Welcome to our community

Be a part of something great, join today!

Log in
  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Hand Held super compact setup

nima

nima

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 8, 2008
Messages
153
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
New York City
Hi all,
we need some help here.
We are about to leave NY, going to the jungle.
We will be traveling the Amazon river, following the path of a disappeared explorer and bringing the Epic to one of the few places on earth where no camera has gone before. We have been waiting for this since a very long time.

My idea is to have the most lightweight and compact setup that can be assembled, and I needed to share it with you guys. I'm sure lots of good ideas can come from a collective brain storming.

What we need out there is:
- 1 EVF
- 1 handgrip to host batteries
- 1 follow focus
- 1 shoulder mount with handgrips
- 1 light weight zoom lens

This is it.
The other option was to choose one single prime lens and stay with it the all time, it wouldn't be bad if a 40mm prime (my favorite focal length) was easy to find... the only two options are Cooke S4/5 or Leica Cine.


In the next days I will post some setup options, based on different brands and combinations.
Let me know what you guys suggest.
Thanks!
 
For a trip you described, i´d consider also a Canon Mount and Canon Glass, for a PL Zoom, i´d consider the Angie DP rouge, i think it´s the lightest wide angle zoom around at present (don´t know about the Red 17-50 but that might be a consideration as well)
 
Right, PL zooms tend to be bulky.
I was considering the Red zoom, even though I have never been a fan of the first version they made back in 2009.
The new Pro Zoom seems much better, although a Canon mount would open new possibilities.
 
You might want to consider Leica M lenses on the Epic. They are smallest and lightest full coverage lenses availble on the Epic. The Tri Elmar 28-35-50mm would be an interesting alternative to a straight zoom lens. Additionally we offer a rectinlinear 12mm Voightlander Heliar specially prepped for the Leica M mount on the Epic and soon will be offfering a 8mm spherical full coverage fisheye. As for size and weight, think of the Epic body with just the PL mount and no lens at all. That is about what a Leica M mount equipped Epic with lens represents. You can check out the mount and 12mm on the "store" on www.spacecam.com
 
Depending on how you shoot, you might go with your flavor of Canon lens and then use the AF versus schlepping a follow focus with rods. This sounds more like a Steve Gibby or Johnny Friday sort of gig that requires extreme lightweight measures. Also, how will you recharge your batteries? A zoom seems like the best way to go for the ultimate lightweight setup and not changing lenses in the wild.
 
The Canon 24-105L - it's not fast, F4, but the IS can save a 80mm or 100mm handheld shot, or can be useful for moving shots at 50mm. I just shot a short largely on this lens. 77mm LCW Fader ND for shallower options during daylight and you're away.
 
Good point. The 17-40mm doesn't have IS, but if you're shooting at 4K the crop factor pulls the 24-105 into the 35mm equivalent of a 35-130mm lens. It's a bit softer than the 17-40 but on a doco that might not make so much difference. It's also an external zoom, so as you adjust the focal length the barrel changes shape, which can a PITA.

Pack both :smile:
 
I just got back from shooting a feature documentary about the US/Mexican border and we used the old Red zoom 17-50mm lens on a Sony NEX FS100. I fell in love with that lens on the trip. Most of the time I was handheld with a monopod, and carried the camera everywhere. We did plenty of ride-a-longs and I was able to jump in and out of the trucks, cars, vans with relative ease. I could reconfigure the tripod or monopod and build the camera from fully stripped down in it's backpack, in the dark while our van was jamming through the Juarez streets. It was awesome.

I'm seriously thinking of buying the new version of the Red zoom when I get my Epic.

I love my Canon lenses and my 5D but I wouldn't use those lenses on the Epic for the work it sounds like you're doing. I have gears and a Chrosziel FF which is great, but with the Red zoom you don't have to worry about the gearing. I don't have any experience using those lenses with the Epic, but I like my FIZ controls to be all on the lens barrel when I'm handheld (if they're not on my handle). The way I had the Sony FS100 handle mounted to the 15mm rods (and not it's normal position on the camera body) allowed me to use my pointer and middle finger to adjust the aperture and the zoom without adjusting my hands. Up is open, down is closed. Up is zoom, down is wide.

I'm sure you've thought about all this but here's my personal bullet points for handheld doco work. Keep in mind this is when I don't have an AC to handle lenses or filters.

- Do not use an Israeli arm for your EVF. Use something you can adjust with ONE hand.
- I do not use a handheld rig anymore (RED One, 5D, FS100), just padding on my shoulder (I have a costume shoulder pad). L hand on FF, right on Handle mounted to rod.
- If using a monopod, use a small fluid head (I have a DV8 5+5). Wrap padding on the pan handle so you can both carry the cam on your shoulder, and use as a handheld rig in a pinch.
- I use a 4x4 filter case that I can have on my belt. I have two Portabrace FC-1 and each filter has it's own microfiber sleeve (just a 10x5 folded microfiber. Easy to put in and filters are always clean. Plus, if you need to wipe the filter you can use the sleeve it's in. The case has a pouch for cleaning supplies if you need them.
- Have a dump pouch to put your 4x4 framed filters when you need to pull them quickly (i.e. clouds, or quick indoor / outdoor movements). I use my AC pouch and or an old portabrace pouch. Best to line that with a single microfiber sheet as well.
- If you can have a few extra filter frames for your matte box even be better.
- Be ready with tape or velcro cloth to cover the open filter frame if needed.
- Top handle - important.
- My AC pouch always has a bulb, cleaner, lens tissue, extra battery, markers, flashlight, and any small tools needed for the camera.
- If you can put the record trigger on the handheld handle even better.

You'll be in the Amazon so humidity will be an issue, especially if you shoot when there's a temperature change to the camera. My Canon lenses fogged over for 2 hours when I shot in Bali last year. Luckily it was a sun rise shot and I didn't need the camera at that point.

J
 
Paul Russell said:
Wow, I live and work in the same region as Bali, and I've never had lenses fog for two hours. You must have had your hotel aircon waaaaaaaaaaaaay low :smile:
Click to expand...

We where shooting a scene during sunrise and it was cold with a slight drizzle. I had a small cover for my 5D. Shooting at an infinity pool by the ocean starting when it was dark and was shooting while the sun came up. When we were done the sun came up and directly hit the camera, the internal elements within the lens fogged over. Under those circumstances not that unusual.
 
Not unusual at all, except for a two hour defog time. To avoid that I keep the hotel room at around 25C, and if the camera fogs up I remove the lens to let everything equalize quickly, usually within ten minutes. The plastic covers can go on for protection cos they're not airtight.
 
Justin Chin said:
- Do not use an Israeli arm for your EVF. Use something you can adjust with ONE hand.
- I do not use a handheld rig anymore (RED One, 5D, FS100), just padding on my shoulder (I have a costume shoulder pad). L hand on FF, right on Handle mounted to rod.
- If using a monopod, use a small fluid head (I have a DV8 5+5). Wrap padding on the pan handle so you can both carry the cam on your shoulder, and use as a handheld rig in a pinch.
- I use a 4x4 filter case that I can have on my belt. I have two Portabrace FC-1 and each filter has it's own microfiber sleeve (just a 10x5 folded microfiber. Easy to put in and filters are always clean. Plus, if you need to wipe the filter you can use the sleeve it's in. The case has a pouch for cleaning supplies if you need them.
- Have a dump pouch to put your 4x4 framed filters when you need to pull them quickly (i.e. clouds, or quick indoor / outdoor movements). I use my AC pouch and or an old portabrace pouch. Best to line that with a single microfiber sheet as well.
- If you can have a few extra filter frames for your matte box even be better.
- Be ready with tape or velcro cloth to cover the open filter frame if needed.
- Top handle - important.
- My AC pouch always has a bulb, cleaner, lens tissue, extra battery, markers, flashlight, and any small tools needed for the camera.
- If you can put the record trigger on the handheld handle even better.

You'll be in the Amazon so humidity will be an issue, especially if you shoot when there's a temperature change to the camera. My Canon lenses fogged over for 2 hours when I shot in Bali last year. Luckily it was a sun rise shot and I didn't need the camera at that point.

J
Click to expand...

Thanks Justin,
I'm going to do some research on this.
It all sounds like great choice,
 
How are you going to keep your batts powered? Inverter/solar? Revolts only last like 30min each. Might want to go with a v-lock battery system instead to minimize battery cycles.

You might want to consider bringing a backup body as well. You can get a 40mm Ultra Prime, might not be wide enough though. Red 17-50 sounds like a good idea. Bring a raincover and wet-weather gear.
 
got a strap from ebay for 9,99 designed for the Canon 1D and fits perfect to the side handle.
 
I just got back from a shoot in Guatemala and I always try and stay as lightweight as possible. I traveled with the red zoom 17-50MM, the assault pack plate with 15MM short rods for the Oconnor follow focuses and used screw in 67MM filters for the zoom. I used a carbon fiber monopod with a Red Quick Release Plate screwed to the top of it. A super fast and light way to shoot, I really like having the follow focus knob to help steady the monopod and it's easier for me to focus vs. barrel because the red zoom is a bit "thick". I use the Brook's FMJ top plate with a swat rail and the Red top handle mounted on top with the monitor. I will post pictures later this week.

I love this set-up for lightweight shooting. The one thing I missed on this last shoot was a motte box or sunshade for the lens. This has been discussed before but I can't find the thread now. The Epic (or some epics) are more prone to gate flare due do to light reflecting off the area around the sensor. I am finding that without a mattebox and top flag It's hard to avoid, if shooting with a light source over head (like the sun). I have the Red Clip on and it's light and strong. I wish I would have taken it.

With regards to canon glass vs. red zoom. I am really enjoying the red zoom, but the center part of the lens telescopes while zooming. The issue that presents is that it can suck in dust and dirt into the lens. Canon L series glass may be better sealed for dirt and the elements than the PL Zoom. My canon mount comes soon (I hope) and I also have a ton of Leica M glass (though they are not weather sealed at all) to try.

As you think about power. Without the quad charger available, be wary of using red volts as your main source of power. I took 12 with me on this trip, and the issue isn't really their short run time, but their long charge time. If you plan to charge batteries at the end of the day when at camp, you couldn't recharge all 12 before it was time to shoot again. So the alternative would be to always be charging numerous batteries each on their own charger. That may be hard to do in the jungle. I have The RED backpack here but waiting on the Backpack Quickplate to use the red bricks. I do think you should go with a big battery solution, they last longer, aren't too much bulkier than numerous small batteries, and charge faster.

Sounds like a cool project! When do you leave?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top