Different shoulder dovetail please!

[Shawn Nelson]

Okay, so I finally got to rig up Red in the "ultimate" shoulder configuration this weekend. Basic production pack with the battery on the far back hanging off the shoulder for counter-balance, both front handles and the handle cross-bar and the EVF comfortably adjusted near the front.

The problem? The shoulder dovetail is so damned uncomfortable! Now I don't want a completely different baseplate like ET is trying to do. I just want a new piece that will slide into the production pack's base and I want it to actually curve in a complete "C" shape that rests all the way around the top of my shoulder.

Red? ET? Anyone?

[chuck colburn]

Hi Shawn,

Didn't Sony use to, or still does, make a nice shoulder pod? I remember reading here or elsewhere that it was a good one. Don't know if it's adaptable to the current RED hardware. The thing about it was that it was quick relase to tripod mounting.

[Paris Remillard]

I was thinking about taking just the shoulder pad out of something like this:

http://www.filmtools.com/im20xlcasu.html

and attaching it with some heavy duty velcro to the Red shoulder pad. I dunno....

[Shawn Nelson]

Hi Shawn,

Didn't Sony use to, or still does, make a nice shoulder pod? I remember reading here or elsewhere that it was a good one. Don't know if it's adaptable to the current RED hardware. The thing about it was that it was quick relase to tripod mounting.

But the thrust of my request is that I want it to slide into Red's baseplate. I want to be able to use my Red handles, 19mm rods, back battery, etc.

[Steve Sherrick]

I have to agree. I haven't been able to find a comfortable setup using the RED shoulder pad. I have a large zoom on the front of the camera and I have bony shoulders, so comfort is a key. ET and others are making a solution, so I'll probably lean that way.

[Shawn Nelson]

ET and others are making a solution, so I'll probably lean that way.

But I don't want an entire different solution that requires a different baseplate, different front handles, etc.

[Steve Sherrick]

I hear ya Shawn, but I have to go for comfort in my case and right now RED doesn't offer anything that fits my need for this particular accessory. It's an additional expense, but one that will be necessary, otherwise I'll have a hard time doing hand held. My shoulders are really bony, and thanks to sports injuries have become really tender over the years. So I need a soft, cushy support in addition to getting the camera rigged in a nice balanced way with the monster zoom on the front. Even with a prime on the camera I was having trouble with the shoulder support.

[Dylan Reeve]

It's always a been a bit weird to me, given that I bought an ENG camera when I was 15, then film cameras so rarely have good shoulder support. I can support an XDCAM on my shoulder for hours at a time, with no huge difficulty. It's comfortable and stable.

But most film operators I've seen don't even use a shoulder pad (a bit of foam from the grip truck seems to suffice) - or when they do it's hard, poorly moulded and doesn't offer great support.

Why doesn't someone go borrow a Sony or Panasonic ENG/EFP camera, and just look at that shoulder pad. Then make that attached to a dovetail plate?

[Steve Sherrick]

Well, I suppose that's why the 3rd party companies are jumping in and offering solutions. It's going to be a bit expensive but being able to shoot for hours at a time is well worth it to me.

[zak forrest]

You could still use red handles if you got the element technica 19mm plate. but im sure you thought of that already. maybe you could just get elements shoulder pad and not all the other stuff (handles) and get a discount?

i thought i saw a post on here from someone who made a sweet C shaped shoulder pad at DU ALL camera, or maybe it was sim video. i dunno. i think it was brook.

[Scott Webster]

Why doesn't someone go borrow a Sony or Panasonic ENG/EFP camera, and just look at that shoulder pad. Then make that attached to a dovetail plate?

We have adapted a couple of ENG shoulder pads that screw into the dovetail.
The problem is is the dovetail adds another bit height to the rig but you do have the ability to position the camera fore and aft using the 19mm ET base.

No one has actually used them. They grab the foam pad and are happy with that!

[Dylan Reeve]

Yeah, I think film operators are generally sadists. The ones I've met seem to enjoy being uncomfortable (this applies doubly to Steadicam operators - always complaining they are).

[PMascetta]

http://store.zacuto.com/product.php?productid=71&cat=0&page=2

They also sell a adapter for quick pull away.