Switching to Gold Mount

[Ryan Chernin]

I just finished 1st ACing a monthlong feature in Virginia shot on my Raptor and Komodo. Got a bunch of cheaper 290wh and 310wh batteries just for the crazy long days, and boy am I done with V-Mount. Between these new big batts and my Core Micros, the Raptor battery plate adapter, Teradek plates, monitor plates, and all the inconsistencies between them, I’ve used enough electrical tape to wrap a mummy. Phil once suggested using some to wedge the somewhat loose Teradek 4K TX module against the Raptor plate. It worked like a charm, but with heavy batteries other issues occur with V-Mount.

I think I’m about ready to switch. Anybody notice a difference in stability / consistency?

One big bummer is, if I do switch, Red only sells the battery adapter with the top plate. I already own the full Red cage, so I’d have to buy a second top plate in order to switch to Gold Mount, for some reason.

 

[Phil Holland]

Wooden Camera has their Micro-V to G-Mount coming shortly, they are just dealing with insane supply chain issues, but I have used it and it's sturdy on V-Raptor and allows both Micro and full size G-Mount.

I'm not having any issues though with V-Mount.

I imagine RED will sell you a G-Mount plate if you have the cage, but you'll need to contact them direct. There's often SKUs not on their website for various things you can order separately. Just grabbed some extra bolts and other oddities before this next shoot, none of those things were online or anywhere.

 

[Jonathan Petts]

Hi Ryan,

As Phil said you can purchase the RED gold mount adapter separately from the top plate if you reach out to the RED sales team they will be able to help

 

[Russ Fill]

Hey Ryan, there are a lot of options out there to convert to G mount.
Maybe a few can comment here about the pros and cons of V vs G. I’ve used both in my 40 plus years working camera and honestly both have in my view about the same advantages and dis advantages.
I’m presently using V mounts a combo of Pags, GDU, and a couple others and given the choice I’d stay with V’s over G’s just because I’ve had about the same amount of issues with each.
One view I’ve had for a while now is that with V mounts gravity is always working for you and with G mounts gravity is always trying to pull the pins to one side.

 

[Remington Chase]

Gold is the only way to go. Everybody that uses gold had to learn the hard way but eventually everybody has a V pop off at the worst time. I am wondering if the new Arri B mount will catch on.

 

[John Shofner]

I just purchased V-Raptor and im a tad annoyed to not see any language to the fact that Gold Mount for whatever reason isn't able to be a smart battery as im told by RED. Reading voltage is pretty annoying and I had an OP on the last job that didn't know what low voltage was for the V-Raptor as it was his first time with the camera. I find myself wanting to go to V-Lock for that reason.... Is there something that im missing?