Element Techinca Handheld Rig - Exxcellllent

[Jean Déraps]

But when can we actually buy the element technica shoulder mount?

 

[Roberto B]

Here ya' go Don - please don't criticize the exposure - these are just snapshots -:wink:

ehehehehe

good humor mark..

oster_stupid:

 

[Petros Nousias]

Anyone knows if the unit is compatible with origo? Is the cable long enough, and is there a place to attach the on/off unit?

 

[Steve Gibby]

Anyone knows if the unit is compatible with origo? Is the cable long enough, and is there a place to attach the on/off unit?

I'm a factory pilot for both ET and View Factor (makers of Origo), and I've been beta testing the ET hand held prototype since June. I've been testing Origo for several months with various length cables - 21/2', 10' (jibs), and 30' (jibs). Here's a link to the thread I opened on this forum that RGDfilmsRED (Richard Darge) referred to in his thread-opening post. In the thread I mentioned the use of Origo with the rig, and you can see Origo on the rig in the photos I posted:
Link: http://205.234.135.241/forum/showthread.php?t=16930&highlight=shoulder+mount


Here is another recent shot of Origo on my ET prototype hand held rig on a production in Las Vegas with Ketch Rossi (bottom photo, Post #17): http://205.234.135.241/forum/showthread.php?t=20798&highlight=shoulder+mount&page=2

Same Las Vegas production, Post #21, bottom photo of me with the rig. You can see Origo in the photo.
Link: http://205.234.135.241/forum/showthread.php?t=20798&highlight=shoulder+mount&page=3

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In all those thread photos you can see the Origo cable leading from the right handle, gaffed to the brace arm, then channeled through a 15mm rod on the ET ARRI base. On the back of the camera the Origo cable then is plugged into the 12v auxiliary bus on the camera. At the ET factory we mounted the Origo by simply drilling a hole in the mount arm and placing a double-threaded screw into the arm and then into Origo. It is solid, and gives you instant camera start/stop ability with your right thumb – something that is absolutely critical for quick, effective work with the rig.

After over five months of field-testing (translation: torturing) the ET hand held rig I can say that it seriously rocks! To use a cake analogy, the addition of Origo to the rig is definitely the frosting on the cake. Origo is the tiny piece of affordable gear that completes the utility envelope for the setup.

Beyond that, Origo has been installed on my tripod handles, for use in normal tripod work, and has also been used with the 10’ and 30’ cables for jib and crane work. Origo is an important part of the kit for all my RED cameras, no matter whether we’re shoot cine style, hybrid cine/EFP style, or pure EFP style.

I have deep respect for both Element Technica (ET) and View Factor. Their accessories dance amazingly well with RED One – and looking to the future, I’d expect them to also produce very cool accessories for Epic and Scarlet.

 

[Kwan Khan]

This looks great

 

[Casey Green]

I often see the REDBRICK as part of handheld and steadi-cam rigs, but I think using the RED BATTERY BELTCLIP (or other alternatives) is underutilized and underrated.

(sometimes the battery comes in handy as a counter weight, however.)

 

[Steve Sherrick]

I often see the REDBRICK as part of handheld and steadi-cam rigs, but I think using the RED BATTERY BELTCLIP (or other alternatives) is underutilized and underrated.

(sometimes the battery comes in handy as a counter weight, however.)

I use this for handheld a lot, but I have to find a better way to deal with the cable slack as I've had some issues with the cable getting snagged in tight situations where there's not a lot of room to get by people. Otherwise, it's nice to get the weight off the camera. Or is it? (counterweight)

 

[Ketch Rossi]

Yes the Shoulder mount from ET is just a Bad A$#@! RIG, and thanks to Gibby I got a chance to get a fill of it, when He brought the it to Vegas, very light, very comfortable ( even for me with a bullet still in my back, hehe ) so KETCHFRAME will surely have this Rigs in house as they are essential part of any serious camera kit, and sticks are great for stability but me, I'm all about true life fill and movement among the action and the subjects interactions so a big PLUS on this Rig from ET.


ciao

 

[Steve Sherrick]

...bullet still in my back, hehe..

I knew part of the story, I didn't know this detail though. Geesh man, that's some serious life experience right there.

 

[Ketch Rossi]

I knew part of the story, I didn't know this detail though. Geesh man, that's some serious life experience right there.

Yeah Steve, only few closed friends do know the details But since I'm making it in to a feature film, hopefully soon in off the all story will be told, coming to a theater near you

ciao

 

[Kevin Wild]

So WHEN will this ET rig be available? We've been waiting and waiting...

Kevin

 

[Steve Sherrick]

Yeah Steve, only few closed friends do know the details But since I'm making it in to a feature film, hopefully soon in off the all story will be told, coming to a theater near you

ciao

And I complain about my back and shoulder always aching. Time for me to suck it up.

Looking forward to your film Ketch. It's going to be a wild ride based on what I know so far.

 

[Steve Sherrick]

So WHEN will this ET rig be available? We've been waiting and waiting...

Kevin

I believe they are very close. They want to get this right. It's going to be an essential piece of gear in a lot of people's kits.

 

[Ketch Rossi]

And I complain about my back and shoulder always aching. Time for me to suck it up.

Looking forward to your film Ketch. It's going to be a wild ride based on what I know so far.

I think that we all have to suck it up some times, and that includes me a well off course

The first film "UNCONDITIONAL" will not be the one which will narrate my life story, that will be my second or third one "PERSEVERANCE", but "UNCONDITIONAL" does have few hints and flash backs to give a hint of what is to come with "PERSEVERANCE".

And the ET shoulder mount will be definitely an important toll for the type of storytelling I have set for this films, and truly hope to have the Talented Gibby running the ET on his RED #8 and or better yet on EPIC # 8 not because I can't operate the ET rig, as I do really love the way it fills on your shoulder, but because after sen Gibby in action I know I want him to be the crazy DP getting in to tight and difficult places doing what He does best, as it is clear that Gibby doesn't like the camera seating on Sticks

ciao

ciao

 

[Cüneyt Kaya]

i dont know one single red without et stuff here in germany.
the handheld rig will be a georgous piece of gear.

 

[Tøt]

ET's System look fine, but I can not understand that it must be so high, the camera will be lifted high from the shoulder. Center of Gravity must be too high? or?

/Tøt

 

[Steve Gibby]

ET's System look fine, but I can not understand that it must be so high, the camera will be lifted high from the shoulder. Center of Gravity must be too high? or?

/Tøt

Check out the photos of me using the prototype ET hand held kit on this page of the review thread I started - the photos in my Posts 16 & 17 on this page:

Link: http://205.234.135.241/forum/showthread.php?t=16930&highlight=shoulder+mount&page=2

I'm using the ET V-Lock clamps to mount the RED battery and RED Drive extremely low on the smart side of the camera, clamped to a 15mm rod. That keeps the center of gravity nice and low. If you look closely at the ET EVF mount, I have low-mounted the EVF (it could even go lower) to also keep the COG as low as possible. The weight of the battery and drive on the smart side are roughly equal to the weight of the RED EVF on the operator side, thus also keeping the right/left balance point in the center of the camera. For forward/backward balance, above the shoulder pad there is a small lever that locks/releases the entire camera and plate to slide forward/backward, and also tilt left or right to fit the slope and contour of the operators shoulder (Trapezious) muscle.

In summary, the COG is low, the right/left balance is counterbalanced by what is on both sides of the rig, and the fore/aft adjustment of the camera on the rig and yaw angle of the shoulder pad are all balanced in unison. The rig isn't top heavy, is extremely well balanced, is easily tuned or tweaked, and is very comfortable on your shoulder for hours and hours and hours of shooting.

 

[Steve Gibby]

And the ET shoulder mount will be definitely an important toll for the type of storytelling I have set for this films, and truly hope to have the Talented Gibby running the ET on his RED #8 and or better yet on EPIC # 8 not because I can't operate the ET rig, as I do really love the way it fills on your shoulder, but because after sen Gibby in action I know I want him to be the crazy DP getting in to tight and difficult places doing what He does best, as it is clear that Gibby doesn't like the camera seating on Sticks

Thanks for the kind words Ketch! I love most techniques of cinematography, but I especially like mobile hand held cinematography. I like the challenge of getting the hard to get shots. I'm really looking forward to helping you with your movies...it will be some difficult production for sure, but I welcome that. The ET hand held rig should be a very cool (and necessary) piece of kit for your movies.

Yes, hopefully it will be some of my new Epic cameras that we shoot your movies with!

BTW - the storyline of your movies is awesome...

Ciao!

 

[T. Glen Phelps]

More Praise for Element's Handheld Rig

More Praise for Element's Handheld Rig

I too had the wonderful opportunity to preview the ET handheld setup recently while gathering footage for a documentary project I'm working on. The project showcases the recreational activities and motor sports that take place in the desert sand dunes of southern California. With the associated high temperatures and blowing sand, I can safely say that I put the rig to the test. My setup was a heavy one. It was loaded down with the RED Drive (for long takes) and battery slung off the back for counter balance and the EVF up front for monitoring. I used an LMB-5 matte box with Schneider ND.9 and Tiffen Hot Mirror filters to cut the desert sun. I had an ARRI LFF-1 attached on the left side for pulling my own focus. Up top, attached to an ET Cheesestick handle, I had a Zylight Z=90 as an on-camera fill light and a Sennheiser MKH416 shotgun attached to a Sound Devices Mix-Pre (to get around the sound board issues) for recording dialog. Connected to the right front hand grip, I had a View Factor Origo for controlling RUN/STOP. All in all it was a very heavy setup. See attached Photos.

The ET rig worked fantastic, even with the heavy setup. Did I mention that the setup was heavy? The wonderful design (and this was a prototype) kept the camera's center of gravity directly over my shoulder and allowed me to use the handgrips to simply "steer" the rig. The adjustability of the shoulder pad lets you keep it snug to your shoulder without any uncomfortable "high spots". The highest praise I can give the ET handheld rig is that it actually makes shooting handheld with the RED possible. I mean with this rig, even using a relatively heavy set up, you can do "run and gun" work for a long time without wearing yourself out because of a "front heavy" or off balance camera setup. An because it attaches directly to the ARRI standard bridge plate, the rig will work with just about any camera, not just RED. This is a great piece of kit and it will soon be a standard part my arsenal.


Cheers

 

[T. Glen Phelps]

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