C500: New C500 (original) owner, questions about rigs, D-Tap, batteries...

Steel

Active member
Hey folks,
So I picked up a used C500, 4 batteries, and Odyssey 7q with RAW update for what I think was a pretty good price. It's only missing the top handle, which most people switch out anyway, and is in very good condition.
I Frankenstein'd a rig together with stuff I had lying around at home and in the office, but it's really no good, so I think I'll have to blow a bit more to get it up and running properly.

This morning the recorder slider from Wooden Camera popped up and was 100 bucks off, so I jumped on that. The ability to have the monitor centered behind the camera and run a V-Mount off the back of it seems perfect.

I'm using a top handle that I have from a little cage for my 1DC, and the way it attaches is in the hotshoe bus without a screw. I feel like having that centre screw (and a top plate like the one from Zacuto), would really help lock things in. Thoughts on this? I don't want to bust the hotshoe...

Finally, a baseplate... Something that will let me have the camera stripped with just a plate, attach to rods, and then attach to a tripod. The only other large cameras I use are an FS7, which isn't rigged out at all, and some old Panasonic P2s, which have those giant bottom plates (Arri dovetails??).
We mostly use Manfrotto plates at work which fit into most of our tripods.
This C500 is my first real cinema cam, so I'm really not in the know about the industry standards.
I've got a Redrock Micro follow focus I can use, and a mattebox if I need it.

So I curious about a top plate, baseplate and rods, and then a lens support (for when I want to get silly and throw my 200mm f/1.8 on there...)

Also, anyone know the barrel size of the C500 A/C adaptor? The seller included a new Lanparte 8.4V D-Tap cable, but its too small. I found a box of old adaptors at work and tried about 6 of them. One fit, but I had to cut off some of the rubber surrounding the barrel. Hopefully I can solder it together with the D-Tap cable and get it to work.

Thoughts on Fxlion Nano batteries. Having the USB outputs (looks like it should charge an EOS R) and being able to charge via USB (although apparently quite slow) are nice bonuses.

Thanks!
 
As far as the support gear, some make dedicated cages/half-cages with a built-in handle and rods if you were looking for an all-in-one system such as this:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod..._c_700_30_456_custom_cage_canon_eos_with.html

If you're on a budget, you can probably find just a dedicated top plate for the camera and then use any handle with a 1/4 screw.

And maybe a cheap baseplate such as these (I'm selling a few extra ones if you need one):

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...c1519_silvery_camvate_baseplate_with_7_9.html (Could swap the rods with longer ones.)

There are probably hundreds of different combinations of options if you considered all of the companies offering universal parts (including lens supports)...really depends on your budget.
 
I replied to docmoore twice now, via the 'reply' button, but nothing has shown up. Am I doing this correctly??
This time I'm just using the bottom box...
 
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