GH4 Something New.................and a question?

Illya Friedman said:
>I also echo the desire for some sort of minimalist gunstock/shoulder-pad type attachment.

Admittedly, using a shoulder stock is not my style of shooting and did not feel natural to me 20+ years ago with the gunstock for my Krasnagorsk 16mm camera

View attachment 92998,

but now that I have recently tested some friends 'gunstock' kits with their GH-cameras, I do see the value. IMO, there's a problem with a truly comfortable gun-stock that is also small. It will be the challenge to overcome, but I'm willing to take a crack at it.
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Russian things always look very... Russian ;)

Here's a thought, though, based on various shoulder supports I've tinker-toyed or otherwise fashioned for AF/GH/FS cameras...

There are two ways I use such a thing, either over the shoulder or under the shoulder braced between the right arm and body. I understand some folks use them like actual gunstocks against the front part of the shoulder, I usually don't.

So if I consider something minimalist like that Krasnagorsk stock, the articulation points I'd want would be where the stock meets the body/cage (to allow for elevation angle adjustment) and where the butt meets the stock tube to allow for angle adjustment based on use... so the butt could be optionally used as a shoulder pad atop the shoulder or as a gunstock, or heck, as a tripod pan bar (meaning I could leave one other bit of weight at home).

Another unconventional military-inspired concept, based on the way I've often used a Gorillapod Focus as a DSLR support: twin shoulder supports in the manner of a howitzer (http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/old-howitzer-fighting-isolated-white-background-34806413.jpg)
With a cam like the GH4 which is small and actually has a somewhat useable EVF, eye-level shooting wants to put the camera right in front of my face, and any single shoulder support inclines the cam to yaw left, and can only really be countered by having two hands on the camera at all times. The 'howitzer legs' support style solves the yaw problem (you actually have to rock your body left/right to tilt) and needs only one arm for solid support, leaving the other free to make adjustments elsewhere.

This setup works very well, except when those Gpod legs decide they want to shift.

The trick of course is making it sturdy but not too bulky.

Including a photo of my Gpod 'rig' for whatever it's worth:

PA309229.jpg
 
Due to the HDMI latency I'd also prefer a system that allows the use of the GH4's EVF. The option to use loupes would be good too, but I've seen enough burnt LCDs that a provision to use the EVF is almost a must.
 
This has me intrigued... I've just ordered another manufacturers cage after much seearchig for the "right" one for my needs, but it would be great if you could show us some "spy shots" of this new Hot Rod cage/rig... it sounds really interesting!
 
Illya Friedman said:
That wasn't the focus for the Kung Fu kit, we have some more traditional cinema style power options in the works, but if there is sufficient demand we will look into making a version compatible with the battery grip/YAGH.
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Thanks for the reply. To clarify, I am not looking for a power solution. Rather a cage with the height clearance to allow the GH4 w/battery grip and still have access to the side battery compartment and proper alignment with a matte box. I mentioned the YAGH just because it also adds to the height. I may just have to go the Tilta route.
 
Spyshots

The Kung Fu Kit is totally unlike anything else- in this best possible way... I purposely am not showing too much at the moment.

Super low-profile and unique cable clamp... No play, rock solid. The kit is 100% GH4 compatible, but did I also mention the Kung Fu Kit is 100% compatible with the Sony a7S and Blackmagic Pocket Camera- with nothing more to buy and no separate purpose-built cages!!?

If you own multiple cameras- no problem. If you like to work with the same components the top pros are using? We've got you covered.

We received a confirmed pre-order to make the HRC Kung Fu Kit for the A7S/GH4 kit for one of the top rental companies in Los Angeles, and by extension- the world!

We also just found a way to make this for less :-)

More details coming this Friday
 

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So, is the cage modular? Since you mentioned that it will fit several cameras, I a bit concern that it may be too bulky. Is keeping a low profile for the cage a goal at all?

thank you!
 
KMA_WWC said:
So, is the cage modular? Since you mentioned that it will fit several cameras, I a bit concern that it may be too bulky. Is keeping a low profile for the cage a goal at all?

thank you!
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Low profile is extremely important! This is not a 1-size fits all, and we did not go for the lowest common denominator.

Instead, this is a modular approach which works with the GH4/a7s and Pocket Cinema Camera, natively, and without modification to the camera.

Additional DSLRs of similar size can also be used, however if a particular camera is too different it would require purchasing and swapping out a different sized component. Typically this would be just 1x piece, but I can foresee a particularly large or odd-sized DSLR requiring a maximum of 2x piece. Still I believe this is preferable to having to buy an entire new system!

So if I were to make up a worst case scenario a GH5/a8s/"Pocket Cinema 4K" comes out with a radically different shape, the maximum you would need to invest in is likely 1x piece (which would probably with a retail price between $10 - $150)

However, I don't know what the demand will be for other cameras so we haven't built such additional components (yet).

We have deliberately built the Kung Fu System with compactness in mind. But at the same time, no controls or ports are blocked or hard to reach. It can be extremely difficult to design and build like this as there are so many potential variations for things like lens height, hot shoe location, battery doors, eyepiece, flip out monitor, hand grips, eyepiece..etc. In the end I believe the result is worth it. More soon!
 
Fantastic! Thanks for the reply Illya.

One more question, which may have been brought up to you already.

Do you plan to have the system be fully compatible with 3rd party MFT adapters? When I say compatible, I don't just mean being able to use an adapter on the camera with the cage. I'm talking about utilizing the cage and adapter together with some type of connection in order to create no play, enhance the straight of the connection between the adapter and MFT mount, and extend the life of the mount itself.

A recent example would be the birdcage by LockCircle.

Thank you.
 
KMA_WWC said:
Fantastic! Thanks for the reply Illya.

One more question, which may have been brought up to you already.

Do you plan to have the system be fully compatible with 3rd party MFT adapters? When I say compatible, I don't just mean being able to use an adapter on the camera with the cage. I'm talking about utilizing the cage and adapter together with some type of connection in order to create no play, enhance the straight of the connection between the adapter and MFT mount, and extend the life of the mount itself.
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Naturally the Kung Fu Kit fully supports the Hot Rod PL, the original and best PL mount available (as well as the Hot Rod PV, the Panavision compatible mounts). This goes for both MFT and E mount versions.

All non-Hot Rod brand 3rd party adapters are still 'compatible' with the camera, but we have taken the extra step and already devised a system for properly supporting certain popular mounts made by others, specifically the Metabones EF and Nikon F to MFT adapters. There will be others.

Worth noting, we've made no attempt to support the lousy copycat PL products- especially ones who blatently and unceremoniously attempted to copy our original design (those people are undoubtedly reading this and know who they are).

If you do not own the best thing that ever happened to a MFT camera, the Hot Rod PL, and would like to buy one- there will be a discount for those who order with the Kung Fu Kit.

Not a month has gone by without someone calling or emailing HRC with a request to fix another company's poorly designed or built mount (we don't do this anymore, but we do still fix damaged cameras), so as a effort to the community at large we are going to offer a way to recoup money previously spent on "the other guys." So something that I think will be of particular interest or those who purchased a second-rate-copycat PL to MFT or E mount adapter- we've decided to offer a trade-in discount program for so-called "competing products."

We'll post "competitor trade-in" details when the Kung Fu Kit goes live for pre-order in a few days from now :-)
 
That's a great news!

Thanks for the reply Illya once again, and for the insight on your future plans. I think, I'll be contacting you directly with further questions.

Thanks.
 
davidp158 said:
Maybe I missed this in the threads here, but will the cage allow full rotation of the OLED screen?

I look forward to hearing and seeing more about this cage.
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Hi David,

If you are not using the HDMI out/clamp then the answer is yes. Full rotation without limitation.

There is an inherent limitation with screen rotation with in the placement of the HDMI port, so if you are using the HDMI or any clamp you will prevent the monitor from having full rotation.

This is dependent on the camera body HDMI out location, so as of today this will be a limitation with any cage/clamp/support.
 
Illya - Yes, I presumed that using the HDMI port will interfere with rotation of the OLED screen. Its great that your new cage doesn't interfere when the HDMI port isn't in use. I look forward to seeing the new cage.

Maybe a small right angle HDMI cable will be a solution for this with cages. One can hope, right?

Illya Friedman said:
Hi David,

If you are not using the HDMI out/clamp then the answer is yes. Full rotation without limitation.

There is an inherent limitation with screen rotation with in the placement of the HDMI port, so if you are using the HDMI or any clamp you will prevent the monitor from having full rotation.

This is dependent on the camera body HDMI out location, so as of today this will be a limitation with any cage/clamp/support.
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Not happy with any of the current solutions so can't wait to get a peak at your Kung Fu kit.

Should be back in town towards the end of the week thru Thanksgiving. Is there a prototype at the shop that I might see?
 
Bern Caughey said:
Not happy with any of the current solutions so can't wait to get a peak at your Kung Fu kit.

Should be back in town towards the end of the week thru Thanksgiving. Is there a prototype at the shop that I might see?
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Images/video of the prototype should be up by mid-late of next week. We expect to have a shipping product by the week of Thanksgiving, and definitely expect them to be in stock, and in the shop during our event on 11/28/14, aka Black Friday.
 
"Spy Shots" of the Kung Fu Cinema System

Camera Assistant Tape Hook / Positive Lock Cold Shoe!

KFCS1.jpg

Super low profile (and ridiculously strong) HDMI clamp!

KFCS2.jpg

More soon!
 
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