FS7: Rebuilding 2019

M

morgan_moore

Major Contributor
Having just bought a movi it is time to rebuild my FS7.

My rig has been temporary since 2015.

Anyway

I found this https://store.zacuto.com/fs7-spacer/

I think it is a good start as the 7 is IMO flawed with such a small zone for mounting the camera which makes it challenged for longer lenses or suchlike.

This will give a decent footprint which is a great place to start.

Next Im going to get a 20cm arca style rail for the bottom.

The camera will I hope have 20cm of flat slidey foreaft goodness on the bottom. Very exciting!

I must also mention Im switching to arca plating in general. The amount of fake arca on Amazon is amazing - I bought a $15 Endoer clamp and it really is fine.

Im going to put a 100mm arca on the top which will give me an option for making a handle that will whip off to go onto the gimbal.

I bought a $15 smallrig handle.. again the level of engineering is vey good

Ive also binned the VLock from the back of the camera and will be putting the Vlock back on my rods.
 
I've never seen that spacer before, definitely ordered. Looks like it will fix the FS7's spongy back end. Thanks.
 
J.Brown said:
I bought a Sachtler COG plate to do about the same thing.
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What product do you mean? This zacuto widget fils up the 'hole' in the bottom of the FS7 creating options for a more sturdy mount.

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My 20cm arca rail came today, it neeeded a bit of fingling on the mill (not having a 3/8 hole) but having 20cm of flat on the bottom of the camera is very cool and instantly feels 'right'. It currently flexes until I get the zacuto widget.

I also put 120mm of arca on the top (more mill fingling). Now the shoulder rig and top handle are gone in seconds - it feels a good way to go.

S
 
I have been debating the same thing.... a build that can go from Movi to handheld again quick and easy. I wonder if you have looked into any of the ignitedigi stuff for the Movi ? they make tilt offsets to allow use of larger lenses, they make quick release top handles, brackets to help mount the teradek to the side of the camera, all kinds of stuff. Probably a bit spendy, but for me having a rig that is functional, and reliable is high priority.

Right now I'm on the Zacuto baseplate - new one with sliding plate under the camera, that's removable and included a separate dock. I wonder if putting the Movi baseplate on the Zacuto dock would be a solid bottom quick solution. then up top use something like a nato rail to slip on the handle and then slip off and attach Movi top plate....


I Don't have the Movi yet, but I'm looking to make the move from ronin into Movi, and I want to use it with my fs7 not the a7s only (as my ronin m setup is now)

-Wes
 
Sir follow my progress :)

In general the FS7 is a tight fit height wise - once you add a couple of plates clamps you might be over height.

Its looking good so far. Ive got arca top and bottom of the camera and am making an arca mod for the top of the movi (scrapping thier hotshoe solution)

THe movi top doesnt seem well conceived if you want to go to multiple cameras or put a handle on your camera when it is in tripod/shoulder mode. THe bottom plate not too good either as it wont mount to other stuff.

I considered nato for the top but modularity (arca all the way) seemed good as the camera could be flipped or whatever and it is thicker than arca.

Ignite seems costy compared to arca fake from amazon - $10 for a clamp!

My top mod is being made but I made the same thing out of wood as a placeholder .

Arca Movi top mod in red is the component Im getting made (print for now)
Movi_Clamp2.JPG

Putting arca top/bottom of my FS7 is feeling really good in the handheld world too, the camera breaks down super fast for packing or different configurations.
More bits arriving today including the zacoto prop.

Ignite top mod is £300
https://www.ignitedigi.com.au/colle...-mini-and-red-weapon-slim-line-movi-top-plate
And plate to go from movi to handheld another £350 (you could need many of these!)
https://www.ignitedigi.com.au/collections/camera-movi-plates/products/movi-pro-bridge-plate
 
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I did consider at one time to strip my FS7 for use on a gimbal but after having used one handed gimbals with A7RIII and the good AF I wouldn't consider FS7 and alternative anymore. But that's just how I work and what suits my kind of corporate work.
 
J.Brown said:
I did consider at one time to strip my FS7 for use on a gimbal but after having used one handed gimbals with A7RIII and the good AF I wouldn't consider FS7 and alternative anymore. But that's just how I work and what suits my kind of corporate work.
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As above.. A7III etc and Ronin S .. save yourself a lot of grief ..and frustrated, impatient directors .. good enough for any corp shoots.. anything more high end .. hire in the gear with a crew that know how to set it up .. and operate it..
 
Donny 123 said:
As above.. A7III etc and Ronin S .. save yourself a lot of grief ..and frustrated, impatient directors .. good enough for any corp shoots.. anything more high end .. hire in the gear with a crew that know how to set it up .. and operate it..
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Thats me :)
 
Donny 123 said:
Ok good luck then .. I guess you will need all the remote operator stuff too then.. quite an undertaking ..
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Yes.

Most important I have Misha who is becoming my second brain/AC etc.

He is the number one asset. Id not be dumb enough to go out with this rig solo.

Technically we do have..
Remote focus
Remote monitor
Mimic
Rickshaw
Cart
Jib
Car rig.
Off grid power.
Decked van.
Insurance.
Six LEDs of greater than 100watts.

We lack
18-50 or 14-24 with full FIZ.
Full remote lanc for FS7.
Various cables/knowledge for Red/Alexa-Mini

I wish more DPs made the statement "hire in the gear with a crew that know how to set it up .. and operate it..".. they are the people I need :)
 
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What is about the max time you think you could actually hold the thing all rigged up.. ?.. I believe there is a special long (horizontally ) arm for the easy rig especially for holding this type of rig.. I have the same philosophy re Drones.. get someone who knows what they are doing .. sets it all up gets the shot in one out two takes.. instead of me cocking it up all afternoon long..
 
That is TBA. Misha is younger and fitter than me - Ill be eating pie behind the mimic station :)

We dont seem to have a problem with handholding scripted takes - only a problem when you need to hold frame while the MUA twongles or directer and client chat about cofee or instagram or take an 'important' call.

The MUA does need to twongle and that call is important.

As service operators we need to manage that which might push us towards a robo cop suit. I hate robo cop suits. Probably Id start by popping a Cstand into set with a rig hanger, holding the opening frame.
 
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Just to wind back to the topic of rebuilding the FS7..

I got the Zacuto wongle and .. its awesome :)

My long arca plate on the bottom of the camera now feels properly mounted.

Anyone who has used an amera will appreciate a long flat slidey bottom.
 
Strip back, no vlock, no smallHD, gutcam hold.
Arca on top for fast removal of top gubbins, side handle. and my plywood shade.
Soundie nicked my shockmount as his was stuck at the airport.
Great for moving about, poor for 10min interviews :)

zam1.jpg
 
I spent several hours shooting at a chemical plant yesterday with a friends Fs-7mkII with speed booster, 24-105, small V-lock battery(TC extension back) and outfitted with the Arri VCT shoulder mount/top-plate & handle. Ridiculously light weight. I could sling it around like it was nothing. I actually had to dial the counterbalance on my head down probably 3/4 off the way. Definitely not a huge fan of the Sony VF or the fact that you have to go into the menu to adjust the preset WB setting, but I do like that there's an actual switch to change between preset and the two memory positions and the fact there's an actual dedicated WB button. But after running around with it all morning, I see why guys really like speed boosters(SB and 24-105 is a good combo for a still lens) and I absolutely love the electronic variable ND. The only thing that could make the EVND better is if you could start from "0" and go up from there instead of having to roll it in and start at 1/4.
 
Don't want to start one of those threads again !! but surly the f6 or the fs8.. will have TC in,LED screen,Vari ND, PL like E Mount , decent EVF or at least the possibility (Plug) to use the higher end Sony VF,s.. 6K sensor down sampling to 4K.. how can it be so obvious yet Sony doesn't do it yet.. this camera would rule supreme news/ doc/corp/lower /mid end drama ..
 
Exactly that.
I've been thinking about moving from my F5 to the FS7m2 (mostly for lens reasons), but the FS7 viewfinder thing keeps me from pulling the trigger. Call me old fashioned, but I need a proper VF and third party VF's don't cut it with me.
 
J.Brown said:
You didn't bring any sticks Sam? Hand hold interviews sucks.
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Some bags were delayed. (lesson hand carry enough to shoot - we did that) - have sticks now.

The director likes handheld for short vos pops but many of our subjects here like a 5 minute ramble thanking God, the NGO etc. before saying anything useful. Thats when it hurts.

S
 
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