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MDR Cheeseplate


Kar Wai Ng

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This is exactly what the thread title suggests. I designed this cheeseplate for a Preston MDR because I wasn't happy with the current mounting options available for mounting the MDR to various cameras. I didn't like the Element Technica V-lock bracket/system for the MDR, as the bracket's mounting point was only centered on the MDR and wasn't all that flexible other than changing orientation. Moreover, the V-locks sometimes don't fully click in and the push lever is easy to get bent.

 

I wanted a solution with the utmost in mounting flexibility and rigidity and a cheeseplate seemed the best idea.

 

It's designed to be used in conjunction with the Cinelock quick release mounting plates/shoes that camera assistants have all encountered before or are otherwise familiar with…I use them for onboard monitors, cinetapes, etc. They save a lot of time not having to screw noga arms in and out all the time. The Cinelock plates are compact and very secure. The Cinelock plates mount to this MDR cheese plate using two 1/4-20 flat camera screws. The photos below show how the cheeseplate is counterbored for these screws. There are 116 mounting location/orientation combinations, so you can offset the mounting point off to one corner if need be. There are also 24 fully threaded 1/4-20 holes, so other mounting possibilities are possible (e.g., Manfrotto QR plates can screw right in, or you might have some other mounting bracketry of some sort.) The red Cinelock receiver can attach to anything: the back of an Alexa handle, the side of an Alexa where the 3/8-16 hole is, an Epic cage, a rod clamp, etc.

 

Right now this is a one-off item I had made for myself but I wanted to share this because if there's enough interest I can have a small CNC run made (economies of scale and all.)

 

Full album here

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8535766172_9ae02a0f80.jpg

 

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Jens: I'm aware of both those solutions as well (plus a couple other lesser known MDR mounting solutions out there.) In all honesty I designed this with mounting the MDR on cameras in mind, not particularly to sleds, because that's an area I believe is well served. The XCS solution is not particularly flexible enough to work in a multitude of situations on various cameras or locations, plus I'd need 15mm rods on the camera exactly where I'd want to mount it. The Film-stuff mount is very nice and something I considered buying myself, but again it's a rod-based solution that works only if there are accessory rods somewhere on the camera. A Red often has top-mounted rods, but it's been a long time since I've used one (90% of my work is Alexa, maybe 5% Epic, 5% other.) A cheeseplate style solution was something I couldn't find offered by anybody.

 

Mike: Captive counterbored holes was definitely something I considered in the design, but ultimately decided against it. 1.5-2 threads is plenty for keeping a screw captive, but I didn't want somebody screwing in a Manfrotto QR plate or something else into those holes on the reverse instead of using one of the fully threaded holes, and having it shear off or something. The camera screws can be easily stored in any of the 24 threaded holes though if the cheeseplate has to come off and tossed onto a cart shelf or in a ditty somewhere, they'd still be attached.

 

James: If you're talking about the PRO T-bracket thing for the MDR, no, that's a totally different mount.

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  • 5 weeks later...
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Kar,

 

I'm interested in a couple of these. I love Cine Locks and I love hard mounting everything rather than Velcro when possible. I'm a camera assistant in Vancouver who is looking for solutions for mounting an MDR2 to all cameras. I really like this option. Let me know when you plan to have some more made. Thanks!

 

Aaron

aaronhaesler@gmail.com

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Hi all,

 

Looks like there is increasing interest in this plate (thanks to Aaron H for getting the word out there in Vancouver) so I'm going to put in an order with the CNC ppl sometime this week for a small batch. Factoring in lead time, as well as anodizing, I'm looking at mid-May availability. Cost is $150-ish per. Please PM me or email if interested.

Thanks everyone.

 

Rick: I sent you an email.

 

Kar Wai

 

kar.wai.ng@gmail.com

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Just a little note to say that I now have these plates in stock. Some of these went out last week, and I should have already contacted those that put in a pre-order for one (or two...) If you're interested in one, I have several extra plates available ready to ship.

 

Also, I now have a proper page for them: http://www.karwaing.com/mdr-cheeseplate/

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