Side Handle Question

[Aron Cohen]

Dear Redusers!

I'm pretty new to the cinema camera world and thus I don't always know why an accessory is useful or what it is for. Until not so long ago for instance I didn't realize why you'd want to use a follow focus when you can pull focus on the ring of the lens. I needed five seconds of hands-on experience to recognize the difference it makes.

My current question is: what are the RED ONE's side handles used for? What kind of implementations do you see out in the field? I suppose it's for broadening accessory mounting options, but how and with what type of accessories? It would be wonderful if you guys could upload some photos.

Thanks in advance,

Aron C.

 

[Cail Young]

We've wrapped one in both genders of velcro to mount wireless transmitters/receivers or Lockit (timecode) boxes or downconverters or any other bits that are small and flat. The other is occasionally used to mount the LCD in a lower position but as we haven't used 19mm bottom rails for most jobs it hasn't had much of a workout.

 

[Vigen Vartanov]

Side Handel is best thing for RED . Same was in my company , whene we get RED manager did not buy Side Handels , and he tell me that why we need it. Sow now we get 4 for camera are it is nice.
First + is to mount LCD leg on it . You can make low position of monitor with it .

 

[Aron Cohen]

Thanks guys, appreciate the info!

But... I still don't see why you'd need a cage setup like you can see on the RED website... Cail, you were talking about two handles max. So what else is there that you'd want to put on the side handles - and all four of them? Is it the quantity which makes you need four? Or is it the size of the accessory?

 

[dino g]

Some DPs like to but their hands on it in handheld mode, monitors are flown off of it, and if you take off the top handle it is a good place to grab the camera when taking it away from the DP or OP. but of course it is only useful when using 19mm rods on top and bottom.

 

[Tanner Stauss]

Some DPs like to but their hands on it in handheld mode, monitors are flown off of it, and if you take off the top handle it is a good place to grab the camera when taking it away from the DP or OP. but of course it is only useful when using 19mm rods on top and bottom.

Are there any type of adapters that work to use it with 15mm rods. Currently our setup is with 19mm on bottom and 15mm on top. Is there any way of making that work?

 

[puntociego]

Are they worth paying 800 buck's cant they be self made

 

[Shawn Nelson]

I strongly recommend owning at least one. I've used mine to mount a single-channel audio module (Sound Devices MM1), a Bartech wireless transmitter and a mic. Also, we use it a ton for strain-reliefing the multitude of cables coming off the camera. I actually instruct the operators to NOT use it as a handle, because unless you tighten that mother down, it will pop off! I dont trust it under the full weight of the camera.

 

[Tim Sutherland]

I was also thinking you could tap out one of those holes to make it 3/8-16 and mount the EVF with a heavy-duty Noga arm, or one of those and a redarm for extra EVF security, if you don't have the ET Mount.

I'm with Shawn though on not putting full weight of the camera on it.

 

[Kyle Mallory]

I just ordered these for my camera because the current project refused to shoot without them. I was under the impression they mounted directly to the camera, rather than off the 19mm rails, but what you lose is mounting strength, you gain in mounting options, since you can mount the handles anywhere along the rails you like, including in front of or behind the camera.

They are a bit expensive, and you don't need 4. 1 is probably a good number, if you have a single camera. The DP asked for 3, I decided to round up and grab the fourth just in case.

 

[Aron Cohen]

interesting. So I now see that this must be a do-it-all figure-it-out-yourself accessory. Great info everyone, thanks a lot!