F55: Solid Camera F5/55 pieces

Fotojorno said:
Carlos..
A couple quick questions; if one were to use a third party EVF, can a specific version of your EVF support connect directly to the Sony handle dove tail that their L bracket attaches to? That is if someone didnt purchase your top plate or handle. Speaking of top plate; do you have a price on it yet and can the Sony handle attach to it?

Thanks!
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I had not yet considered the idea of attaching our EVF support to the Sony handle. Not a bad idea though - we should call it the BT clamp. The stock Sony handle will attach directly to our Doveplate, which would give you the power distribution option if you also added the side Doveplate. There are quite a few paths choose from small to large.

A little tid-bit of info - the Sony handle is held on by (4) 2.5mm screws into cast aluminum threads. In my (not-so) humble opinion - this is not really great for slinging around a fully built camera package. It appears to be designed to do a good job of supporting the camera with a small lens being carefully lifted straight up. In reality, these cameras will see more action than that even from "easy" owners.
 
I'll let you coin it the "BT Clamp" for a one-time dealer price purchase. Haha..

Yeah, would be a good option for people who dont buy a Sony viewfinder with their camera. I hear ya about those little screws that hold the handle on, first time a saw a detailed photo I thought the 1/4-20 holes were the ones and then realized they weren't. I went "hmm.., that's kinda brave".

Got your message btw, thanks for the info
 
Fotojorno said:
I'll let you coin it the "BT Clamp" for a one-time dealer price purchase. Haha..

Yeah, would be a good option for people who dont buy a Sony viewfinder with their camera. I hear ya about those little screws that hold the handle on, first time a saw a detailed photo I thought the 1/4-20 holes were the ones and then realized they weren't. I went "hmm.., that's kinda brave".

Got your message btw, thanks for the info
Click to expand...

Good ideas get free parts :-)
 
I have parts in my hands!

Prepping for a little shoot with Charles Papert tomorrow. Been playing with the different handle/evf configs before I pack things up.

I have to say, I don't believe I've ever worked with accessories so well thought out. Even if the whole thing seems a bit out there and "rich" for you, I'd seriously consider the top dovetail, the handle, and maybe the EVF bracket. I understand lots of folks here have little need for extensive accessory power, etc, but just being able to move the finder around in 5-10 seconds is awesome.

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I looked for an appropriate place to post these couple little additions to the Solid Camera system, and this seems like it might be it.

Solid has come up with a small little dovetail clamp with a 1/4-20 in the center, and 4 smaller (4-40?) holes in a square arrangement.

The 1/4-20 I'm using to get a noga arm (and 7" monitor) on and off quickly, and you can also attach an offset arm that Solid is making with another 1/4-20 OR dumb shoe on the end of it. Makes for a nice microphone mount.

Please keep in mind the clamp shown hasn't been anodized, so it's not black (duh), but also soft because of that and took some nicks while I've been using it. Prototype, I suppose.

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Every time I see it I just love the simplicity and effectiveness of that hybrid dovetail/cheeseplate topplate.

Do the rails follow the same dimensions as the standard 'Nato' rails found on many other accessories?
 
The dovetails were designed in 2007 after experiments with NATO rails revealed some limitations. I had made NATO (Iconix) camera mounts about a year earlier that were intended to be weapons cameras for a big feature. I had learned a lot about them during that effort. What was needed for motion picture cameras is not the same as a military weapons system. The dovetails needed to be much lower profile and wider to facilitate 1/4" and 3/8" threads, electrical contacts, and of course the ability to be a flat surface when needed.
 
So I take it other brands of accessories that are designed with Nato-style mounts won't mount properly onto your dovetail-toplate?
 
Mark, after you posted that question I did some Wiki-ing about picatinny rails, because I didn't know anything about them other than Red has played with them a little in the last few years.

I read that the modern NATO design decended from the "Weaver" mount used for scopes on guns since 1930 or so.

How strange.
 
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