FS7: New Smallrig EVF NATO bar option

B

bengiles

Well-known member
I contacted Smallrig a while back, about cutting down the amount of clamps needed to mount the EVF. I gave up on the Sony original 15mm rods over a year ago.

Anyway, we swapped ideas as part of their "co-design" process. The outcome is this:

http://www.smallrig.com/SMALLRIG-rod-clamp-and-rail-combination-1856.html

I've used it in anger on a couple of shoots now. I reckon it's a serious alternative to the Vocas and WC offerings, at a fraction of the price. The NATO rail ensures your horizon is always straight.

Ben.

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bengiles said:
Anyway, we swapped ideas as part of their "co-design" process. The outcome is this:

http://www.smallrig.com/SMALLRIG-rod-clamp-and-rail-combination-1856.html
Click to expand...

Nicely done!

In another thread I just posted how I use this device to simultaneously mount a Gratical EYE, & the FS7's LCD.

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthrea...atives&p=1986672259&viewfull=1#post1986672259

I'm using a pair of Vocas' brackets to make the connections, both of which are a bit pricey. Any idea if SmallRig plans on manufacturing their own versions?

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1249099-REG/vocas_0700_0031_viewfinder_bracket_with_1_4.html

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1249100-REG/vocas_0700_0061_viewfinder_bracket_for_sony.html
 
The part looks good Ben. That shared design program caught my eye. Glad to see it worked well. What was the time frame for design/development? Do you just give them the idea and walk away? They better give you a free part! Altho, at their price points it almost doesn't matter.
 
I wanted to also say that Small Rig is great. I submitted my design for a new lens support while ago, they liked it and today they sent me pictures of the prototype. I'm attaching my original sketch I submitted to them and pictures of the prototype they sent me today (it's the shiny aluminum part I designed, I'don't like the "Y" shaped support but it can be used without it). I designed it because I like supports which can be mounted from the bottom while the lens is already on the camera. Their current model could be mounted from the bottom but one side which has no clamp would not stay on because it was meant to rest on top of the rods originally. This new design can be mounted both ways without the clamp-less side slipping off the rods. Will see if the design is good ;) I'll ask them to include the offset plate which mounts on top, this way the support can reach back over FS7's "lip" to support lens adapters such as Metabones.

improved lens and lens adapter support.jpg
improved lens and lens adapter support - bottom.jpg
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Nice. I remember looking for a lens support when I first got my Fs7 - wondering why there weren't any I could find that would reach back over that silly lip...may still purchase something like this just to keep on the MB adapter which usually lives on my camera anyway
 
markfpv said:
Nice. I remember looking for a lens support when I first got my Fs7 - wondering why there weren't any I could find that would reach back over that silly lip...may still purchase something like this just to keep on the MB adapter which usually lives on my camera anyway
Click to expand...

I've been using Zacuto's T-slide as an offset plate to support my Metabones. I never take it off the camera.

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Hi Caleb.

I first got in touch with them at the end of September. This was what I was running at the time:

IMAG0304(09-26-1(09-26-18-28-12).jpg

They then had the finished part - given to me free of charge - by 7th November. Very agile, disruptive, yet high quality business - just the kind of people I like to deal with.

Ben.
 
great. Thanks for sharing. Is the original rod easy to remove? It looks like you replaced it by a shorter one
 
Clermond said:
great. Thanks for sharing. Is the original rod easy to remove? It looks like you replaced it by a shorter one
Click to expand...

The lateral one that attaches to the mic? No, I use the original - I just changed the allen bolt tightener to a ratchet lever, so I can slide the rod left or right.
 
bengiles said:
The lateral one that attaches to the mic? .
Click to expand...

the one at the LCD. Unfortunately I cannot check is as my camera is out of the studio this week

20161214_181105.jpg
 
apologies for my bad explanation. I was talking about the short rod with the thread at the viewfinder hinge

2016-12-15_rod.jpg
 
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Clermond said:
apologies for my bad explanation. I was talking about the short rod with the thread at the viewfinder hinge

2016-12-15_rod.jpg
Click to expand...

Gotcha - yes, easy to remove with a decent Allen key. Replaced it with a cut down piece of 15mm rod. The friction is controlled by the Smallrig clamp.
 
Ben, I have the WC system and I find that if I tighten the arm so that the VF NATO rail does not slip the arm is so tight that when I go to reposition the VF up or down it torques the entire cross bar and as a result my camera mic is titled upwards or titled downwards. Do you find the same with the system you are running? When you want to raise or lower the position of the VF, do you loosen the ratcheted wing nut or are you able to have the tension to where you can reposition the VF without having to loosen and retighten the ratcheted wing nut, AND have the VF remain solidly at whatever height you position it?

Are you able to position the VF parallel to the lens without having to loosen anything? That would be nice for storing the camera in its case. As it is now, with the WC system, the VF is always perpendicular to the lens and that makes the VF more likely to suffer damage when in my soft-sided camera bag.
 
markfpv said:
Nice. I remember looking for a lens support when I first got my Fs7 - wondering why there weren't any I could find that would reach back over that silly lip...may still purchase something like this just to keep on the MB adapter which usually lives on my camera anyway
Click to expand...

I use this support from Westside AV to support my PL adapter and at other times to support my EF adapter-

FS7Lenssupport7.jpg

I just wish companies wouldn't plaster their web address on sh*t and make me a walking billboard for them. It makes their products look tacky and low-rent, imo. And Westside, those wing nuts need to be aluminum, not plastic. And they need to be ratcheted.

and yes, Small Rig is great. So many different types of products on their site. And while I am aware that low-priced products often equal low quality, it is hard to resist an 11" Israeli arm for only $29.00. Let's be honest, some of the stuff out there is ridiculously overpriced for what it is. That's right, NOGA, I said it. I was reminded that more expensive doesn't always mean better when I purchased an $800 PL to e-mount adapter that wiggled under load but an adapter that is less than half that price doesn't have play at all.
 
Feeling dumb here - I can't tell from the pictures how you've attached the VF to that new small rig arm. The mystery to me is that piece you have circled in red, but the link you provided
<https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1> goes nowhere. Can you check that link?

Lenny
 
Having stated earlier that Small Rig is great I'll say that they are quite clueless when it comes to actual camera world needs. They are not a real camera gear company. You can tell by looking at their numerous FS7 baseplates for example - none of them follows any standard when it comes to optical axis to rods spacing, each one seems to have a completely different and random spacing. I guess that's what happens when a company is open to customers' designs, I just wish they filtered them better and made necessary tweaks to keep standards. But parts are quite well made and look ok aesthetically, overall I have to say that I like them.

The hidden but probably the most important quality factor is the quality of the alloy used. There's a huge difference between good and bad aluminum alloys...
 
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