Cheap Shoulder Support Stabilizers?

[Mannie Bothans]

Does anyone have any experience with any of the following three products?

http://www.amazon.com/Adorama-Camcor...5495242&sr=8-8

http://www.amazon.com/Zykkor-Shoulde.../ref=pd_cp_p_2

http://www.amazon.com/CowboyStudio-S.../ref=pd_cp_p_0

[justinisfilming]

I heard that they do the job! People have even made some modifications to make it even better. I did think about buying one, but I wasn't really a big fan of the form.

I'm eye-ing this one. It's a bit pricier but still pretty cheap: http://www.amazon.com/Opteka-CXS-300...5501415&sr=1-2 It also got the standard rails so when you get some extra money, you can put in a follow focus/mattebox, no problem.

Or if you don't wanna spend at all, look at my no-budget shoulder rig: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=1&theater

[Mannie Bothans]

Thanks! How are your front grips attached? (It almost looks like the horizontal bar is connected to the handle of the head.) Any other photos or tutorial online?

[Ernest Worthing]

I broke mine recently and have temporarily replaced it with the cowboy one. Surprisingly, its not as bad as it looks.

[Zensteve]

http://www.amazon.com/Opteka-CXS-300...dp/B005RQK4B2/

For not much more, you can get the whole kibbutz, with follow-focus, cheap matte box, etc

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005UF3G2Y/...reative=327641

[Mannie Bothans]

Seems like the Cowboy Studio is more popular than maybe the other two in the original post. I'm thinking about the Canon XF100, so I have been looking for an economical mattebox that would mount to the fixed lens without needing rails.

Any recommendations for a cheap mattebox that wouldnt allow filter lightleak amd could use side flaps?

[justinisfilming]

Originally Posted by Zensteve

For not much more, you can get the whole kibbutz, with follow-focus, cheap matte box, etc

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005UF3G2Y/...reative=327641

I don't like that shoulder thingy ma-jigger. I like the actual shoulder rig that actually goes onto your shoulder. But because it already comes with the follow focus and stuff, it's an option.

[justinisfilming]

Originally Posted by Mannie Bothans

Thanks! How are your front grips attached? (It almost looks like the horizontal bar is connected to the handle of the head.) Any other photos or tutorial online?

It's actually an original design so no tutorials online. But basically take a cardboard tube (I know what you're thinking so stop. It's one of those hard ones that's like 1000000x tougher than your normal paper towel tube. It's almost as tough as plastic, maybe even harder), make a hole in your desired position and put it in the tripod handle. As for the handles, I made 2 more holes in the tube and used the legs of a very small table for kids as my handles (I didn't tell my little sister yet ). Then put everything together.

Now I'm pretty sure you can also use PVC pipes (or even make the whole rig out of one), but I'm too lazy to go to the store and spend my money so I just used what I have lying around the house . Also it's already a tripod so I can just unfold it and used it as a normal tripod, or even a steadicam.

The only problem I've encountered with this is that the handles kinda rotate, so I have to fix that. Nothing major really. It's still very usable.

This is the design that I usually use though. It's simpler. Just stick the friggin tube in and your ready to go. lol.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/thef...type=3&theater

[p38]

The $29 unit is the best one to use. http://www.amazon.com/Adorama-Camcor...5495242&sr=8-8
We have those and can't live without it.
Don't like 'rails'.

[p38]

"Any recommendations for a cheap mattebox that wouldnt allow filter lightleak amd could use side flaps? "

We buy a ton of stuff from www.thecinecity.com in India. It's not Zacuto but neither the price.
XF100 and XA10 cams we use this Matte box and there are others as well:
We have these: http://www.thecinecity.com/eshop/pro...&cat=26&page=1

BUT, if you have rails use this one: http://www.thecinecity.com/eshop/pro...&cat=26&page=1
Swing away Matte Box. We don't need this unit because we don't use rails.

We also have a bunch of these, run n gun use.
http://www.thecinecity.com/eshop/pro...&cat=26&page=1

Check out their other stuff.

[Phil_UK]

Stay away from all that plastic junk! Get some Jag35 gear!

[Mannie Bothans]

The $280 rig that Zensteve showed has a followfocus, but if I did the $190 Proaim http://www.thecinecity.com/eshop/pro...&cat=26&page=1 together with the $30 Adorama/Cowboy-type support, I'd save $60 and gain the rotating filter holder.

Anyone know of a reliable but affordable follow focus?

[Pete]

You people and your fancy gear...

My shoulder support is literally a 3-foot long piece of scrap wood with a bolt at one end to attach the camera. I hold one hand out underneath the camera, and the other hand for downward pressure on the middle of the board. And hey, it works pretty well!

[Mannie Bothans]

Originally Posted by p38

The $29 unit is the best one to use. http://www.amazon.com/Adorama-Camcor...5495242&sr=8-8
We have those and can't live without it.
Don't like 'rails'.

I went with this one, too. I'm a little confused about the middle piece. There is a nut on the screw that is through the slider plate on the main piece. I cant quite remove it, but I would feel safer if it was on the other side of the middle plate (with a lock washer). Is that nut supposed to stay put or is it supposed to come off?