Now I know that it sounds like a bad idea to hang something on a mount that's designed to hold, but it would really help me. I'm designing a crane-like dolly (not jib) that hold onto the camera. Instead of designing something to wrap around the camera and still give me access to all of the buttons/screen, I thought I might just hang it off of the hot shoe mount. Seeing as the camera is really lightweight, and I would have a small PVC pipe for a handle to turn and angle etc... not much weight would be put on it. Do you think it's too dangerous for the camera?
Bad idea to hang GH2 by Hot Shoe mount?
- Thread starter MTsquared
- Start date
There is no positive lock on the shoe. I wouldn't do it. All you need is a u shape bracket of some kind.. look at your hardware store again.. dont forget two L shapes make a U...
I don't own a GH2 or any DSLR, but just on general mechanical engineering principles I'm pretty sure the OEM never structurally designed the plastic housing holding the metal hot shoe mount to support the weight of the camera itself. Plus lens. While swinging gently about.
Add to that, the structural forces of harder metal leveraged against softer plastic as the weight of the camera body (13.82 oz/392 g body only)+lens (>10oz) swings about with what "seeeeems" like gentle force (which it isn't, I promise) is most likely to result in hairline fractures in the plastic housing where you can't see them immediately beneath the metal hot shoe mount. Initially.
That off-center & very unbalanced 23+oz swinging around isn't good --->
Subsequently, there will likely be housing "failure" (for stresses it was never designed for) due to what the manufacturer's engineers would laughingly call ABUSE.
Think of a different system.
Use your creativity.
EDIT: You DO know that the camera-mount thread on the bottom of pretty much every camera and camcorder is threaded for a 1/4" bolt, right?
Add to that, the structural forces of harder metal leveraged against softer plastic as the weight of the camera body (13.82 oz/392 g body only)+lens (>10oz) swings about with what "seeeeems" like gentle force (which it isn't, I promise) is most likely to result in hairline fractures in the plastic housing where you can't see them immediately beneath the metal hot shoe mount. Initially.
That off-center & very unbalanced 23+oz swinging around isn't good --->
Subsequently, there will likely be housing "failure" (for stresses it was never designed for) due to what the manufacturer's engineers would laughingly call ABUSE.
Think of a different system.
Use your creativity.
EDIT: You DO know that the camera-mount thread on the bottom of pretty much every camera and camcorder is threaded for a 1/4" bolt, right?
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+1 for a c-mount.
The guys are spot on that you don't want to risk your camera just to save a few bucks.
I'll post some photos of some alternatives when I get home tonight
The guys are spot on that you don't want to risk your camera just to save a few bucks.
I'll post some photos of some alternatives when I get home tonight
I've done it plenty. As long as you can read the menus upside down it works ok haha.
CPM Film Tools has some DSLR cage brackets that we use when we need to under sling on our homebuilt jib arm. Works great, and they're pretty cheap and made to slide over standard rails. We use them for all sorts of cage applications and shoulder rig setups too. Really, really tough carbon plastic and has 1/4-20 sockets on the sides for accessories.
that said, Iv discovered that even the 1/4 thread on the bottom has a bit of flex in it! I cant get a solid mount no matter what I do. Anyone have a good solid mount for follow focus working..
put butterfly nut upside down on the bolt, then a 1 inch washer then a rubber washer going up. Then screw the camera on it, then tighten the butterfly nut against the washer and the rubber washer against the camera. No movement.
Also, thanks for the replies.
Also, thanks for the replies.
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