FS7: Replacement for Sony FS7 VF Mount

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Duol

Active member
The screw of the Sony Viewfinder Mount turns endless and doesn't fixe the viewfinder on my FS7.

I would like to know if you ever have this problem and if you have a solution ?

I would like to replace this VF mount, which one do you recommand ?

Thanks
 
Mine slipped so I broke sown and bought the Zacuto axis mini and top plate... now its rock solid
 
Duol said:
Thanks RayB

Someone has tried the UVF mount from Wooden Camera ?
Click to expand...


I have the WC viewfinder mount. It is solidly built and minimalist in design, but it has flaws. It prevents the horizontal movement of the VF but the movement of the arm up and down is accomplished via tension created by a small screw which clamps a female ring around the 15mm cross bar. I can never seem to get the tension right. It is either so tight that the movement of the viewfinder arm is limited or so loose that the arm doesn't remain in place when positioned. I am able to move the VF up and down, but only so far. At a certain point the mount wants to twist the entire cross bar and that causes my shotgun mic mount and shotgun mic to tilt upwards.

From what I have seen of it in person, the Zacuto arm is better designed. It isn't as stealthy as the WC mount and I am not wild about the bright red anodizing. The movement does seem to be better than that of the WC mount.

The WC mount looks like an original part of the camera. The Zacuto arm does not, imo, and starts to give the Fs7 the "robo-cam" look which was what I so disliked about the C300.

I may be mistaken, but my recollection is that movement of the Zacuto arm requires you to loosen a knob and then retighten after positioning. The WC mount does not. If you are able to get it to work as seen in the WC demo video.

So in the end, WC is less expensive, more looks like original equipment, and when working as advertised allows for easy, single-handed repositioning of the VF. The design of the WC mount is robust yet at the same time brilliantly minimalistic...but that may also be its achilles heel.

Note to Zacuto- loose the red anodizing.

Note to Wooden Camera- loose the cheeky little wooden end caps and logo pieces that are too cute by half.
 
Zacuto Axis mini you dont have to un do and re tighten the screw..you set the tension.. but you can lock off a position .. which is what you want to do mostly for the length adjustment anyway.. I change it for hand held to move it forwards.. takes a couple of seconds..

Each to their own.. but I actually like the red on zacuto products.. I guess if you only have one item it can stand out.. but I have their base plate too, and EYE and so the Red/ Black look also makes it look like "one" camera..(maybe thats why they do it :).. rather than a whole lot of stuff thrown on..
 
I can see where it makes sense to have the bits colored red that actuate movement. Sachtler does parts in red as a safety alert.

The thing about the anodized bits is that if you mix aftermarket brands you end up with a kaleidoscope of colors- red for you Zacuto VF arm, orange for your Bright Tangerine matte box, green if you use a Lanparte bridge, blue if you use an MTF PL adapter. Call it the "Lucky Charms effect".

Back to the OP's question, I have read that the Zacuto places the diopter too far away from the side of the camera for some right-eye shooters. That was the experience of the only reviewer of the Axis mini on B & H's site. That person returned it for that reason.

____________

A while back in a discussion of the Zacuto shoulder plate, my immediate impression from the photos of it was that it places the camera too far rearward on your shoulder. The result is a jammed-up position with the iris ring of a manual iris lens all the way back against your cheek. Things are made even worse by the long loupe of the stock Fs7 VF. That was the experience of the B & H reviewer- a jammed-up setup and neck strain from not being able to get the VF far enough forward. IMO the Fs7, sans extension unit and full size batts, is simply too short to have it centered over your shoulder. The Z plate places everything too far aft as readily seen in their own product photo:

Zacuto-FS7-Recoil-640x360.jpg

I use the Chrosziel plate and, after some initial issues that Chrosziel commendably sorted out, love it. It is one of the more minimalist shoulder plates out there. Light-ish in weight but built like a tank. More than any other plate it looks like part of the camera and not like an add on:

B6DlMRwIIAAKhNG.jpg

Others have said that they found it too minimalist. The pad is thin and there isn't much range on positioning of the pad.

Thank you Donny for clarifying the point about the Axis mini.
 
Hi JP.. yes see what you mean about alot of different colors ! .. maybe sub conscious then.. I had all Vocas stuff before.. and still the top plate,handle ,and mattbox.. and attachment for the axis mini 15mm rod.. but they are also red moving parts ! luckily .. so I only have red moving bits.. can I say that on this forum :).. except when I use my Tangerine light weight mattbox..
I have the Zac shoulder plate as I use it with a large heavy zoom.. and its the only plate to get the camera back far enough.. and those gel pads are really good news for hand held when the camera is around 10 kg,s !.. if i only used primes I might not need that plate.. but I found my original Vocas padding alot like concrete after about 10 mins of HH shooting !.. of course the answer is what ever works for you.. but that Fs7 EVF mount is really not great at all.. I would change that day one of ownership..
 
But looking at the picture of that bracket.. it would just take one screw (on the 15mm rod) to lose the horizon..? I cant even see why you would ever want the possibility.. it must surely be one of the basic purposes of a VF mount ..to keep the horizon .. and be able to put the VF where you want it.. thats all they have to do.. and Sony have been doing a decent job of it till the Fs7.. and 15mm rod .. a bit of a worry that "designers" didnt see the keeping everything round wasn't the best idea..
 
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