Guest post by Nate Weber:
CineGear – VCT-style Baseplate and Control Grip from Nate Weber on Vimeo.
Zacuto have been busy developing and refining the prototypes and concepts we first heard about at NAB earlier this year. Steve Weiss was on hand at Cinegear to talk us through the latest products.
Getting large sensor cameras correctly balanced on the shoulder has been one of the hardest things to do for many users. Most cameras from the likes of Canon, Sony and Panasonic do not seem to be designed with the operator in mind – Only Arri with the Amira and Sony with the F5/F55 ENG kit have really tried to create setups for on the shoulder use.
Zacuto’s VCT baseplate is designed to fix this for a wide range of cameras. An ingenious combination of a broadcast style VCT wedge mounting system and a sliding base means the camera can easily be balanced. Small riser plates can make the baseplate work with DSLRs and cameras like the GH4 and a7S too. Through careful design Zacuto have managed to keep the system sitting close as possible to the shoulder allowing for a lower centre of gravity. It is also designed to be as light as possible.
Zacuto also showed off their new Control Grip as a working prototype – until now we had only seen 3D renders. The main feature is the ability to control servo zoom (or iris) from a zoom rocker on the controller, which is coupled to Zacuto’s new servo motor unit. The grip is compatible with most popular cameras and offers remote operation of many other camera controls via the use of dedicated interface cables. There is also a Lanc start/stop cable option for cameras that use this protocol. It can be powered from a single 5D type battery or via an adapter to a power tap.
For more info keep an eye out on www.zacuto.com.
