Pro DBII Dovetail 7" & Sony VCT-14

[Pierre Huembs]

Hi folks... getting close to the end of putting together my first rig. My newly arrived GPI Pro 7" Dovetail plate is not completely aligning with my Sony VCT-14 Broadcast camera plate. One screw hole will align, but impossible for 2 screw holes to match up. Do I need to make a modification to the dovetail plate or is something else I can do?

[Justin Besser]

Wrong plate.. Either get the vertical displacement plate from pro or get the Alexa dovetail plate that jerry hill supplies which mounts directly to the bottom of an eng camera removing the need for the VCt plate and minimising vibration

[Martin Stacey]

Try to avoid the VCT plates where possible. There is too much movement in those plates resulting in vibration in your shot. There are a number of ENG style plates around that are designed specifically for steadicam that screw directly to the bottom of the camera.

If you absolutely must use the VCT try and build it up with some camera tape so that the camera sits snug in it and get some type of slotted plate.

[ClausStuhlweissenburg]

As far as plates that screw directly into the bottom of ENG cameras I only know of one thats made for SONY cameras that a company out of Germany sells. The problem is that the plate goes for around $700 and thats before shipping, taxes and all the accessories you need. If anyone knows of a steadicam/ ENG plate made here in the USA I would love to know about it. i looked at Jerry Hills website and I did not see such a plate. In regards to Pierre's original post I would take it to a machinist and have him make a slot that runs the entire length of the plate. The slot would allow the screw to sit flush with the bottom of the plate and not allow it to fall through. The other option is to buy a plate from XCS

[RonBaldwin]

that plate was originally for Arri film cameras -- you need the other one which has more mounting options (or one of their newer plates with the slots).

[Osvaldo Silvera SOC]

I bought that all in one plate from Markus Bernhardt and have not looked back. Works with Flat Cameras ( F55, Epic, Red, Sony P1) as it is, then attach the insert it comes with and it's the perfect Alexa, Amira or Sony/Panasonic plate, comes with the different size posts that you can attach to it,and it drops right into your Donkey Box. Worth the money in my opinion. Basically the only plate you need, (Keep the GPI Plate to put on the top of the camera for quick low mode changes), even though most digital jobs are ok with just inverting the camera and flipping the image in the camera or at video village.

Here it is on a Sony F55.

 

Here it is on a Sony P1 camera system with Visilink from AVS for The Voice Kids ( US Spanish version)

 

Here is what is all comes with. and notice you can decide where to place the V mount either forward or further back on the plate ( Pictured).

 

Here it is on an Alexa

 

and a close up

 

 

 

 

 

[James Davis]

Listen to Osvaldo, these plates are fantastic, they work beautifully and slim down Alexa packages very nicely also :)

[Matthias Biber]

My cam-jam.de Alexa / ENG bracket is designed for that.

It mounts the Alexa and most ENG cameras to all your existing steadicam dovetailplates.

 

It also works with the Arri Amira!

 

It locks down the hook in the back. This is important to avoid vibrations.

The spacing of the 3/8-16 threads is the arri standard. So all dovetailplates that fit to arri film cameras, fit to this bracket!

http://cam-jam.de

check the website for price.

 

[Pierre Huembs]

Thanks to all for your reply's!! Yep, ditching the VCT-14 and will look more closely at your suggested alternatives! Thanks for taking the time!!

[brett.mayfield]

will the cinematic precision plate work well with the amira? just had amira put on to a shoot for tomorrow and want to find the best option quickly.

[brett.mayfield]

yes, cinematic precision plate with the rear riser removed (at the countersunk screw) works fine.