The ET/RED accesories are simply top quality, high end cine equipment that have the functionality, quality build, simple design and user friendlyness that I have come to expect from aaton, arri and panavision gear. All the parts are machined well and accessible for easy quick functionality. This gear will fit seamlessly into a typical film environment. I have a video below that helps explain things.
1. RED/Element Technica arri 15mm base plate (also called a bridge plate) http://www.red.com/store/product_detail/43
This plate is a solidly designed bridge plate that has nicely sized user knobs on it. It works like an arri bridge plate and has been machined to precesion tollarances that fit perfectly with arri dovetails or Element Technica dovetails. The working parts of this plate are stainless steel and machined beautifully. There is a useful rosette on the dummy side of the plate that will work with current rosette cine gear. I took apart as much of this plate as I could and the inner workings are robust and should last and work flawlessly for many years of tough use. The working parts are simple to get at and in a worst case senario of this plate having issues in the field a crack AC would be able to make repairs on the truck quite easily. It was -32C here yesterday and the plate worked as good at that temperature as it does at room temp with no stickyness or catching with any of the parts. In my opinion the red/Element Technica bridge plate is as good as or better then any arri bridge plate I have used with the added bonus of being quite a bit cheaper then an arri plate.*** PLEASE NOTE AN ARRI 19MM OR 15MM BRIDGE PLATE WILL NOT PROPERLY WORK WITH A RED CAMERA TO MAKE IT USEABLE WITH ARRI SUPPORT GEAR. THE RED CAMERA IS NOT BUILT WITH THE SAME DIMENSIONS AS AN ARRI CAMERA SO YOUR LENS WILL NOT BE PROPERLY CENTERED IN YOUR MATTE BOX IF YOU USE AN ARRI BRIDGE PLATE AS A RED/ARRI BRIDGE PLATE IS SPECIFICALLY NEEDED AND DESIGNED TO ACHIEVE THIS. Element Tecnica did a lot of precision CAD work to build the RED/ARRI bridge plate so that it will centre the lens and allow the red camera to seamlessly fit within an arri system. This plate is a must for the camera and will keep owners happy for many years.
2. Element Technica 2575/2060 Dovetail Plate. After seeing this plate at LART I was blown away by the fact that other manufacturers had not come up with this idea much earlier. It works like a typical arri dovetail plate with one huge advantage, instead of running straight down at the bottom it flares out to mesh perfectly with an occonor 2575 or 2060 head (Element Technica also builds a 1030 version dovetail.). The advantage of this is you eliminate the need for the oconnor quick release sliding plate saving yourself not only a decent amount of cash but it lowers the camera by about an inch which is sometimes needed on a low-hat. The dovetail is very well built, again par or better then the arri version. All the screw in taps and the release button are stainless steel. The Element Technica dovetail plate is extremely well built and if it were the same price or more then an arri dovetail the Element Technica dovetail would be a better value. Lucky for us the Element Technica dovetail is cheaper then the arri version. Another must for every red system as far as I am concerned.
3. Element Technica lightweight aluminum rods. Wow are these rods light. I got an 18" set for my cooke zoom and they are easily 3 times lighter then my steel rods. For those that are thinking of Carbon Fibre rods I personally think you are crazy. These aluminum rods are right around the same weight and much tougher and safer. If you have ever watched NHL hockey and seen a CF hockey stick blow up into millions of small pieces then you have seen what can happen to CF and your going to trust CF rods to hold your expensive mattebox and follow focus? Also your CF rods are bound to fail on that big Michael Jackson music video just as you are right over top of him on a crane (The perv would get what he deserves as far as I'm concerned (ha) but it may not be soo good for your career ) Back to the Element Technica rods though these are built very well, extremely light and very well priced.
That sums up my written review I will try and answer any other questions anyone may have and maybe even Stephen from Element Technica will chime in with some information. I can not say enough good things about Element Technica gear and I am looking forward to their top plate with handle and battery attachment along with their EVF attachment with eyepiece extension or maybe even telescopic ability. I plan to deck my camera completely out in Element Technica support equipment.
ELEMENT TECHNICA ACCESSORIES VIDEO BELOW special thanks to Colin for throwing this video up for me.
http://www.reviews.perfectpictures.ca/Reviews.html
OR at youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZ9g5lmV4ZY
cheers Daren
1. RED/Element Technica arri 15mm base plate (also called a bridge plate) http://www.red.com/store/product_detail/43
This plate is a solidly designed bridge plate that has nicely sized user knobs on it. It works like an arri bridge plate and has been machined to precesion tollarances that fit perfectly with arri dovetails or Element Technica dovetails. The working parts of this plate are stainless steel and machined beautifully. There is a useful rosette on the dummy side of the plate that will work with current rosette cine gear. I took apart as much of this plate as I could and the inner workings are robust and should last and work flawlessly for many years of tough use. The working parts are simple to get at and in a worst case senario of this plate having issues in the field a crack AC would be able to make repairs on the truck quite easily. It was -32C here yesterday and the plate worked as good at that temperature as it does at room temp with no stickyness or catching with any of the parts. In my opinion the red/Element Technica bridge plate is as good as or better then any arri bridge plate I have used with the added bonus of being quite a bit cheaper then an arri plate.*** PLEASE NOTE AN ARRI 19MM OR 15MM BRIDGE PLATE WILL NOT PROPERLY WORK WITH A RED CAMERA TO MAKE IT USEABLE WITH ARRI SUPPORT GEAR. THE RED CAMERA IS NOT BUILT WITH THE SAME DIMENSIONS AS AN ARRI CAMERA SO YOUR LENS WILL NOT BE PROPERLY CENTERED IN YOUR MATTE BOX IF YOU USE AN ARRI BRIDGE PLATE AS A RED/ARRI BRIDGE PLATE IS SPECIFICALLY NEEDED AND DESIGNED TO ACHIEVE THIS. Element Tecnica did a lot of precision CAD work to build the RED/ARRI bridge plate so that it will centre the lens and allow the red camera to seamlessly fit within an arri system. This plate is a must for the camera and will keep owners happy for many years.
2. Element Technica 2575/2060 Dovetail Plate. After seeing this plate at LART I was blown away by the fact that other manufacturers had not come up with this idea much earlier. It works like a typical arri dovetail plate with one huge advantage, instead of running straight down at the bottom it flares out to mesh perfectly with an occonor 2575 or 2060 head (Element Technica also builds a 1030 version dovetail.). The advantage of this is you eliminate the need for the oconnor quick release sliding plate saving yourself not only a decent amount of cash but it lowers the camera by about an inch which is sometimes needed on a low-hat. The dovetail is very well built, again par or better then the arri version. All the screw in taps and the release button are stainless steel. The Element Technica dovetail plate is extremely well built and if it were the same price or more then an arri dovetail the Element Technica dovetail would be a better value. Lucky for us the Element Technica dovetail is cheaper then the arri version. Another must for every red system as far as I am concerned.
3. Element Technica lightweight aluminum rods. Wow are these rods light. I got an 18" set for my cooke zoom and they are easily 3 times lighter then my steel rods. For those that are thinking of Carbon Fibre rods I personally think you are crazy. These aluminum rods are right around the same weight and much tougher and safer. If you have ever watched NHL hockey and seen a CF hockey stick blow up into millions of small pieces then you have seen what can happen to CF and your going to trust CF rods to hold your expensive mattebox and follow focus? Also your CF rods are bound to fail on that big Michael Jackson music video just as you are right over top of him on a crane (The perv would get what he deserves as far as I'm concerned (ha) but it may not be soo good for your career ) Back to the Element Technica rods though these are built very well, extremely light and very well priced.
That sums up my written review I will try and answer any other questions anyone may have and maybe even Stephen from Element Technica will chime in with some information. I can not say enough good things about Element Technica gear and I am looking forward to their top plate with handle and battery attachment along with their EVF attachment with eyepiece extension or maybe even telescopic ability. I plan to deck my camera completely out in Element Technica support equipment.
ELEMENT TECHNICA ACCESSORIES VIDEO BELOW special thanks to Colin for throwing this video up for me.
http://www.reviews.perfectpictures.ca/Reviews.html
OR at youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZ9g5lmV4ZY
cheers Daren
