for where to find some rubberized grip with adhesive replacement deal then please let me know! Otherwise I'll probably get the baseplate at jag35.com that has pin holes that integrate with popular DSLRs. It's cheap and works really well, I'm sure. Though I'd rather spend $5 on rubber.


The Gini rig is awesome and don't let the "pros" tell you otherwise. It's all about getting the image you want and that has more to do with your brain than your gear. I got the 17 ultra for $500 on ebay (something like that; it's the one with the counterweight and shoulder mount with the crazy way over-the-top cage setup). I use the formatt FM500 matte box with it, though I think the one at Jag35 would be better as it integrates with rails. There are a few low-cost mattebox solutions out there as well. Note on the Gini. Chances are you don't need the giant contraption. You'll get plenty of configs out of one of the less testosterone-heavy products.
 
Justyn said:
Seems like such a great rig for such a cheap price. I'm going for this very soon.... Thanks for sharing.
Click to expand...

So far it seems to be working out. I just got the Cowboy Studio support in the mail today. I opened it up and tried it out. Seems sturdy. It is plastic though and I imagine if you were to drop this thing multiple times on a hard surface it might crack. Then again if you were to do that, your camera would be wrecked too and a metal support vs. a plastic support wouldn't have saved your camera anways. But it definitely feels strong enough to hold the weight of what I am putting on it.

The plastic pieces are pretty thick like some lawn and gardening plastic and the other nice thing is that it comes with two different pieces(plates, risers, whatever you want to call them) that attach to the end. I originally thought I was going to need to buy an offset plate but I think I might be ok with out one. And there are three rubber pads at the end of each joint where there are your standard 1/4" screws and the pads help to keep things from sliding out of place.

Still waiting on rails and rail block and then I will put it together and post pictures.
 
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bait n tackle said:
I am having the same problem. It doesn't work at all with a follow focus (I got the ikan one for $400 at BH because the jag35 one was backordered). Slides all over the place and loses the gears; total pain in the arse. If you or someone has an answer for where to find some rubberized grip with adhesive replacement deal then please let me know! Otherwise I'll probably get the baseplate at jag35.com that has pin holes that integrate with popular DSLRs. It's cheap and works really well, I'm sure. Though I'd rather spend $5 on rubber.


The Gini rig is awesome and don't let the "pros" tell you otherwise. It's all about getting the image you want and that has more to do with your brain than your gear. I got the 17 ultra for $500 on ebay (something like that; it's the one with the counterweight and shoulder mount with the crazy way over-the-top cage setup). I use the formatt FM500 matte box with it, though I think the one at Jag35 would be better as it integrates with rails. There are a few low-cost mattebox solutions out there as well. Note on the Gini. Chances are you don't need the giant contraption. You'll get plenty of configs out of one of the less testosterone-heavy products.
Click to expand...

I'm a bit worried too that the camera will slip around when i adjust the follow focus. The camera is going to sit on the Gini base plate which has cork inset on the top of it. I haven't gotten the rods yet so I can't hook up the follow focus and test it. But I can say that when I put the GH2 on the Gini baseplate, tighten the red screw underneath(but not overtight) the GH2 sits solidly on the cork inset and doesn't move when I give it a decent tug by hand. I will know more obviously when I get a chance to shoot for 2 or 3 hours but I can't imagine the follow focus is going to be putting anywhere near the pressure on the camera that I am doing with my hand. So it's looking good so far.

The other nice thing about the Gini base plate is that you can remove the battery to the GH2 without totally unscrewing it from the baseplate. You will though have to probably loosen the red screw a few turns, rotate the GH2 90 degrees and then fully open the battery door. Would be way better though, if you didn't have to unscrew the scew at all. Overall very happy with the Gini. (So far)
 
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