New Rod standards

[Stephen Strangways]

One advantage to rods is that because I usually work with 19mm rods, I can run in to Home Depot, purchase any ridiculously massive length of 3/4" aluminum rod for a tiny price, and use a handy little pipe cutter to cut it to the exact length I need for whatever unusual rigging situation has arisen.
They're a bit fiddly to initially mount because the edges are not chamfered, but there are times when rods that are either unusually long or cut to a very specific and unusual length have saved the day. You lose that versatility with a custom dovetail design.

 

[Evin Grant]

I wouldn't mind seeing the creation of 15mm centered rod system. This would be compatible with a good percentage of the existing 15mm gear out there and offer a more streamlined profile. I think having the same diameter rods for both lightweight and studio configs is a big advantage. We always use the long support dovetail with the 24-290 anyway so 15mm is fine for everything.

 

[Jeff Kilgroe]

I wouldn't mind seeing the creation of 15mm centered rod system.

In what way would you like it to be different than the current 60mm spaced 15mm lightweight (centered) spec?

I think what we need more than a new rod specifications are compact mounting plates/risers for the cameras that mount the cameras to the rods just as any other accessory, rather than making the camera body the focal point of mounting for your rig. If you catch what I'm saying....

If you're using an Optimo 17-80 or 24-290 or any other big lens, that lens is going to weigh more than your EPIC brain. You will often have extra crap on the rig too -- often a mattebox out in front of that heavy lens, a FF underneath it... The center of balance is not going to be anywhere near underneath your camera brain/body.

What would be handy is more compact mounting accessories for the camera body/brain itself. Incorporate the dovetail plate into a smaller form that can under-mount on the rods in a more appropriate position, relative to the center of balance, center of gravity.

Just some thoughts... I'm eagerly awaiting my EPICs and 2/3" Scarlets so I can cook up a few things of my own.

 

[Michael Hastings]

What would be handy is more compact mounting accessories for the camera body/brain itself. Incorporate the dovetail plate into a smaller form that can under-mount on the rods in a more appropriate position, relative to the center of balance, center of gravity.

any way to further describe or make a drawing of what you mean.

I have a Haas VF1 CNC and I'm looking to maybe make some accessories - but trying not to be redundant.

 

[Tim Whitcomb]

ok.. i get the picture. You guys have big rods...

But, what if we could design something that was even stronger, more compact and weighed less?

Would you buy it?

Also what is the benchmark lens with the largest diameter?

Talk to any 1st A/C, they prefer/LOVE HEAVY everything and LOATHE CF...repeat, they LOVE HEAVY. Heavy FF for turning big lenses. Heavy sticks and heads for SMOOTH AND STABLE panning...

with the exception of flying the rigs on a Steadi, heavy is better. Spend 3 weeks as an A/C with big primes or zooms and an ARRI MFF-1 and MMB-1. You will KILL for a FF-4 and and MB14

 

[Frank Glencairn]

ok.. i get the picture. You guys have big rods...

LOL! Yeah actually I think guys prefer to have some big err... extensions in front of them.

No joke. I believe it´s a psychological thing.
Like at cars, a male looks at a camera as a extension of his body, an exo-skeleton if you want.
Of course the typical male want something suitable.

Every sane guy loves big fat cars, big fat guns, and big fat lenses.
They say: Watch out, here comes a serious man. Don't mess with him, cause he has that big fat thing in front of him.

Lately I noticed a trend that some guys (it might be in the wake of gender mainstreaming or just sheer pussyfication), complain that cameras and gear being to heavy for them to handle.

Now that we have smaller and lighter cameras than ever, they just can´t lift them anymore - so they constantly searching and asking for lighter equipment.

I did some writeup on that: Are you a VDSLR-Wimp?

http://frankglencairn.wordpress.com/2010/12/08/are-you-a-vdslr-wimp/

Have fun :biggrin:

Frank

 

[Brian Petrie]

Every sane guy loves big fat cars, big fat guns, and big fat lenses.
They say: Watch out, here comes a serious man. Don't mess with him, cause he has that big fat thing in front of him.
Frank

That's not how I like my women.iggy:

 

[david_winters]

What would be handy is more compact mounting accessories for the camera body/brain itself. Incorporate the dovetail plate into a smaller form that can under-mount on the rods in a more appropriate position, relative to the center of balance, center of gravity.

I battled this issue with DSLR and had these "plates" machined to do what you describe. I don't want another rod standard.

 

[Jason Sinclair]

I think what we need more than a new rod specifications are compact mounting plates/risers for the cameras that mount the cameras to the rods just as any other accessory, rather than making the camera body the focal point of mounting for your rig. If you catch what I'm saying....

Can you explain this more. I'm not clear on it. EDIT: after thinking about it some more, yes i see what you mean. I agree totally this should be a part of the overall solution. Basically, like a mini dovetail quick attachment similar to picatinny (aka nato) but with quick release?

LOL! Yeah actually I think guys prefer to have some big err... extensions in front of them.

Freud called it compensation... then again so did shrek.

When men learn it is not the size of their tools that count but how they use them, things will go more smoothly for them.

 

[Leo Ticheli]

One advantage to rods is that because I usually work with 19mm rods, I can run in to Home Depot, purchase any ridiculously massive length of 3/4" aluminum rod for a tiny price, and use a handy little pipe cutter to cut it to the exact length I need for whatever unusual rigging situation has arisen.
They're a bit fiddly to initially mount because the edges are not chamfered, but there are times when rods that are either unusually long or cut to a very specific and unusual length have saved the day. You lose that versatility with a custom dovetail design.

I confess that I forgot to pack a pair of short rods to adapt my Mini centered matte box on an out of town, way out of town, shoot. Quick stop in a local hardware store, a couple of wooden dowels, and some Gaffer tape! Bang. Good to go.

The Gaffer tape was black, so my Red was not embarrassed by the rig.

Every generation gets the idea that they can improve on things that have been perfected over many years of use under trying conditions. Hooray for that, because sometimes they succeed; those occasions, unfortunately, are very rare.

Case in point: the C-stand. What else do we own that doesn't really depreciate?

Good shooting and best regards,

Leo

 

[Leo Ticheli]

There are "things in front" that make no sense whatsoever. I give you the extension viewfinders that were hung on Sony CineAltas to make them look, well, like film cameras.

That was just plain crazy; thousands of dollars worth of optics that could be so easily replaced by ten cents worth of cable.

Surprised no one designed a tape cassette to look like Mickey Mouse ears, or at least a Panavision magazine!

Good shooting and best regards,

Leo

 

[david_winters]

Can you explain this more. I'm not clear on it. EDIT: after thinking about it some more, yes i see what you mean. I agree totally this should be a part of the overall solution. Basically, like a mini dovetail quick attachment similar to picatinny (aka nato) but with quick release?

What about this concept. A 15mm LW version of the Arri base.
http://www.elementtechnica.com/development

 

[Jason Sinclair]

What about a quick release system which can quickly interchange 15mm, 19mm and a dovetail style slide so you are never stuck in any situation and can compensate for different setups while maintaining low weight?

What about this concept. A 15mm LW version of the Arri base.

ET is certainly ahead of the game in respects. The only thing i question is extending the dynamic weight of the camera system really of value and i'm not just talking just about steadicam. There are car setups, small motion control rigs, 3d rigs, Flight rigs, better hand held dynamics and the list goes on.. which really is the favorable thing about dsmc. DSMC cameras that are available in the near future are vertically longer than any other dimension. Adding more weight in a vertical direction is not necessarily going to help dynamic balance. With a studio system this may be of less concern but even then you will get smoother results from tripods if the camera set up has more dynamic balance.

I am not interested in manufacturing, in regards but rather having the collective input of users to create a standard which manufacturers follow so all or lives can be easier.