Lugging a rig around for 2 hours : My arms still hurt

[Björn Benckert]

Try the sony FF65 or a good old Arri 435 or any other "film format" camera.... Personally I find it best to use my iPhone/instamatic if there is no camera team around

I see it as follows,
The epic is heavy if you compare it to any still / SLR camera even compared to most video cameras. But you need to compare it to film or to 4k and above and then its possible to make the epic quite low weight. But if you put on all the perefinalia available... Follow focus, big batteries, follow focus monitor, mattbox, big cine lenses, sync box, sound devices, h.264 down converter... big shoulder rig etc. then you will probably only be able to shoot for a minute or two at the time... wich is quite long if you compare to any cine camera... and you should almost compare it to a 65mm camera.. then it super light weight....

 

[Milan Spasic]

Hit the gym or hire an AC who is hitting the gym.

 

[Kyle Stryker]

I do a lot of documentary/reality work. You just have to keep in shape. Switching from a HDX900 to the my Scarlet setup is like taking a break.

 

[Joseph S.]

I realized how bad of a shape I was in when I carried the Epic/RPP around for an hour. If you just keep at it, those muscles will eventually build back up and it'll be easy.

At home, just grab the camera with the side handle and hold it horizontal until you feel pain. Then rest and repeat a few times.

When I carried the Red One around, it was the same thing. Eventually became easier.

 

[Matt Ryan]

I suggest working out both arms or you end up like this:

On a serious note, if your a cam op professionally, you better be able to carry a rig all day...Epic/Scarlet is lightweight compared to most everything out there minus DSLR's.

 

[Domenic Barbero]

im gonna do p90x, instead of using weights ill just sub in my scarlet with a RED 18-85 on it and a v mount. Then in 90 days, ill be able to tear shit up.

 

[Rob Macey]

Workout and keep shooting....you'll eventually build muscle memory. Some of my shows I shoot with my F900/3, Camwave, Miranda down converter and a hop. 8 hrs a day. The more you do, the stronger you will feel.

 

[Dane Henry]

Just returned from a 2 week production in Hawaii for a 6 episode TV show shot on 2 scarlets and an epic. The Easy Rig saved me, 10-14hr days half the time with the camera hooked up to the rig.


EasyRig-Scarlet

-Dane

 

[Paul Schneider]

Just returned from a 2 week production in Hawaii for a 6 episode TV show shot on 2 scarlets and an epic. The Easy Rig saved me, 10-14hr days half the time with the camera hooked up to the rig.


EasyRig-Scarlet

-Dane

The easy rig is a great piece of kit. My main DP owns one. Calls it the "Humiliator" ;-)

 

[Jeffrey T. Morgan]

im gonna do p90x, instead of using weights ill just sub in my scarlet with a RED 18-85 on it and a v mount. Then in 90 days, ill be able to tear shit up.

LOL!

Having a back injury would suck, though. I think some kind of backpack with a padded strap around the waste would do the best for aleviating the strain. Think backpacking hike. ??? maybe

 

[Brian Iannone]

I just weighed my [former] Scarlet rig two weeks ago and it came in at around 15.2 lbs. (which is ultra-light compared to some rigs with 18-85mm RPPs, matteboxes, huge batteries, etc.) I went to the LA Zoo a few times and spent the entire day walking around (and up small hills) while holding it by a DSMC Sliding Top Handle and had not trouble at all. Although, I'm sure a shoulder-mount rig and/or cart would've helped.

By the way, when is RED releasing the DSMC Barbell Attachment Module. You know, for attaching your EPIC/Scarlet to a barbell... There's gotta be a module for that.

lol

But seriously, once you have some heavy lenses, batteries, rail components, follow focus parts, matteboxes, etc. attached on there, it can get uncomfortably heavy... A shoulder-mount rig and cart sounds like a good idea.

 

[Brian Iannone]

By the way Les, what shoulder-mount rig were you using that day?

 

[Phil Holland]

The music video I just shot a couple days ago was 15.5-36 lbs out in the desert. Shoulder setups. Running around like a madman. All that jazz. I'm fine. I've been lifting heavy nonsense for a while though.

I still have the Clutch on my "to buy" list though where it would make things infinitely more comfortable during shooting.

 

[Les Dittert]

A simple rig built from Gini-rig parts, and Lan-parte handles. The weight is no problem when it's up on my shoulder. It was a pain when I was just walking around holding it low, in transport mode, if you want to call it that. I was filming stuff around the Venice beach area. Oh, and I got shut down on the Santa Monica pier, the dude said I needed a permit. Private property. Got some nice footage.

By the way Les, what shoulder-mount rig were you using that day?

 

[Will Keir]

Exactly.

Dom, what shoulder mount are you having the issue with?

Lucky your not haulin an Alexa or F65 around. Your arm would fall off.

 

[Domenic Barbero]

oh i dont so much mind the shoulder rig stuff. i can shoot for hours as long as i can set the camera down for a few in between. Its mostly just carrying around the camera to events where you dont know what or when or who you are shooting. Just having the camera dangling from your side as you scout for interesting things to shoot. hours at a time, just walking, cam hanging. switching back and forth between arms. thats all. just the long periods of it just dangling. and im carrying it by the top handle so its a major forearm workout and shoulder workout

 

[Brian Iannone]

A simple rig built from Gini-rig parts, and Lan-parte handles. The weight is no problem when it's up on my shoulder. It was a pain when I was just walking around holding it low, in transport mode, if you want to call it that. I was filming stuff around the Venice beach area. Oh, and I got shut down on the Santa Monica pier, the dude said I needed a permit. Private property. Got some nice footage.

Carrying the camera in Transport Mode can indeed be problematic. I agree with Steve about the proper rig balance, though. I had to adjust the position of the V-mount plate and battery on the rods because it kept tilting forwards. When you're holding it by a handle and it starts tilting, things become unpleasant... And eventually painful. I was pondering about what to do once the rig weight gets up to 25-30+ lbs. and it would be great if someone could think of a solution for easier carrying of the camera in Transport Mode.

Oh, and I got shut down on the Santa Monica pier, the dude said I needed a permit. Private property. Got some nice footage.

Well that's unfortunate... I'll be careful the next time I go to the Santa Monica pier to shoot. Surprisingly enough though, the LA Zoo doesn't mind huge cameras. I was walking through the parking lot the second time I went with Scarlet and a Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L and the security guy drove up to me and said "Hey, I think you need a bigger camera!"

However, I've heard that LA is one of the worst places to shoot in terms of getting stopped by security (and Homeland Security...). Since a lot of people here are going to NAB this weekend, I should mention that security in Las Vegas is sort of not-very-nice about shooting on private property also. I got stopped a few years ago while shooting a gigapixel image on a bridge connecting the Wynn hotel and the Fashion Show Mall. Bridges over public roads, apparently, are a no, no for shooting on.

Went off topic there for a moment... So, back on subject. Solution: Hire a bodybuilder to carry stuff. Or, ask DARPA if you could borrow one of these.

If I'm going to a place where I know they won't mind me bringing some large equipment, I think I might just use a rolling Pelican case to move the camera rig around in Transport Mode. It should be quick enough to take out and put back in over and over again.

 

[Mennovandijk]

For long walks I bring this Stealth gear trolley. Throw my tripod and backpack on there or place my Epic on a cinesaddle on the trolley. Very handy and you can use it a a seat too

 

[Mennovandijk]

Dane, can you show a picture of the handle where you hang the camera on the hook of the Easyrig?

Just returned from a 2 week production in Hawaii for a 6 episode TV show shot on 2 scarlets and an epic. The Easy Rig saved me, 10-14hr days half the time with the camera hooked up to the rig.


EasyRig-Scarlet

-Dane

 

[Dane Henry]

Dane, can you show a picture of the handle where you hang the camera on the hook of the Easyrig?

Sorry didnt get a detail shot. I connected the easy rig clasp directly to the RED Top Handle (NATO slide connection model). The Clasp is rock solid and fairly tight just to hook the easyrig to the handle. MAKE SURE YOUR BOLTS ARE TIGHT!!!!

-Dane