Ronford Handgrips "Moose Bars"

T

Tim Naylor

Veteran
These look like the real deal. At app. 450.00 this is great offering from a company that has a reputation for building things right.

Check it out:

http://www.ronfordbaker.co.uk/video.html

I've been in the hunt for hand grips that are strong, simple and affordable. My grips of choice, "Blue Grips" ring in over 2000.00. Zacuto is still above what I'm willing to shell out.

I'd like to hear from anyone who has had a chance to use these. I love the simplicity and the ability to buy extensions.
 
I own the moose bar (minus the ronford handgrips). It's a very solid piece of equipment. Really like it because it gives me the option of using 15mm or 19mm rods.
I currently use the moose bar with the blue handles. I can say the ronford handles are pretty lightweight and grip like nobody's business. Much better that Zacuto or Redrock stuff. The ronford is very comparable to the blue handles, just has slightly less adjustability.
 
So how much is a complete setup? 450$ or British Pound? Does the moosebar come with the grips? Are the "BlueGrips" the M2 ones?
 
Interesting...These look exactly like Cavision tries to be but much beefier. For stuff like this the money is well spent.
 
vcreative said:
I own the moose bar (minus the ronford handgrips). It's a very solid piece of equipment. Really like it because it gives me the option of using 15mm or 19mm rods.
I currently use the moose bar with the blue handles. I can say the ronford handles are pretty lightweight and grip like nobody's business. Much better that Zacuto or Redrock stuff. The ronford is very comparable to the blue handles, just has slightly less adjustability.
Click to expand...

Why do you use the blue grips over the Ronford's? Blue grips are my rental item of choice as nothing compares for weight to strength IMO. What did you pay for the MBars?

Here's the infor Rford sent me for ordering. Probably going to order some this weekend. Anyone up for buying my customized Cavision grips?

Isaia & Co in L.A. Have them. Tel. 818 752 3104 Fax. 818 752 3105 Contact Matt or Martin.
 
If you dont mind keep us posted on your experience with these Tim. I'd love to have a solution that locked solidly.

Slightly off topic but when handheld Tim how are you rigging a monitor? I always have trouble with getting the balance right. I love my lh80 but its almost too much weight for handheld. Have been contemplating getting a tiny ikan ($100, 4 oz, 2.5") just to use as a view finder that wouldnt throw the weight off much...
 
Interesting design on those leteeci. Not a solid enough lock though IMO. The Moose Bars and Blue Grips both use a rosette, which after using a few different setups seems like the only way to roll as far as I'm concerned.
 
Jeff Anderson said:
If you dont mind keep us posted on your experience with these Tim. I'd love to have a solution that locked solidly.

Slightly off topic but when handheld Tim how are you rigging a monitor? I always have trouble with getting the balance right. I love my lh80 but its almost too much weight for handheld. Have been contemplating getting a tiny ikan ($100, 4 oz, 2.5") just to use as a view finder that wouldnt throw the weight off much...
Click to expand...

With the EX1 I don't mount an external for handheld. It's monitor is sharp enough. With HVX, I use my Marshall. It's light. I don't use on board batts but instead a batt belt to keep weight off camera. To mount I use a 15mm rod bracket in front of the camera to arm bones to Manfrotto Heavy Duty Ball mount. This will hold an LH 80 as well. In the pics I have the bracket on the rear to counterbalance for tripod work. Hand held, it goes on the front. My current rig is essentially the same except RRMB and Ultimate.

Arm Bones are quite amazing and cost about 150.00

Tim

PS. My Marshall is for sale BTW. Upgrading to probably TV logic or Nebtek. So are the Cavision handgrips (customized to be offset, wide on one side, narrow on the outside hand - the way it should be).
 

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Thanks for the info Tim. I'll have to see how I can maybe adapt some of that to my setup. Havent spent a whole lot of time tinkering with it either. My current workaround is go with no handles and hold and cradle the whole thing just using the onboard monitor (bleck!)
 
I am running a combination system of blue handles and ronford moose bar because it was the cheaper alternative for my situation. I was actually looking for 15mm lightweight rod support, (had 15mm studio). When I inquired about the cost for the tango blue version it was more than $700!!! Euro-dollar exchange rate has been horribly unkind these days. Matt Isaia recommended the Ronford moose bar as a solution, it worked perfectly. I believe, he is one of the few dealers on the west coast for both products. I like the fact I can use it with my current 15mm gear, and it's expandable for future use on 19mm gear like Red. He's great to deal with, high recommend his business. The moose bar was about $350. I think a moose bar with handles would be $500-550. If your a professional, you need stuff to be reliable. There is a premium to pay, but its because this stuff lasts forever. It's buy once type of product unlike the cavision.
 
Would it be possible to buy "Moose Bars" without handles and than use let say pair of video head handles ( like those from Manfrotto 501 ) for a longer setup - Zacuto z-grip alike?

Is their rossete compatible with those on tripods?

What would be the bare price for "Moose Bars" without handles?

Cheers
 
Rosettes on the manfrotto tripods are different than the arri based ones on the Moose bars. Manfrotto rosettes are "chunkier" and do not fit the arri rosettes which are more like finer toothed metal.
 
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