Mounting Camera Hops

[Matt Geldof]

We are working with such a large variety of camera's these days from DSLR's and modular systems mounted to Erector Set like contraptions, to the awkward hand held, back wrenching, mid sized units and of course the old standard, shoulder positioned pro HD cams.

 

Every job is a different, camera hop, mounting challenge and on top of that every DP/AC has an opinion on how they'd like it positioned (fair enough), which sometimes verges on requests for the impossible.

 

Let's use this forum to share our standard and not so standard RX mounting methods?

 

Please do your best to keep the discussion to what receivers you are using, on what camera, and how you are mounting them.

[Philip Perkins]

I'd only say that for me it's paid to be proactive about this--call up the AC or the DP if there is no AC and hash it out.  I often stop by camera preps for this issue (hop as well as Lockit), and have developed a few choices to present.  I carry a little widget box now of bolts, plates and shoes etc etc in addition to straddle bags etc.  It's not rocket science but figuring it out before the shoot seems to work best, as does having choices available.  Something can usually be worked out, but this seems to be some sort of deal on every job now.

 

philp

[dominiquegreffard]

Great subject! First thing i wanna say is that i try less and less to do wireless hop and push for double system recording as much as i can for an ample amount of reasons. Having said that, i use a lectro sr reciever that i power from this wicked custom aa battery sled built by montreal's wiz gilles bélanger. (The fact that it uses aa batteries simplifies my life)

The little oranges pouches that comes with petrol bags fit the reciever and the battery pack very snug and then i attach that with a mix of velcro strap, hair elastic and camera tape.

There s no straight solution it really (huhh) all depends

[Philip Perkins]

I like double system too, but it is a much tougher sell if you don't have some kind of scratch feed going to the camera that they can feed to PluralEyes etc.  They also might want to play something back in the field, and would need sound for that.

 

philp

[chrisnewton]

Velcro is my friend.

[dominiquegreffard]

I like double system too, but it is a much tougher sell if you don't have some kind of scratch feed going to the camera that they can feed to PluralEyes etc. They also might want to play something back in the field, and would need sound for that.

philp

A scratch track comes easy with a erx pack on camera or an old g2 or comtek.

[atheisticmystic]

Last several gigs with Wielage have found both velcro and bongo ties as top contenders, sticking and strapping the Lectro SR (with battery velcro'd on) to Reds and Alexas.

[taylormadeaudio]

+1 Velcro... I also like the idea of sleds / mounting brackets but have yet to invest in anything like that (mostly cart-based long-form stuff for me) so I typically make it clear (when I can't convince them to NOT use camera hops, and have charged them accordingly) ; )... that I will need to be in contact with the operator beforehand to establish a workable method -- including frequency coordination where necessary, mounting method and location, and power source (AB D-tap / Hirose / Lemo / internal batts. / etc.)

I agree with previous posts regarding NOT using them, but alas, they're a necessary evil these days to some extent... thankful for this thread and this forum for that reason!

~tt

[Martin Kittappa]

I made a shoe mount for my Zaxcom RX900s by retasking on of my old Sennheiser G2 shoe mounts- It really works well for smaller ENG cameras and things like the Canon C300.

Basically I covered the shoe mount with velcro and attached the opposite velcro on the receiver.

 

I use it all the time on smaller cameras where every conceivable surface has buttons, flip out screens  and curvy sides. Often there is not a single surface to actually attach anything to camera.

 

 

[Philip Perkins]

Have you had any pushback re the size and weight of the Zax RX on the shoe of a DSLR?  I have, even though in the next moment they mounted a monitor there that probably weighed 3 times what the rx did...

 

philp

[ProSound]

Have you had any pushback re the size and weight of the Zax RX on the shoe of a DSLR?  I have, even though in the next moment they mounted a monitor there that probably weighed 3 times what the rx did...

 

philp

Yes Part of the reason I switched to SRA for my Hops. Also the built in L mount battery sled allows me to never have to fight with camera for power anymore either 

[Martin Kittappa]

I don't really use the Zax hop on DSLRs unless they want sound sent through a Juicbox or something similar. If they are using this though then there is usually some kind of cage or rigging with all kinds of mounting options. 

 

At the very most I may set up one of my G2s if production really insists that I send audio to camera, but I'd rather they just used the on board mic for reference and I record dual system on my Sound Devices recorder. I always worry that if the sound ends up being the lowest end of OK on the DSLR then some of these cheap producers might end up using the onboard camera sound in the final mix instead of my better quality sound on my recorder.

 

The C100/300 being the exception, if you can call them DSLRs as they are kind of a hybrid. These cameras having a dual Balanced XLR system means that I can use all my usual toys to send audio to camera. Of course I also use my hop for all other types of camera if production wants it On the smaller HD camera such as the Canon XA10 or the Sony NX30 then my little velcro shoe mount converter really comes in handy. these little cameras have nowhere to velcro anything to them.

 

As for pushback- Camera ops may complain, but when it comes down to it given the choice between my RX900s and a hardwired breakaway, guess what? they always want to go with the wireless option every time.

[JonG]

Martin, I like your shoe mount idea. I actually brought one of those with me *just in case* on this shoot I'm doing this weekend, along with Velcro, bongo ties, and a saddle bag for options. I was going to tie my UCR100 to the sennheiser shoe mount with a bongo tie, but that Velcro is a great idea. If I go the shoe mount method (we are running EX3's) that'll be a winner!

Otherwise I do the same as everyone else it seems: use any of the above for each camera situation.

[Marc Wielage]

Last several gigs with Wielage have found both velcro and bongo ties as top contenders, sticking and strapping the Lectro SR (with battery velcro'd on) to Reds and Alexas.

 

Yeah, Mr. Deichen's solution of Bongo Ties definitely help in a pinch. I'm still occasionally stymied by DPs who don't want to invest in longer rails for the camera and lenses, but we eventually work out something that can get by. Those weird-shaped cameras like the Canon C300/C500 still drive me batty. 

 

Remind me to stop by K-Tek's NAB booth and continue nagging Dave Fisk about making a universal wireless receiver/timecode jam box holder that will fit lots of cameras effortlessly! There's gotta be a way... and the cloth saddlebag doesn't quite hack it. 

[John Blankenship]

My wireless mount list includes:

G2s for scratch track when double system...

Then for full "sound to camera," Lectro or Zaxcom mounted via:

a couple of Anton Bauer mount boxes for shoulder-mount cameras, saddlebags, Velcro, a handicam side bracket, G2 plate as above, belt pack with breakaway cable, chewing gum, and spit.

[Richard Nault]

Seems to be all of the above for me these days... I primarily use Velcro to attach my D4 receivers - with a little bit of bongo tie action for keeping cables clean.

 

Also have a homemade hotshoe/flat plate adapter to help affix receivers to smaller DSLR type cameras like the C300...

 

Used one of my SR units as a hop recently with the C300 when the operator found the D4 to be a bit big (I'm pretty sure the D4 actually would have been lighter)... so glad I also had a 4x9V custom battery sled available (similar to the AA one pictured above).

 

Have to carry all of these tricks around these days it seems.

 

Over the last couple of weeks, worked with a C300 with rails, and one without - and the rails make all the difference. Rails give you a bit of real estate for your sync box, receiver etc. 

 

And... good idea to be able to work it all out in advance, too. After a decade and a bit of waiting for lighting, etc to be setup and tweaked, I find with a lot of these smaller cameras, it's pull the camera out - shoot! Absolutely no setup time.

 

R

[Matt Geldof]

Marc, curious if you have had any specific ideas about a universal mounting system design.

 

I imagine a sort of light, carbon fiber, modular system. Spring clamp, attached to a short, adjustable,  articulated arm, attached to a box. All these are connected using hot shoe mounts, so they can be adapted to camera and particular situation.

 

Curious. Is anyone using a belt or shoulder harness? I've found one of the quickest methods is to have the receiver on a belt with a short breakaway cable. Camera ops tend to feel it is strange at first, but if the system is comfortable, end up loving the flexibility it offers and lighter camera.

[Jim Feeley]

Shoulder-mount cameras: RX on the camera.

 

Smaller cameras (HVX200, EX3, etc) in verite-ish settings : I'll offer a bag to hold the RX, along with a belt clip & loop, then run a couple cables up to the camera. Some camops are fine with that; negligible extra weight on camera, can still move around, etc. But sometimes the RX ends up on the camera...or just nowhere.

 

DSLRs: Ya, well. Do what we can.

 

A couple camops I've worked with have portabrace sling packs and expect RX to live in one of the pockets. But that's like two guys around here, one guy in the midwest, one back east. Not something I can foist on a camop:

http://www.portabrace.com/products/production-gear/546-side-sling-messenger

 

 

I'm not being so helpful, other than to say for some camops, having the RX on (or near) their body with cables to the camera can work. If they're into it, etc.

[John Blankenship]

...

Curious. Is anyone using a belt or shoulder harness? I've found one of the quickest methods is to have the receiver on a belt with a short breakaway cable. Camera ops tend to feel it is strange at first, but if the system is comfortable, end up loving the flexibility it offers and lighter camera.

 

As I listed above, beltpack receivers with a breakaway cable to camera is one of the options in my kit -- useful for handicam shoots.  I have the option of powering the receivers (or just one in the case of the stereo Zaxcom units) via internal batteries or an NP1 in the beltpack (or in one case in an additional beltpack).

 

I've encountered camera-ops who wouldn't even consider it and others who much prefer it to other options, such as various brackets, etc., I have available to use with smaller cameras.

 

It's definitely on a "per situation" basis these days.

[Philip Perkins]

An easy rig is a Manfrotto ultra clamp bolted to a Lectro RX sized piece of ABS plastic with velcro on it.  Easily clamps to rails, handles, studs etc etc.

 

philp

[justanross]

http://www.rycote.com/products/wireless_receiver_camera_bracket/

 

 Expensive but worth it. I use it for my ERX's on the camera. Its pretty small, so it could probably fit a G3. Not sure about a 411 or SR but I think the SR would have a better chance.

[Marc Wielage]

I'd need something big enough to hold both a wireless receiver (SR or 411-sized) plus a timecode jam box (like an SB-T), and a battery pack for the former. A combination of the Rycote above plus a secure strap and several methods of securing it (screw, strap, or velcro) could work. Those little dinky cameras make these situations more and more difficult these days.

[johnpaul215]

My go to is the KTek plate with a cold shoe mount. Full plate covered with good velcro. I've used it for a Zaxcom RX (QRX or RX900S) and a SB-3. On a C300 I can use the front cold shoe mount that puts the RX vertical, but the Zaxcom RX is lighter than a 411. If I am worried about security, I might add bongo ties. 

[pindrop]

My go to is the KTek plate with a cold shoe mount. Full plate covered with good velcro. I've used it for a Zaxcom RX (QRX or RX900S) and a SB-3. On a C300 I can use the front cold shoe mount that puts the RX vertical, but the Zaxcom RX is lighter than a 411. If I am worried about security, I might add bongo ties. 

Useful tip thanks for that

[Matt Morris]

I messed around with different mounting methods for a while. When not in cam hop mode, I use my rx in my bag in a petrol pouch so modified it so it could be attached to different cameras quickly and easily.

 

Drilled a hole in the centre of the pouch buckle, tapped a thread and glued a nut underneath:

 

 

Now the pouch can be mounted on a camera hotshoe using an adapter:

 

 

I also made a V-Lock mount by gutting an old IDX battery. It can be piggy backed on to V-Lock batteries that have a female attachment. Managed to track down some of the Mod-U-Lox buckles that Petrol use on their pouches from here: http://www.ahh.biz/hardware/miscellaneous/

 

 

 

The MDF finish isn't too pretty at the moment so I'm planning to spray it black. Does the job though.