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LOW MODE WITHOUT D BRACKET


Nestor Salazar

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Hello everyone

 

I have a question about a job am gonna do in 2 weeks. Sadly I dont own a rigg. So am depending on the filmrental houses equipment.

 

The job am gonna do is mostly low mode. So I went to the rentalhouse to check out the gear since i never tried this one before, and actually I havent done low mode since the workshop. Ive noticed that the gear didnt have any F bracket.

 

My questions are!

 

- Is it possible to operate in low mode without the F bracket.?

- What are the different with/without.?

 

If thats the case. Were can I buy one.

 

The gear is

 

-Mk-v evolution sled

-III A arm

-Vest

 

Hope somebody can help me.

 

Best regards

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Hi Nestor,

 

They didn't show you the different ways to do Lowmode at the Workshop?... strange, anyhow...

 

The F or D or J Bracket (depending on the manufacturer and the configuration) has it's purpose to get the camera, underslung, even lower and create more clearance between the arm and the camera/rig. You use the F or D bracket by inverting the gimbal, so that you can insert your arm post from above via the F/D bracket that goes where your regular arm post would go.

 

Yes you can go into low mode without the bracket but you will not be able to get as low as you would with the bracket and you will reach very quickly the limits of the pan... your support arm, operating hand and rig with the camera will be way to close together for comfortable operating.

 

Having the 3A arm you will have to look for a bracket that will accept 5/8 inch posts. I am not sure if steadicam still makes them in 5/8. The 2 sources that I successfully used are GPI (D-Bracket) or Cinewidgets (which makes the "D" Angled bracket) by adding a 15 degrees radius between the 2 receiver holes it pushes the rig even further away for even better operating and less finger pinching in the gimbal Yoke.

 

(Also... I use the J-bracket in conjunction with my ergo handle, as my gimbal can not be inverted.)

 

I'm sure some european companies are also building something similar... check the manufacturers websites...

 

Hope that helps,

 

Erwin

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Nestor--

 

What our esteemed Moderator was trying to describe was the 3A post size of 5/8" or 0.625" not the 1.5" post he was describing.

 

Yes, there are several people who still manufacture the J- F- or D- brackets in 5/8" post sizes.

 

Check the web.

 

What camera will you be saddled with? Does it come with a low mode bracket? Make sure before you show up that you have the right length dovetail plate(s) to make things balance properly.

 

Best,

 

Brant S. Fagan, SOC

Steadicam/Camera Operator

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Thanks Brant...

 

What he said... actually I should change it.

 

I shouldn't post to many reply's after a long working day... Brain = mush...

 

So I should stop as I spend most of my day today chasing after Lance Hendrickson on a "Pirate Ship" in the harbor in San Pedro...

 

But... Funny thing... parts of the movement of our Pana LW2 jumped at us during a mag change... stop! don't move we lost a couple of screws from the camera... you should have seen the face of the director...

 

 

Be safe and don't lose your movement...

 

 

Erwin

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Hello again

 

Thanx soo much for your detailed information. Actually, we did go by all the things about low mode. But when your new, you try to learn so much of everything, that some information got loss in the process. And an other thing is that when your new to the game sometimes its hard to ask for future problems. I guess thats what the forum is for.

 

Lucky I found this amazing forum were I can get help from nice people as all of you.

 

Today I was on the rental house in stockholm and tested everything for the 2 next jobs. Am gonna fly with the Aaton. XTR. I just read about it on another post here on the forum.

 

 

 

Thanx again

 

 

 

Great regards

 

 

 

Nestor Salazar

 

Sorry about my missspeled english. Am not that use to type on it. Hope you still understand me

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Hi there Nestor...

 

God to hear that you are out there working after the workshop.

The rentalhouse you are talking about has an EFP rig as well! There is an old J-bracket in that kit...you can probably borrow that one!

 

Give me a call otherwise...

 

Sebastian Jewell

 

 

Hello Sebastian

 

Nice of you to reply on my questions. Fortunetly I did the job earlyer and everything went just great.

But now am totally aware of what the F bracket does. Thanx everyone else

Actually I did try the F bracket from the EFP. But it wasent the same size.

But I told the rentalhouse about the bracket and they have orded it for me to the next time. Really nice of them.

 

Sheers.

 

Am just a happy camper right now

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