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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 :)

ET Weapon Side Handle Feedback

Can it somehow communicate with the Weapon via wi fi? Otherwise I'm not sure how it communicates directly with the Brain other than through some sort of cable.

While I would really like a side handle that bolts onto the camera some way and gives me a 1:1 button to check focus, and an off/on record button... something like the proposed top handle that mounts the way that one does, except extends vertically as a left or right hand model and uses either off the shelf Li AA or AAA batteries... or even a proprietary version... I could work with that.

Otherwise, really liked the old version of the side handle.
 
I love my side handle now with my Epic and really only want to see the same thing only a lot more ergo... the internal batt is also a plus but not a deal breaker. The Rocker, control pad and wheel,, and about 4 of the back buttons along with the REC button is about all I really use. My Top LCD has come and gone so many times I never use it but as a idiot light to make sure the side handle is connected and working. So for me the LCD is kind of redundant and the only things really needed are the rocker, record and a few buttons and the control pad with wheel up, down, left, right and select. Really just take the guts out of the old one and reconfigure it in to something that fits your hand.... not the box it came in. And make it bomber solid on the side of the camera like the present one.
 
I definitely want it to house a revolt for when I want lightweight mobile use of the WEAPON. Aerial work. Movi. Handheld. The revolt allows for light bare bones operation. The point of housing the revolt is to allow for that option. Without it, it gets bulkier with extra modules and you lose the ability to have lightweight handheld operation.
 
Kemalettin Sert said:
seems like ET is on deep sleep.No activity on facebook instagram.Sigh! i dont understand why Red backs up this company so strongly.
Click to expand...

Element Technica is now part of RED. They are far from asleep at the moment as ET is currently cracking away at producing and designing more accessories for Weapon. The V-Lock and Gold-Lock (AB) battery plates are done and being made as far as I know. There's a small handful of other Weapon related products they are currently working on. Some of which we've seen teases of like the sidehandle cheese plate thing (don't know if that has a name yet).

They are certainly watching this thread and listening to ideas regarding the Weapon Side Handle. Keep the feedback coming. It's clear that it's an important accessory they want nail just right. I know my OG Side Handle is on my Epic Dragon most of the time. I hope they nail it too.
 
Just thinking out loud... it would be nice if the side handle allowed us to wrap our hand around it to carry the camera, again, in a version like the top handle.
 
As many have mentioned having access to a Redvolt in the handle is extremely useful. The existing side handle is never off my Dragon, and is my favorite accessory.
 
I'd rather no redvolt and more ergonomic. I shoot handheld DSLR style a lot and the sidehandle just isn't really that comfortable, way too blocky. I'd rather a better design on the handle and to use light weight V-Locks... Comfortable with practical button layout and I'd be happy.
 
Phil Holland said:
They are certainly watching this thread and listening to ideas regarding the Weapon Side Handle.
Click to expand...

Just to add to what Phil said. I spoke with ET at Cine Gear and they said they have made changes based on feedback from this thread, so they are taking it seriously.
 
I look at this thread and it seems as though I'm the only one who needs to be able to Hot Swap batteries on set. Is everyone happy to power down their cameras and then wait for the boot up in order to change batteries? From what I've read here the new side handle does not accommodate this and the Red Volt Expander is 4,000.00 and increases the size and weight of the W considerably. Please ET come up with a side handle that does what the old one did (for 1K), at the very least.
 
Slightly Different Way of Looking at the Problem

Slightly Different Way of Looking at the Problem

You are certainly not the only one who needs to hot-swap. In the run-and-gun effort, hot-swapping is very helpful, if not critical.

What if the new handle had a 2 minute or so micro-battery that a Red Volt kept charged. When the Red Volt was removed, the micro-battery kept the cam operating (at least in stand-by mode) until the depleted Red Volt was quickly replaced with a fresh one. Or some mechanism to emulate a new clip in a Glock or M9. (Hey, the cam is a Weapon, isn't it .... So why not this metaphor ?)

steve green said:
I look at this thread and it seems as though I'm the only one who needs to be able to Hot Swap batteries on set. Is everyone happy to power down their cameras and then wait for the boot up in order to change batteries? From what I've read here the new side handle does not accommodate this and the Red Volt Expander is 4,000.00 and increases the size and weight of the W considerably. Please ET come up with a side handle that does what the old one did (for 1K), at the very least.
Click to expand...
 
Serge Polevitzky said:
You are certainly not the only one who needs to hot-swap. In the run-and-gun effort, hot-swapping is very helpful, if not critical.

What if the new handle had a 2 minute or so micro-battery that a Red Volt kept charged. When the Red Volt was removed, the micro-battery kept the cam operating (at least in stand-by mode) until the depleted Red Volt was quickly replaced with a fresh one. Or some mechanism to emulate a new clip in a Glock or M9. (Hey, the cam is a Weapon, isn't it .... So why not this metaphor ?)
Click to expand...

I hot swap as well a lot, and always have a redvolt in my side handle!
 
Maybe a side handle with a built in battery for hot swap would be good. smaller than the bulky redvolt chamber. Off Hollywood has a product that has all the camera inputs and a built in battery for hotswapping. The less batteries I own and have to charge the better.

So here is my list:
-built in battery for hot swap
-built in universal motor control
-finger wheel for focus
-mappable buttons
-aton grip like ergonimics
-super light weight
-wireless or at least multi/custom mounting options.
-
:)
 
Now that the Side Handle's Stills/Motion switch actually does something with the new firmware, please retain the PC Sync Port in the new handle design. It would be great if a strobe trigger was present at the Sync Port whenever a single frame mode is fired. Yes, I understand that a Motion Mount is necessary for frames to be fully exposed consistently.

It should also hold a RedVolt...

How about a thumb-wheel for controlling audio gain while running & gunning?
 
I actually like the current design a lot and was a bit surprised that RED didn't have a new SH ready for the Weapon-announcement. Sure, there are things that could be improved, but they are small - nothing that really bugs me. I can't imagine using my Scarlet without that SH.

I see room for two Sidehandles, one like the old one with support for a REDVOLT, lots of buttons and a display (OLED this time) and another one thats smaller and doesn't take a battery, doesn't need a display too. I'm not convinced by the idea of having a internal battery that can't be swapped by the user. Batteries die, sometimes quicker than you think and it sucks to have send in hardware just because of a little battery. I also see potential for a design that integrates wireless control into a sidehandle. A bit like a REDMOTE, but instead of putting it on the back you would put it on the side and use it as sidehandle. Hmmm, that needs a bit more brainstorming. ;)

Something that would make a internal EFF-solution possible would be very welcome. The current dials and zoom-rocker isn't good enough here.
 
It doesn't have to be Redvolts, but a little 2-3 minute battery for hot swaps would be ideal. I don't see why it couldn't be removable, unless all the space is taken up by something even more awesome. I'm itching to see what ET has cooking on this front...
 
This would probably make the side handle a bit expensive, but it would be great if it were round to fit the hand, had a round battery inside, would unscrew with a twist so it could be used wirelessly to stop/start the camera from a reasonable distance.
 
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