Alternatives to "Straddle Bag" for hop receivers

[jonathan chiles]

Hi all

I have been using straddle bags for 2 x 411 Rx for a few years but am getting interested in finding an alternative. I am working on a show with a Sony XDCam 700 and the receiver on the left is blocking the LCD display, I either need to get myself a Lectro SRa or find a better mounting solution.

Would like to know what works for you guys who are still sticking 2 x 411 on a camera??

Also does anyone know of a Anton Bauer type mounting plate that will fit the Sony XDCam, we are using the V lock batteries.

[ProSound]

http://www.thebecgroup.com/ makes boxes and mounting plates so you could put both 411A on right side of camera. They are a very good company and can give you a solution I am sure

[studiomprd]

" find a better mounting solution. "

I've mentioned this before: this is really up to the camera folk(s), isn't it??

I always carry Velcro and also a belt rig with a short mult cable that can carry 2x Audio + DC, --with 411's or even along with an SR including adapters to mount in a hot-shoe, or under a camcorder.-- BEC boxes, and saddlebags, too.. There is only so much I can provide...

How about Norbert ??

[Tapio]

I am working on a show with a Sony XDCam 700 and the receiver on the left is blocking the LCD display,

I've got both the straddle bag and Sony PDW-700. The bag won't block the display if you mount it on top of the (v-lock) battery. It's still easy enough to change batteries. Just don't tighten the bottom strap too much.

[Derek H]

There is also a new straddle bag that carries two receivers back to back so they can both hang off one side, or straight back.

I second BEC group, great company.

[TimPitot]

These are good. http://www.creativevideo.co.uk/index.php?t=product/idx_a-mwr

[Philip Perkins]

I work with a lot of cameras that don't take regular BEC stuff and don't have external power taps. The single straddle bag seems to work better than anything we've tried for the SRa, (not that it works all that well). Many cameras are so small and so covered with buttons that however you mount the RX it's going to have to be easily moveable. All the hardware solutions we came up with for these sorts of cameras (esp F3, AF100, etc)--usually to the handle or thereabouts, the shooters hated. They were ok with the straddle bag.

phil p

[Brent Lestage]

All the hardware solutions we came up with for these sorts of cameras (esp F3, AF100, etc)--usually to the handle or thereabouts, the shooters hated. They were ok with the straddle bag.

Great! Let THEM buy it then.

[Philip Perkins]

Great! Let THEM buy it then.

I'll file that under "Unlikely".

phil p

[Brent Lestage]

I'll file that under "Unlikely".

[Peter Mega]

Here's what I use for my Zaxcom link. You could use the Petrol "double pouch" the same way for your twin 411's.

http://www.petrolbags.com/Sound-Accessories?q=node/1220

http://www.niteize.com/collections/s-biner

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/368320-REG/Garfield_SGARBUN2_Belt_Tape_Roll_Bungee.html

Remove the Petrol pouches from the flat black plastic backing thingy to expose the Petrol piggy back clip. Put the S-biners through the clip thing like in my photos.

Copied and pasted from "its The Little Things" thread.

Here's a pic of my Zaxcom RX900S in its Petrol pouch with bungee and S-Biners from Nite Ize. You can use any caribiner but the nice thing about the S-biner is that they are flat rather than round and they fit into the Petrol clip thingy without the fear of breaking it like when you use the round standard caribiner's. The S-biner is also easier to release the bungee.

The green and black boxes are simulating a camera body (sorry, I didn't have a DigiBeta or the like lying around the house for a proper photo!!)

The bungee goes around the camera body, under the handle and the whole things sits just behind the lens at the beginning of the camera body.

Cheers

Peter Mega

[Peter Mega]

Sorry for the weirdness with the text and the photos, not sure what happenned there!!

[JDirckze]

If your cameraman is using a Kata camera glove, and you can get a hold of the pouch that usually holds the Kata rain cover, you can modify it (cut a hole in the bottom), and with a little elbow grease you can squeeze a couple of 411's in there. The Rx holder now goes exactly where the rain cover pouch would go, and to give it a little more support you can use some extra velcro ties from the cameras handle.

[Jack Norflus]

Peter,

Which size S-biener are you using?

[Peter Mega]

Jack,

The # 2 - (rated at 10lb/4.5kg) for my Zaxcom link set up.

I also use the # 4 - (rated at 75lb/33kg) ones for my harness to bag

Cheers

Peter Mega

[Derek H]

Hey peter,

Curious about the rain cover you have on the rx900.. Is it a lectrosonics part or did you find it elsewhere?

[drpro]

If I can convince the shooter, then I use the Jimmy Box holds the Zax with a bit of Velcro.

David

[jonathan chiles]

Hey guys, nice compilation of ideas here for a common problem that many of us have to deal with daily, has gotten me thinking. I like the Petrol pouch idea, but maybe the Straddle bag is the most flexible system after all. My right hand 411 got smacked into a metal door frame the other day however, maybe time to add a bit of foam on the outside to take the knocks.

[Peter Mega]

Hey peter,

Curious about the rain cover you have on the rx900.. Is it a lectrosonics part or did you find it elsewhere?

Hi Derek,

Yes its a Lectrosonics rain cover (P1199 I think?)

I had to modify it a little to accomodate the RX900S aerials. Just cut the existing aerial holes a little larger.

One thing to watch out for though. You can see in the close up photo that the right side of the rain cover is raised. This is to avoid the rain cover pressing the RX900 buttons and potentially changing settings. (Menu lock would br great here)

The sports tape on the left aerail is wrapped around the power swtich to keep it from being bumped off from over zealous cam ops.

Otherwise, it works well keeping the dust and initial rain drops off the RX900 until the cam op gets the camera rain cover over it.

Cheers

Peter Mega

[Peter Mega]

With all the XD cams in use now, I was finding the cam ops were complaining about the bungee cord (seen in my post # 11 above) interfering with the disc door opening and closing. Moving the Zax receiver in its Petrol pouch forward towards the lens meant that the aerials were obstructed by the camera mic and mount, since the camera mic has to be mounted off the body with the new fancy viewfinders. (Note: the camera pictured has the cheap viewfinder with the mic mounted on it, its the other expensive viewfinder that does not allow for a mic mount, pushing it back to roughly where it says Sony on the side of the camera body)

This was never a problem with the old Digibeta.

So, to keep my aerials unobstructed/bent and to keep the whole thing away from the disc door, I splashed out and bought this set up (pictured). Its a Hawk Woods VL-CA4 and a modified BEC ABSPU with BEC QRX100 mount. The mod on the ABSPU was the thumb screws. BEC Group kindly custom made a plate with 4mm metric thumb screws to fit in the VL-CA4. It was a perfect fit.

The whole set up is very quick and easy to attach to the camera. The camera ops like it because it helps balance the camera by having the Zax on the back and it also frees up the camera's 4 pin Hirose. The VL-CA4 provides 3 more 4 pin Hirose + the one I have my Zax plugged into and an additional D-tap also.

I dont have a QRX100 as yet but my RX900S fits perfectly in the BEC QRX100 and I am future proof if I ever get a QRX100.

BEC Group were very helpful throughout the enquiry, purchase, delivery process.

Cheers

Mega

[Jeff Wexler]

Neat solution. It still seems so wrong that we have to be so involved with putting stuff on the camera these days. When double system was the only way to record sound (I know, back in the Stone Age), all that was required was a simple, reliable sync system (really only an identifiable start point shared in common) and at its simplest this was a clap slate, a bloop light or someone on camera slamming a car door!

[Rich Reilly]

I've been looking at multi shoe mounts etc for my receivers as a more universal approach (beta style, DSLR)..suppose those are frowned upon by many cam ops.

[Peter Mega]

Neat solution. It still seems so wrong that we have to be so involved with putting stuff on the camera these days. When double system was the only way to record sound (I know, back in the Stone Age), all that was required was a simple, reliable sync system (really only an identifiable start point shared in common) and at its simplest this was a clap slate, a bloop light or someone on camera slamming a car door!

Thanks Jeff,

The majority of my work is recorded to hard drive (788T) but we always send a wireless mix to camera also. Its great for us since we get rental on the 788T and the wireless link too, so I dont mind putting stuff on the camera!!

Cheers

Mega

[Rich Reilly]

Some things are for the better. I mean, without big studio lots, getting a car door on set can be difficult

[Peter Mega]

I've been looking at multi shoe mounts etc for my receivers as a more universal approach (beta style, DSLR)..suppose those are frowned upon by many cam ops.

Check out Hawk Woods, they have some cool stuff

http://www.hawkwoods.com/index.php