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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 :)

Camtree Hunt Shoulder Rig

I like to keep it simple and low. I use just the Wuuden Kamera leather handles on their crossbar. No extensions. Keeping it "boxer" style gives me more direct control. I bought their 15mm LWS, 15mm Studio and 19mm brackets for different rigs. I throw a shoulder pad on (House of Power). The reason I like shoulder pads is I can slide fore and aft while shooting, keeps the rig low as possible and light, and then no dicking around to snap it back onto a tripod. Time is a big deal and many of these dovetails don't slide on / off so easily.

Also, another great thing about the Wuuden K. cross piece is you can off set the mounting bracket to the right (as they all should be) and it has 1/4 20 and 3/8" holes all across for mounting EVF's or monitors. I use several different cameras throughout the year and this adaptability is indispensable.

If you bypass the dovetail shoulder and extensions you'll save yourself a bunch of money and the difference in build quality and metals with the Chinese gear is huge.
 
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Arthur Woo said:
Thanks Terry. How many hours do you normally have the rig on your shoulder? I've read the Red shoulder pad isn't comfortable for all day shooting. I'm looking at something btwn 5-10 hour days (rig's not going to be on the shoulder that entire time but I will be operating with breaks here and there). I was actually considering putting something like this together w/ WC parts because the red parts are just too expensive for me at this time. Basically:

1x Crossbar
2x Rosette Handles
1x 19mm rod clamp
2x 18" 19mm rods
1x WC Bridge plate
1x letus shoulder pad attached w/ velcro

also considering an Atlas rig, but that's another $3k lol, and not nearly as portable
Click to expand...


i bought the bt product (clutch) from RED but quickly regretted it. It's heavy, the pad is downright sadistic (feels like shards of glass after a while), but it's biggest failing is the ball joints for the handles; they can't be tightened to stay rigid. the EBAY item you linked to actually looks pretty interesting.
 
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For a year I've been using this super budget Lanparte bit, plus convenient Sony V 'dovetail'. It's not heavy, 1kg, super easy on/off the shoulder to sticks, fairly well balanced for hand held but I wouldn't trust it's camera base quick release once the camera gets much heavier - it's advertised for DSLR use and is fairly flimsy.

But what drew me to it was that it's the closest thing to a hand held balanced immediate on/off sticks device I can find anywhere. So many others require you to slide off the shoulder cushion, or seat the camera stupidly front heavy. I don't want to have to take off the cushion, I'll leave it somewhere immediately and forever, or have to screw it together/apart twice a day for travel like the WC one. It's a fairly maddening gap in HH operation for me.

So recently the 15mm bars input on the lanparte has started wobbling and I can't deal with worrying about when it'll come apart, so I'm trying the house of power shoulder pad/straight to baseplate route. Simpler, balanced wherever you like and with lower COG there's the advantage (particularly for doc work) that you can see over your right shoulder rather than be buried under the camera.


BnthYDt.png

http://www.cinegearpro.com/lanparte...pport-systems-shoulder-pad-baseplate-new.html
 
I use this with House of Power shoulder pad. Easy on. Easy off. Very important for me to have 3/8" mount on the crossbar as when I do handheld these days with so many different cameras, often it's just easier to mount either the touchscreen or some small monitor on the arm and be done with it. The whole dovetail system for me adds weight/bulk, raises the camera, and most importantly adds time. Sliding a dovetail on and off instead of just clicking on/off a touch plate, I find annoying and time wasting. The more gigs I do, the more I find myself trying to find the simplest, least over engineered tools possible.
 

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I like the shoulder pad right below the camera, and I've also been looking for something that I don't have to disassemble every time I pack up. It's a shame that it's starting to become wobbly. Perhaps a house of power shoulder pad is what I should be looking at after all

Sam Goldwater said:
For a year I've been using this super budget Lanparte bit, plus convenient Sony V 'dovetail'. It's not heavy, 1kg, super easy on/off the shoulder to sticks, fairly well balanced for hand held but I wouldn't trust it's camera base quick release once the camera gets much heavier - it's advertised for DSLR use and is fairly flimsy.

But what drew me to it was that it's the closest thing to a hand held balanced immediate on/off sticks device I can find anywhere. So many others require you to slide off the shoulder cushion, or seat the camera stupidly front heavy. I don't want to have to take off the cushion, I'll leave it somewhere immediately and forever, or have to screw it together/apart twice a day for travel like the WC one. It's a fairly maddening gap in HH operation for me.

So recently the 15mm bars input on the lanparte has started wobbling and I can't deal with worrying about when it'll come apart, so I'm trying the house of power shoulder pad/straight to baseplate route. Simpler, balanced wherever you like and with lower COG there's the advantage (particularly for doc work) that you can see over your right shoulder rather than be buried under the camera.


BnthYDt.png

http://www.cinegearpro.com/lanparte...pport-systems-shoulder-pad-baseplate-new.html
Click to expand...
 
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This is actually very similar to what I was considering, adding the 15/19mm rod clamp on the crossbar w/ rods that extend back to a bridgeplate. Good to know someone else is doing something similar!

Ned Wilson said:
I use this with House of Power shoulder pad. Easy on. Easy off. Very important for me to have 3/8" mount on the crossbar as when I do handheld these days with so many different cameras, often it's just easier to mount either the touchscreen or some small monitor on the arm and be done with it. The whole dovetail system for me adds weight/bulk, raises the camera, and most importantly adds time. Sliding a dovetail on and off instead of just clicking on/off a touch plate, I find annoying and time wasting. The more gigs I do, the more I find myself trying to find the simplest, least over engineered tools possible.
Click to expand...
 
Arthur, I bought all three 15mm, LSW, and 19mm from Wuuten Kamra. Covers me for every situation. When I have op jobs, I bring this and tell the ACs to get rid of whatever they rented and put mine on. It wasn't cheap and I don't get a kit rental on it, but it's made my job so much easier. Some people get the extensions. For me, I find their extensions too long. You can get short ones from Ronford. If I were doing a lot of super long takes (10 min plus0 then I may consider long extensions.
 
There's one more I forgot. Spider Grips. I used these for two seasons on a popular TV Show that was 90 % hand held with Alexas. They're super light and very well built and the extensions are just the right length for most apps. In NYC, they've become perhaps the most popular hand grip request from rental houses. They also offer an extendable arm, on / off module and Preston mount module. They'll probably be my next grips:

http://www.cameraaccessorysolutions.com/products.html
 
Thanks for the rec Will. I found this http://redmodz.com/matt-uhry-handheld-custom-rig-for-red-epic/

Looks a bit front heavy though. I'd want the camera sitting on my shoulder. Anything with the camera slightly forward requiring counterbalance or using arm strength is not something I'd want to mess with, did it for a few projects, not really into it anymore. Can you set it to 'sit' on your shoulder w/o using much arms?

Will Keir said:
Arthur,

There might be a better option for you. Try out Matt Uhry's custom shoulder rig, it's awesome. Just PM him for more. I bought a prototype for $1350.
Click to expand...
 
lol wuuten kamra

So do you basically use the rods connected to the bridge plate, and then the bridge plate with camera on top sits on your shoulder pad?

Ned Wilson said:
Arthur, I bought all three 15mm, LSW, and 19mm from Wuuten Kamra. Covers me for every situation. When I have op jobs, I bring this and tell the ACs to get rid of whatever they rented and put mine on. It wasn't cheap and I don't get a kit rental on it, but it's made my job so much easier. Some people get the extensions. For me, I find their extensions too long. You can get short ones from Ronford. If I were doing a lot of super long takes (10 min plus0 then I may consider long extensions.
Click to expand...
 
Arthur Woo said:
lol wuuten kamra

So do you basically use the rods connected to the bridge plate, and then the bridge plate with camera on top sits on your shoulder pad?
Click to expand...

Yes. I tend to use 15mm LWS as well.
 
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