Shoulder Rig for AF-100

ryangschultz

ryangschultz

Active member
Hey all,

I'm about 1 month new to the AF100 and brand new to the forum. I'm really enjoying this camera, but I need a shoulder rig. I don't have much money to put towards one because I've just invested in the A100 and some Nikon lenses, but I've been doing a lot of research, especially on this forum, and it seems that this particular shoulder rig by indiSystem has been overlooked:

http://www.indisystem.com/indirailspro-xvsm/

I've read a lot of good things about the areeba but if I can save $100 and 1lb, that would be worth it for me. Does anyone have any other suggestions? I really appreciate any advice, I'm still in college but just breaking into my professional career path with a lot of freelance work. A shoulder rig is going to be a necessity.

Thanks!
Ryan
 
Ah the elusive shoulder rig. A simple question with so many answers. Unfortunately you will see you have a lot of options but no clear answer. I like many here have been looking for a clear winner solution but it still isn’t really available yet. Well almost available. Olof has a new system that looks good and Tilta has a very interesting offering as well. I have the Tilta now and I like it.

I’ve worked on one for some time now and have bloged my way through it.

http://eriknaso.com/projects/the-making-of-a-shoulder-rig/
 
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Thanks for the reply Erik. I've actually checked out your page before, looks awesome but unfortunately wayy out of my price range right now.
 
I built my own to suit me from spare parts and hardware. Combination of a tinker's spirit and outright cheapskatedness.
 
I was considering that because I definitely could build my own, but I'm looking for something that will last a good long time and will actually LOOK professional, there's something about that clients like to see.
 
My budget is probably about $350 maximum, but if less then even better. That's why the IndiRail xvs looks great for the price for what I would be getting.
 
I have the Tilta and its pretty darn sweet. I don't think you can get that rig for under $350. I would save some more and get something better. You will probably want a better rig as soon as you buy the least expensive one you can find and then you'll need to start over.
Your money. my $0.02
 
All you need to make something homemade look professional is some Rustoleum black - satin finish. My system wasn't even completely handmade, for that matter, as it uses a few Cinevate parts (the most expensive pieces of the rig). Looks and performs a good bit more expensive.

If you're not handy, best bet is to get 2-3 lower-paying jobs for which you don't need the shoulder support, and parlay that money directly into a good rig which will earn you even more money. Rigs, tripods, lenses, and the like are kit that will likely outlast several cameras if you take the time to invest in quality.

I own a couple of Indisystem rail blocks and kind of hate them, personally.
 
Thanks for the honest feedback mcbob. It does make sense to invest in quality equipment. The thing that's kind of annoying is that I'm currently a freelance DP for a company that produces wedding videos, but that work won't pick up until about a month from now when I have my first booking. I have other jobs until then, but I would really like to get a rig before my first wedding because I don't want to be shooting handheld with my AF100. Before I was using a Sony AX2000 which I could push up against my shoulder nicely, but I sold it for the AF100, because of the kind of work I really want to do.

Do you have any pictures of your rig, or have an opinion on the Tilta?
 
the pieces from Indisystems that I had was pretty good, really robust. Not the sexiest stuff out there, but solid- good prices too. It's the customer service that I didn't care for. Lots of after purchase support ?s went un-answered so I gave up and started shopping elsewhere. Eventually settled on Trusmt parts.

for about $325 with shipping you can get a decent shoulder support and mattebox:
http://www.dvcity.com/dvshop/product.php?productid=17927&cat=262&page=1

The indian stuff is hit or miss though, some people love it- some hate it. The DVcity parts I ordered were pretty good considering what I paid. You'll start to notice that alot of these Chinese / Indian rigs look similar- I think they're all using the same CNC/CAD designs.
 
First consider if you need really need a traditional shoulder rig. I have a set of O-Grips on a traditional shoulder rig, but rarely use them under the AF100.

Instead I prefer Olof's wooden handle, with his Nano Mounting Kit, & Shoulder Brace.

www.westsideavstore.com/index.php?p=catalog&parent=8&pg=1

Next to an EVF the wood handle is my favorite AF accessory.

Which brings up how do you plan on monitoring your frame, & focus, if you mount your camera on a traditional shoulder rig!?! I assume you're planning on using an external monitor, or better yet EVF, but if need be Olof's design can use the AF's built-in EVF, & LCD.

With Olof's setup I have plenty of stability on all three axis, in a compact rig that's easy to move in confined spaces, & is simple to transport. It adds zero height to the camera, goes on/off sticks without reconfiguring, while requiring minimal set-up/breakdown. And when it's time to split all it takes is pulling the braces, & the whole package, plus lots more, fits in a internationally-sized rolling case.

When used with an external EVF, & Olof's EVF mount, I usually don't need the actual shoulder extension, rather it's connector adds a bit of length to the cam that allows shoulder slinging, while the Nano bracket is a great place to mount a recorder, &/or wireless audio receiver.

http://www.westsideavstore.com/index.php?p=product&id=56
 
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Wow, thanks for the help everybody. I can't keep up!

mcbob: Right now I'm in school, so it's kind of hard for me to get materials and make something custom, any equipment I would need is at home. And I still would prefer something more professional looking if you know what I mean, but your design looks pretty badass once you add the counterweight :)

ed: looks good but no counterweight included with that setup you linked to, you can get one separate but it practically sits on your shoulder, so I'm not sure how effective that would be for longer shoots like weddings.

bern: I do think I need a shoulder rig, especially for long shoots like weddings. I'm not a huge fan of olof's stuff, I've read really good things about it but that's some pricey stuff once you add it all up. And I feel like it would be more beneficial if I actually had an external recorder/battery to mount as a counterweight, but that's a ways down the road for me. And I think if I had a counterweight further off my shoulder and had two handles in the front it would be great, and not a big hassle to focus when I need to because I'd have a grip on the handle and the lens. That's just what I've read, I know you guys have a lot more experience than I do so I'll definitely consider his stuff.
 
Hi Ryan, I know exactly the situation you're in (it was mine just a couple years ago), and I wanted to share my "budget" rig with you.It's based off the Jag35 Field Runner system, but reconfigured to better suit a camera like the AF100. Basically it's a set of rails, handgrips, a shoulder pad and a counterweight. After spending some time with the camera, it's a MUST to center it as close to over the shoulder as possible, however, a small counterweight still helps to keep things balanced. I attached some pics of what I've created from the odds and ends below. You'll also see my $5 counterweight which is about 3 pounds of concrete in a DVD spindle cover that screws into the threaded zacuto rods. The DFocus V3 also fits nicely below the lens. It's not a bad setup, and it's lightweight - a plus when the AF100 is twice that of a DSLR already! Hope this helps, and if you're interested, I'm actually selling the whole getup!
 

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re: builds-at-school... Depending what school you attend, everything you need (and more) is probably right in your engineering department, and possibly available for use by either you or a ME-major friend. College is really the richest possible place for access to specialized tools of every sort (mills, lathes, microscopes, cryo-treating, ultrasound, ad infinitum), and all it takes is a few phone calls. Consider how college film students will often do work for free or cheap to gain experience... the same can apply to engineers, and you might be able to work out a deal with a skilled person at your school to do everything from CAD renderings to actually manufacturing the thing, possibly even for less expensive than the Chinese can manage. Gain practical experience, discover something new, develop it, learn, revise, and maybe even market it... that's the point of college, isn't it?

Necessary tools for that thing include a clamp and/or vise grips, a hacksaw, a drill, a rat-tail file, 2-3 different size drill bits, 1/4-20 tap, and a soldering iron and butane torch (or gas oven range/ bunsen burner)... maybe $100 worth of tools total, if that, that are things you should really have around anyway.

My rig might be a smidge uglier than you'd prefer, but that's the beauty of DIY - you can make it look however you want. Heck, Olof's excellent shoulder mount and handle began as just DIY on a much much higher level.
...and last, regarding "looks," clients are far, far more likely to drop you because of shaky footage than ugly camera equipment.

Some opinions, for whatever they're worth.
 
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