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  • 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 :)

matte box with long valley equip 15mm rods

First, Doug - sure, use away.

Second, Steven-Marc and Eric - I can unplug and plug in the Lemo on the Birger pretty easily. Just tried again to be sure I was not crazy. Yep, no problem. Its a hair clumsy I suppose, but not really an issue. I installed the birger mount 2 weeks ago, with the LVE mount on it - I never take it off (the LVE Mount, or the Birger mount, now). Maybe Avenger has a different cable? I'm using the one that came with birger.

Another note about LVE system - I use 2 of his drive plates, and mount the battery on one drive on the other. I am surprised I don't see others doing this - it a) counterbalances the EVF on the other side so side-to-side weight is even, b) allows me to put the fully rigged, ready to shoot R1 in a Pelican or large backpack (its too long with the battery mounted on rods on the rear), and c) is super light. No rods anywhere except the LVE rods. For my EFP style shooting it cant be beat, and for handheld its awesome. I love the LVE gear. Doug, it would be great if you made a "drive plate" designed and tapped for the battery quickplate, just an idea.
 
No, it's great that it works without modification. All I need now is for Doug to make a couple more different rod lengths in addition to the ones he already makes for not too much extra cost! Over to you Doug! :)
 
FWIW, I have 2 sets of Douglas' short rods and one set of long, and I've been able to get the right results with many different lenses. To deal with the in-between issue, I move the rods on the matt box arm in and out, works great. Was just shooting this morning with a Canon 400mm...heavy long bastard. Using lightweight rods is probably not advisable, but works just fine. Have not found a lens yet that I could not get FF and MB on with either one short, 2 short, one long, etc
 
Thanks Afogel. Great to hear about the battery mount on the other side - that was one idea that I thought people would go for. You can put a lot of stuff on these plates, like wireless receivers, downconverters, etc. Just get out your drill and make some holes in our plates.

I'm thinking that I could offer 4" rods, so along with the 2.5 and 7.5 we already make, you would have 2.5, 4, 5, 6.5, 7.5, 8, and 10 inches.

P.S. if you feel that the lemo is a bit too snug against the right support socket, then I suggest that in the great tradition of camerafolk modifying their gear, you get out a nice sharp half round file and take some material off that socket in the right place, then color the bare aluminum with a black Sharpie or similar. Anyway, that's what I'd do.
 
Douglas, do you know if your system is compatible with other 15mm threaded rods, like those that can be found at Letus for example, or Aaton ones?

Edit: Found the original thread where you mention that the threads are indeed 3/8x16 like Aaton rods!
 
Our rods have male threads on one end and female threads on the other, and they are the Aaton standard, which is 3/8-16. I'm told that Zactuo's are different (1/2-13) and won't fit but I don't know about others.
 
Douglas Underdahl said:
...I'm thinking that I could offer 4" rods, so along with the 2.5 and 7.5 we already make, you would have 2.5, 4, 5, 6.5, 7.5, 8, and 10 inches...
Click to expand...

If you're only going to offer one extra length, then 4.0" is a good length to go for. How much? When do you think you can offer them?

Maybe offer a bundle of the bracket and a pair of rods of each of the 2.5", 4.0" and 7.5" lengths, which is what I'd want! :)

Thanks very much!
Eric
 
Just another thought.

If you want to limit the number of lengths to just three, it's a shame that 7.5" is an exact multiple of 2.5", as that limits the possible combination lengths.

Can I go back to my suggestion of 2.5. 3.0 and 4.0 inches (no 7.5 inch) as an optimal set of three lengths which give a very even set of combination lengths especially in the 5 to 7.5 inch range which I think will cover pretty much all the decent quality zoom lenses (at least in the Canon EF compatible range). The longer primes will probably be better supported on 19mm rods anyway.
 
Douglas Underdahl said:
...I'm thinking that I could offer 4" rods, so along with the 2.5 and 7.5 we already make, you would have 2.5, 4, 5, 6.5, 7.5, 8, and 10 inches...
Click to expand...

Hi Douglas

Did you decide not to make another length of rod?

BTW I still think 2.5. 3.0 and 4.0 inches (no 7.5 inch) is a more optimal set of three lengths! Maybe bundle pair of 4 and 3 inch rods with mount, as well as selling all rod lengths individually or as pairs? :)

I prefer your rod mount as being slightly lower profile and weight than Element Technica's solutions, while taking only slightly longer to mount and unmount rods than ET's. However, without the enhanced flexibility of rod length provided by something like my suggested 3 joinable rod lengths, ET's solution may be better value as I can just cut some cheap 15mm tubing to length. :(

Cheers
Eric
 
Well I could go with your 2.5, 3.0, and 4.0 inches but I think that about 80% of buyers just needed the 7.5 inch rods and nothing else, and they would probably rather not have to make that length up by screwing together smaller rods. So let me think about this again.
 
You could still make the 7.5 inch ones - just thought you were trying to avoid stocking more than 3 lengths. No worries whatever you decide.

I just wanted to know whether to go now with ET's cheaper rod mount ($240 plus my own cheapo rods), or wait for your mount with joinable rods - for a hopefully only a small premium over ET's rod pricing :).
 
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