O'Connor vs DSMC camera mount vs Optitek Nikon mount

[Mark Phelan]

So today was the first day to try out the O'Connor matte box with my setup. Have all the correct bits, put them together and slid the matte box onto the 19mm studio rails that are attached to the DSMC platform pack under the Epic. No joy. There is an alignment issue and I cannot figure out where the problem lies. Is it in the DSMC mount? The O'Connor brackets and bridges assembly? Is it a crooked lens? Or two, or three since having tried multiple lenses? Same issue. The lens aligns slightly up and to the right of the matte box. It's not a 15mm lightweight issue, that's not it. Have shown photos to Eric Johnson at O'Connor and he says everything looks correct, but here we are.

Now I can coax the assembly together IF I unlock the camera from the base, slide the matte box onto the lens and then relock the camera down. But that causes torque on the lens, making the iris control ring very tight. It'll move, but only by force, which is obviously not good for it.

Anyone else run into this issue? The lenses are about 1/8 to 1/4" too high, which is very strange. I'm thinking it's something with the DSMC alignment getting off a tad. But that's all I've been able to come up with for an idea. Thoughts? Tips? Just get a hammer and be done with it?

 

[Mark Phelan]

Screwed up!

Screwed up!

Literally. Found the source of the problem. I had a screw loose. (insert your own joke here)

It's great to realize that the solution to something like this was so simple. On the bottom of the dovetail plate that attaches to the camera are three holes for three screws, two large, one small. Only need two, but I had decided to leave the smaller screw in place. Bad choice. It had worked itself loose and was making the DSMC mount not seat properly, causing the offset. Removed the pesky varmint and all is right with the camera, the DSMC platform, the Optitek mount, the Nikon lens, the O'Connor matte box and the dolt behind the camera.

 

[LCamak]

Ok, let's see the rig? This screw could be from anything. : )

 

[Mark Phelan]

Um, ok. Here's a shot of the setup.

 

[Eric J. Johnston]

Um, ok. Here's a shot of the setup.

Lookin' Good!