Top vs Bottom rail for mounting drive/batteries?

[Matthew Rogers]

Hey guys, as I am trying to figure out what exactly I need to buy to go with the basic PP I had a question for those who already have their RED. Are you mounting the cradle on the top rails or the bottom rails? I ask because I am trying to decide what size top rails I need. The 18" rails that come with the pack will be long enough for me if I don't mount the cradle on the bottom. That's why I am thinking that 18" rails on the bottom, and 12" on the top would be perfect. BTW, I am looking at using a Cooke 20-60 lens,, RRM mattebox, and the VFS focus motor on the front, with the RED cradle on the back.

I have some other questions, but I will post those in different threads so people can sort through them easier.

Matthew

 

[Joel Kaye]

I'll never put the cradle on top. I've got mine low on the bottom...below the lcd and underneath the rails. Drops the CG of the whole unit and it gets it out of the working area of the camera. Makes the camera a little rear heavy... so I have to slide the cradle close to the camera - but since it's low that's no problem.

The camera's top heavy to start with - so tossing more weight up there doesn't make sense to me... but hey, it's modular and people can do whatever they want. Most pics I've seen have top mounted batteries. Weird I tellya.

 

[CJ Roy]

I put the cradle on top for tripod work. Although it blocks the rear LCD, which can be flipped up for access, it keeps the camera streamline so it doesn't get in the way of operating the arm on your head.

For hand held, I flip the mounting bracket on the cradle and put in on the bottom rods. That way it can slide in on the rods without getting in the way of the controls. It also distributes the weight around your shoulder to counter the front heavy camera.

I'm sure both ways could be improved but it works pretty well so far.

 

[Matthew Rogers]

So what size rails do you all have? I know that most people have the 18" as they came with the basic pack, but what other sized rails did you buy?

Matthew

 

[Chris Gearhart]

I have the 12, 18, and 24 inch, and am glad I do, since I use them all the time.

The 24" lighter rods (CF or ET's aluminum) are a must for handheld, but I like the steel 24" for tripod work where you have a longer lens, MB, lens support, and the cradle all on the lower rods (I suppose the aluminum would work too, but those steel rods are mind-calming pilings).

Most often I find the 12" on top and the 18" on bottom. I can't imagine using the 6", personally.

(One note about the 12" and the side rails: It gets a little crowded if you have the side rails on with the cradle.)

 

[Barry Green]

I put 12" ET rods on the top, and put the battery/drive cage up there, totally out of the way. That's where it belongs.

18" ET 15mm rails on the bottom, sticking out of the ET Arri 15mm base plate.

 

[Obin Olson]

putting the power pack down low really helps with the cg on
the rig... Just found that out.... Its awesome even if it looks weird
I will never shoot over the shoulder any other way again

Barry you gotta try it and see

 

[Thom Steinhoff]

Obin, I'd love to see a picture of what you're loving as I tried that at first but found it got in the way of the tripod tilting or if it was flipped up then had problems getting in the way of the drive and power cables.

I put it on top. Actually, I find I mount it mostly directly on an extra purchase back top mount to go without rails on top. No problem balancing on an oconnor 1030 hds.

I'm trying to get a sidways mount made to mount just the battery on the top back only left to right instead of pointing up.

 

[Joel Kaye]

Obin, I'd love to see a picture of what you're loving as I tried that at first but found it got in the way of the tripod tilting or if it was flipped up then had problems getting in the way of the drive and power cables.

I flipped the universal plate upside down and screwed the cradle in from the bottom to get it as low as possible which elimates the cable issue. On my tripod I'd have a pretty extreme tilt up before the cradle hit anything... but then I could easily rotate it so it was further away from the tripod... like 45 degree angle away. I think if you set it up wrong it rotates towards the tripod. The other option would be to slide it further from the camera on the rails.

Feels much more secure for handheld too.

 

[chuck colburn]

I would like to see or hear about what you think about the Cooke 20-60mm zoom lens on the camera,

 

[SF Geek]

All of you guys using the bottom rails for mounting, what base plate are you using? I always use the Arri 15mm and I can't mount on those rods yet. Waiting on ET for 15mm universal mounts. I also don't like the idea of adjusting the rods with stuff on the front end of them and on the back ie. matte box, follow focus and battery, cradle. I guess one good thing about the red baseplate is being able to put two sets of rods in it, one for the front stuff and one for the back. Too bad it sucks for everything else.