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Sony-Dovetail-plate/Better Video adapter plate


kes

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Hi,

I was just wondering if anyone has any recommendation for some Sony-Dovetail-plate. The baer-bel for 350 USD looks lice but money is not an issue as I would like to get the best and lightest around . It is however important to have 2 noses for 15mm rods.

Many thanks. Kes

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Hi Kes

I have had a short demo of the Baer-Bel plate and it is very simple and impressive.

I do not know the exact weight but it is maybe an eigth the weight of a Sony plate.

A simple screw locks the camera body to the plate very solidly. You can detach the Sony V shape to use it with flat base cameras too. I think you can easily add a piece to allow 15 or 19mm bars.

Alternatively fit a Chrosziel or other manufactuers 15mm adaptor to the camera.

Hope this helps and let us know what you choose

Joe

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Thanks Joe.

You are right the Bel one does looks simple and impressive and I for sure will go for it in the next few days unless someone will open my eyes for some other dovetails. Do you know anything about the Plus8Design one ? someone, I think Muhlstock said it is too heavy. Does anyone uses it ?

Thanks.

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Hi Kes,

I use the Bär-Bel sony-plate.

It locks the camera very rigid to your Rig, it is lighter and cheaper than all the other base plates using a fast locking mechanism

and you are able to mount 15 mm rod to it.

Also a nice advantage is the profile is as low as a regular base plate.

Together with the loss of weight you get a very short rig.

But you might encounter two obstacles:

If you have a Camera with a Chroziel V-Mount (15mm adapter) replacing the original, you have a good chance that the 1/8 thread in the V is not cut well and the screw does not fit. If so don?t use the Bär-Bel plate or get a thread cutter.

Some times you run into a V-Mount where the thread and and hole pattern of the Bär-Bel plate do not match exactly. No worries here it is always possible to get the screw and the bolt locked together to the camera.

Benjamin

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Thanks Benjamin.

Nice to hear some more good opinions about the Bel plate. I do mainly TV with cranes and occasionaly steadicam and I have always been given a naked camera with the heavy sony plate and so I think the Bel one should be just perfect although it is good to know where I might find the Bel a bit problematic - Thanks again Benjamin.

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  • 2 years later...
  • 2 months later...

Hello all,

 

I'm curious if anyone has come across a better (more secure) way to mount Sony and Panasonic cameras (full sized) to the cheese plate rather than the tradtional Sony-style quick release plate system. I find the quick release plates can sometimes be a bit sloppy and introduce "wiggle". This can be especially true when the camera has rod adapters like the chrosziel nose plate.

 

Has anybody tried anything better? Suggestions?

 

Thanks in Advance,

 

Brett

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I use a Panasonic Camera every day and I know exactly what you are talking about. What makes the problem particularly bad is the panasonic configuration of the front wedge and the panasonic snap lock plate. If you swap to another snap lock plate (I've got a sony supplied snap lock) you improve the problem. Additionally if you swap out the crappy panasonic front wedge (on the camera) for a sony or any other aftermarket brand you should be able to improve the stability again. I've noticed that when I use sony camera's with the sony snap lock plate, the camera is held very securely.

 

 

If you are already using the chrosziel front wedge the problem will be pretty much fixed if you get a sony snap lock. I've previously found a site for company that makes what look like pretty solid aftermarket mounting plates, I can't find it right now but i'll post a link if I can find it.

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In my experience the Sony cameras in Sony plates are just as bad (it does vary from plate to plate a bit, but none of them are great).

 

Chrosziel makes a plate that is too big, too heavy & too expensive but it is by far the best and my first choice when using video cameras. Sorry, not sure why to find it on the web.....

 

Cheers

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Chrosziel makes a plate that is too big, too heavy & too expensive but it is by far the best and my first choice when using video cameras. Sorry, not sure why to find it on the web.....

 

Here it is :

 

screenshot1om1.jpg

 

It's from Chosziel's Video/Film Price List that you can download here : AC Pricelist.pdf

 

Cheers,

 

K.

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We had the Chrosziel plate on a feature (Zyzzyx Rd.) a couple of years ago. Brand new from Bandpro, the swing out lever broke, the camera disengaged and hit the ground. I had my Sony "heavy duty" plate with me, which the production subsequently rented from me... I bought mine for $325.- versus the Chrosziel plate that was at that time $1200.-... but mine worked. I hope they have redesigned the lever by now.

 

Just a quick anecdote...

 

 

Erwin

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Clairmont makes a dovetail plate that attaches directly to the camera. I've asked the possibilty of having one made for me and alas I never followed through with the request. Maybe if enough folks inquire they would make a run of them. I'll see if I can get a photo...I'm sure by the time I get to it someone else will have done it.

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A perennial problem.

 

I remove the quick-release thingies (excuse the technical language) from the bottom of the camera, and screw this plate straight into the camera base.

post-1134-1153381800_thumb.jpg

It's light, keeps the CoG low, is rock-steady, and takes 2 minutes to fit (don't loose those screws). A local machinist charged me E120 (150 bucks?) to make it, anodised and all. I don't use it all the time, but it's useful to have in the bag.

 

Chris

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