ARRI BP-6 baseplate does it fit RED

[Robert Horwell]

Is anybody using the Arri BP-6 baseplate - 19mm - with their RED ? If so how does it fit are the rods correct height and space for the optical centre ? I have been reading varying reports.

 

[Costelloe Michael]

Bob,

BP6 is about an inch short of front of RED body. not quite as good a fit as E/T. Doesn't often matter, but I did get stuck without bars for an Optimo! No Bars means no mattebox AND ...no filters etc.

I nipped back for my E/T 19mm pronto and 24" bars and normal service resumed... lesson learnt.

Mike C

 

[Robert Horwell]

Thanks mike, i will make sure to get some extra long rods.

cheers

bob

 

[Birns and Sawyer]

I think one of our customers used an arri Super-16 19mm and 15mm baseplate once, didn't seem to have any issues with height for any accessories, including mattebox.

However, if you have a big zoom lens that is a tighter fit in the mattebox and doesn't have room for a rubber bellows, the ET baseplate is probably a better option.

 

[Mitch Gross]

Sorry, no. The BP-6 is completely inappropriate for the RED One. It does not align properly at all.

 

[Stephen Webb]

Yes it does. Just used one on a feature and it was a perfect fit.

 

[Mitch Gross]

And yet Arri says it is the wrong alignment.

 

[Cüneyt Kaya]

it works perfectly with primes, but with zooms you have to do some tricks-
but use the et stuff if you can get it.

 

[Stephen Webb]

We used a number of different primes and an Optimo and it was fine on all of them. Mitch, Arri told us that their Bridge Plates didn't fit so we asked for the BP-6, tried it out and told them it was fine. I don't think they'd actually ever tried it out themselves...

 

[Harry Clark]

Bob,
It's about 2mm too low. Not a lot for a FF or MB, but lens support is compromised.
The boys at CSC in New York had been trying to make it work with their cameras, since they have a drawer full of BP-6's and for them it would be great to have fewer "odd" BPs to keep track of.
They tried various solutions involving a spacer plate and longer screws (the original screws only got 1 1/2 thread's "bite" with the spacer), which worked fine, but gave up because someone realized that if a "custom" BP-6 with longer screws went back into general inventory and was then installed on an SR3, the longer screws could potentially damage the components in the bottom of that camera. So they felt the most appropriate thing would be to simply get the ET BP.
So, if you're not a rental house with a large inventory, and already own a BP-6, and you can make some sort of spacer plate, and install longer screws, it will work fine for you. Or I suppose you could use it without a spacer and add washers to the lens support.
Stephen, when you tried the Optimo was it really supported? Or was there sag? Or a space between the LS and the lens support bracket? When I tried it there was small, but significant, misalignment. And on big zooms and the big screen, it matters...
I chose the ET plate and I'm very happy. But there is never one solution...
Cheers,
Harry

 

[Stephen Webb]

Hi Harry,

Everything seemed to fit fine. Both MB-18 & MB-19's were used, also FF-3 & FF-4's. No idea about the MB-20.

It's worth pointing out though that the ET plate is not only designed specifically for the Red, it's also cheaper.

 

[Mitch Gross]

Harry is correct on the 2mm difference. Here's what Jim Elias from Arri has to say on the matter.



From Jim:

16SR optical base distance = 110mm
RED optical base distance = 108mm, as close as I can measure it

Both have their screw points centered to lens, which is where the confusion comes in, since it appears "centered" horizontally. With a bellows or soft donut on a normal lens, you might not notice the 2mm vertical discrepancy, but with a wide-angle or in an LS-9 situation, you would.

Also: the BP-6 attaches with one screw and relies on its centering pin locking into the SR to stay put. Since the Red has no centering bushing, it will spin.

Jim

 

[Birns and Sawyer]

I think the most important thing is only one screw attached on the RED when using the BP-6. I set one up yesterday, and with a long zoom lens, had to eyeball it being straight on the camera body. We manufacture a lens support bridge that has an adjustable platform, so we were okay with the height of the support. But the MB-14 just barely cleared the top of the Cooke 18-100, with extra room on the bottom. This might cause vignetting on the wide end, especially if you put a pola in.

My assesment: It will work in a pinch for primes, anything else, it's probably not a good solution. And the Element Technica BP is pretty much always better.

 

[Robert Horwell]

Thanks all so much for the input. I picked up the BP-6 before i went away this weekend only to come back tonight to a flurry of replies!!...i will see how i get on with the BP-6.