Epic-W ENG / ENP style rig suggestions

[Curtis boggs]

Hi gang,

Looking at shooting reality TV show style stuff and need to work out
a great ENG style rig for my Epic-w.

Any suggestions, ideas, advice???

Cheers,

Curtis

 

[Jordan Beard]

There are a few decent shoulder rig options in these threads:

http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?156379-Scarlet-W-shoulder-setup
http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?157510-Shoulder-Rig-recommendations

 

[Curtis boggs]

thanks

 

[Oron Cohen]

My Shoulder setup

My Shoulder setup

For me it's all about being as lightweight but also keep the camera as low as possible and close to my shoulder, for that, I actually found the Sony VCT-FSA5 shoulder pad to work best, I tried the Zacuto VCT for a day, but this sony one, strangely enough works best in conjunction with the WC easy riser. it's still feel better then using the Zacuto VCT without the easy riser for example. I added Vocas handles on the front and the camera with Ultra Primes was perfectly balanced on my shoulder.

Because I had many shots were I needed to be standing still for a long time, I've used the easyrig only for those shots.

Only thing I will improve for next time is putting the monitor upside down, not sure why I didn't, but even this way, it worked great.

I'll just add, that this is a very specific setup that is prefect for those lenses in this configuration, the down side is it's not very flexible, but I didn't test it, it might worked great with a zoom, just probably needed to move the battery further back for balance.

Hope it helps.

 

[Nick Gardner]

Using an EVF and a good EVF mount are key. I like the tilta EVF mount, and I have used everyone available. But that is the key right there, getting the evf where your eye already is, and not being in some awkward position.

Nick

 

[Curtis boggs]

thanks

 

[James Sielaff]

Due to the weight of the body, invariably it will have to be shoulder mount work, so might as well load up on everything you want on the camera. Doesn’t have to be super lightweight. There are several good vct style shoulder mount bases out there. Shape, vocas, arri make the best ones imho. Wooden camera, tilta, zacuto, smallrig, and gini all make workable rigs too. Shape is just a popular model, seems to be be the thing rental houses get. Arri is light weight and minimalistic, the vocas is what i use. Well machined. For gear you have to touch as much as a camera, it is nice when the craftmenship is so good. The only downside to the vocas is that the camera mounting screws have to be very low profile, otherwise the sliding plate won’t work properly. A similar thing happens on the wooden camera Red base, it is just the nature of the super slim designs. So if you go vocas, bulk up on some screws.

My votes:
1. Vocas USM well thought out, even has a storage space for the allen key, finish and build feels good. Solid and light weight while being versatile. But bulk up on the slim camera mounting screws.
2. Arri VCT deceptively simple and ultra light weight
3. Shape ( everyone has used one)
4. Wooden Camera (i always want to like WC, but then something goes wrong, so take with a grain of salt)
5. Zacuto and Tilta. These both have some cool “tricks” if you think you need them, but have the same quirks that WC often has.

Everything else, i am less familiar with, so not able to rate.

Some of these add an additional sliding plate, and others screw into your existing plate or direct into camera. The vocas is lightweight and low profile enough that i do not mind the extra sliding plate. Comes in handy enough that I don’t mind. The Arri and the Zacuto screw direct, and you adjust the camera by loosening the screws. The zacuto somehow feels clumsy, and the Arri is easier than you might expect. The vocas has an easy lever and is the easiest to adjust the slide. Horses for courses. Give Shape a second look, and see if tilta, zacuto, and wooden camera have anything specific you need. Otherwise, Arri no frills or Vocas over engineering are my favourites. Smallrig and gini have the budget but may lack in craftsmenship, or design quality, but with their prices, i have always been happy with their stuff until i can afford what i really want.

Most vct shoulder mounts will do the job well, and all of the ones i listed above are good, there may be other brands out there, like Sony or Lanparte, but i have never used those. So, my ranking is more base on preference, yet i like all of them for different reasons. For example, if the vocas did not exist, i’d probably rate the wooden camera rig higher. Hope that makes sense.

(Edit: downgraded shape, because it wasn’t as cheap as i thought it was. The only reason i am listing it 3rd now is because of how many people have used it. And how easy it is to rent if you need an additional one if that matters)

 

[Maximilian Schmige]

Slightly older post but going to add to it. Some new gear available since then. RED has not been the most ideal and most lightweight rig for ENG filmmaking. All the extra gear can easily add up. Problems are the higher power consumption, higher fan speed and slower boot up time. The competition with the Sony FS7 or Canon C300 MkII have a lot of good things going for shooting doc/reality (with other drawbacks in exchange). I feel like the image you shoot are most important. I am working on a higher end documentary right now. Filming in 8K. Client is loving the images and nothing is holding us up on set from getting what we need. You can work around some of the other limitations. I have been successful in building a nice ENG docu style rig for our needs. The biggest benefit of the RED is I can build it to work bare bones or fully built for bigger set ups.

My docu set up includes:

- OMOD XLR Version 2. Big improvement from version 1. Clean and louder sound. I can run a mic and get a mix from sound on the other channel
- Zacuto Gratical EYE. Sending Log30G10 to EVF. Then applying or toggling LUTs for viewing purposes. Must have EVF to shoot docu IMO.
- PAGlink batteries. Lightweight, reliable and onboard LED display. Shows percentage.
- Outdoor filming using linear polarizer and Polarizer tray with wheel to dial in ND strength. Works out great when it's more hectic.
- Keeping it lightweight is key. Minimum other gear. I prefer to remove the servo on lenses and go manual instead for hand held. Using lightweight baseplate such as Arri BPS-2, clip-on mattebox etc.
- Occasionally use RTmotion sidekick and thumbwheel to pull focus. So great to have the thumbwheel attached to my Tilta hand held rig.

I haven't been using a VCT plate. It's really quick sliding in and out of a dovetail. Isn't that much more time IMO. But all depends on your shooting needs.

And I still sometimes request the old COFDM analog wireless transmitters and receivers. The Avalons just work! For long distance range they are so much more reliable. Even a Teradek 2000 will not hold up. So frustrating for docu work. I would be curious to hear what wireless set up you find most reliable? It's a trade off for range or quality.

 

[Ryan Purcell]

Get a Cinesaddle - keep the rig light - use a screw on variable nd filter.