Richard James Lewis Posted July 26, 2009 Report Share Posted July 26, 2009 I thought I'd share this. It's a bracket I designed and had made up for my XCS plates. I've had a few anamorphic jobs recently where it has been necessary to support the lens. It allows you to use a 19mm lens support bracket, and attach it directly to the dovetail. This setup saves you having to use a bridge plate, and base plate. I know Baer-Bel do something similar, but I don't have their plates. The bracket allows for the bars to be raised up and down, and side to side, compensating for where you have placed the plate in relation to the camera. Let me know what you think. Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members JamieSilverstein Posted July 27, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted July 27, 2009 It's a cool looking bracket. I have a couple of questions. Do the 19mm rods have pins in them to keep them from rotating? I might like to mount motors on them as well so they would have to be very rigid. Can the 15mm rods that go into the plate be pushed flush to the plate to avoid additional torque and vibration? Otherwise like I said, it's a cool looking and potentially useful bracket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard James Lewis Posted July 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2009 Hey Jamie. With the socket screws tight, there is no real chance of them rotating. I could look into a pin, but I don't think it’s really necessary. The 15mm rods are a set length at about 75mm and they slide into the holes on the plate. In the picture you see they are fully inward, they then can extend out as you pull them from the plate around 1.5" I guess. You could have the rods shorter, but you would sacrifice the potential reach of the 19mm bars which are currently 7" long. You could always have two sets of bars, one short and one longer, they would only take a matter of seconds to unscrew and re-assemble. How it's set up now seems to cover a good range for various lenses. With everything nipped up tight, it’s all very solid so I wouldn’t worry in that respect. The 19mm bars are aluminium tho, so obviously not as strong as steel, but this bracket is designed to be partially braced by the lens support bracket which would totally eliminate any slight ability to bend the bars outward or inward. You would only use this bracket in such a configuration anyway. I’m going to try and get a picture of the bracket in use in the next day or so. Any other questions welcomed. I’ve had a few people off forum ask about this, might be worth getting some prices and doing a run if anyone is interested. Rick. It's a cool looking bracket. I have a couple of questions. Do the 19mm rods have pins in them to keep them from rotating? I might like to mount motors on them as well so they would have to be very rigid. Can the 15mm rods that go into the plate be pushed flush to the plate to avoid additional torque and vibration? Otherwise like I said, it's a cool looking and potentially useful bracket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Charles King Posted July 28, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted July 28, 2009 Very nice Richard but it seems it would be only restricted to the XCS plate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard James Lewis Posted July 29, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2009 Hey Charles, yeah this is just for the XCS plates, and plays off the fact you can easily mount and slide bars into it. I took some pictures of the bracket in action. The first shows the bracket set up for Steadicam use. The second shows it combined with the cat griller bracket in full production configuration. You will notice you can mount FF3 / 4 or equivalent and all the usual bits, its not brain surgery, you can see for yourselves. Like I said, I’ve had quite a few questions regarding these brackets. We could do a run of them, I’m just getting prices. It's also possible to do the bracket with 15mm bars if you are interested. The final brackets would be hard anodised, a little prettier, and the rods would be precision ground. If people could please let me know if they are interested at all. Best, Rick. Very nice Richard but it seems it would be only restricted to the XCS plate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Benjamin Treplin Posted July 31, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted July 31, 2009 Richard, I'm definetly interrested. Great idea! Best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Mark Karavite Posted August 18, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted August 18, 2009 Richard, I'm definetly interrested. Great idea! Best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Mark Karavite Posted August 18, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted August 18, 2009 Hey Richard, Ooops, hit the wrong button. I'd buy a set. Great idea. How many order would you need to make a run? Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Charles Papert Posted August 18, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted August 18, 2009 I'll throw in the fact that this is a good "save" for those who show up on a RED job only to find that they will have to carry the lame RED dovetail and baseplate and steel rods just to support the mattebox, since they ignored your request for a clip-on. I'd be very interested in a 15mm version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard James Lewis Posted August 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2009 Hello everyone, I have been listening and I've been talking with my guy about various possibilities and working out a sensible price. I've had a few people contact me privately too, and the numbers are going up. If anyone else might be interested, now is the time pipe up while I'm trying to cost this out. I shan't be really making anything on these things especially in the quantities (probably 10) so far that im looking at. So consider it for the greater good. I was thinking of putting it together as a kit: 2 x 7" 19mm bars, 2 x 7" 15mm solid bars, 2 x 1.3/4" 15mm solid bars, 1 x bridge space plate. With this version the bars that go into the plate would make it flush to the front of the dovetail, I've found the added length not to be of use really during the last month I've had this working on jobs. I'd like to hear opinions tho. I’ve added a couple of pictures of various solutions to issues. Production matte box, ring light, diopter etc. Rick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Charles Papert Posted November 2, 2009 Premium Members Report Share Posted November 2, 2009 Richard: Any more movement on this project? Could have used the 15mm "proper" spacing a few times recently...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard James Lewis Posted November 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2009 Hi Charles. Initial quotes made it just too expensive to have made here and sold at anything near an acceptable price. For a project that would make me no money, it's just taken a back seat. I'll give Tom at Cinewidgets a shout, and see if he's interested in coming to some kind of arrangement. I'll let you know. Rick. Richard: Any more movement on this project? Could have used the 15mm "proper" spacing a few times recently...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard James Lewis Posted November 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2009 Update: I've sent Tom a few emails over the past couple of weeks and just haven't heard anything at all, which I have thought a bit strange. Any suggestions? Rick. Hi Charles. Initial quotes made it just too expensive to have made here and sold at anything near an acceptable price. For a project that would make me no money, it's just taken a back seat. I'll give Tom at Cinewidgets a shout, and see if he's interested in coming to some kind of arrangement. I'll let you know. Rick. Richard: Any more movement on this project? Could have used the 15mm "proper" spacing a few times recently...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members brooksrobinson Posted January 29, 2010 Premium Members Report Share Posted January 29, 2010 Richard, I know that these proved to be too expensive for you to make a run for sale, but did you ever hear back from Tom Gleason. I'd be very interested in a 15mm version for the kit. Thanks. Brooks Robinson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard James Lewis Posted January 29, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2010 Nope, sent him numerous emails, never got a reply,.. which I thought unusual. If Jerry Hill or anyone wants to make them or anyone else, I'd love to hear. I still use my bracket weekly and it's been a life saver so many times. Rick. Richard, I know that these proved to be too expensive for you to make a run for sale, but did you ever hear back from Tom Gleason. I'd be very interested in a 15mm version for the kit. Thanks. Brooks Robinson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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