Sam Morgan Moore has just sent me some info on his latest rig which is designed with the DSLR news shooter in mind. Up till now I’ve had some issues with his designs and they haven’t offered me the functionality I wanted. On first look his new design is a significant improvement and I’d like to try it out. This is what Sam has to say about it:
“I would like to thank Dan here at Dslrnewshooter.com for his consistent critiques of the design of my camera support system. He always re-told me what I already knew, forcing me to push the design further and harder. Like Dan I come from a background of shooting stills for the UK newspapers, although in the last few years I’ve mainly shot for corporates.
I’ve worked both in the UK and done some foreign assignments in remote spots like Kilimanjaro and the Ecuadorian jungle. I feel I understand the small, light, fast ethos and am desperately keen to keep that in shooting video…while still creating cinematic looking footage.
Halfinchrails is a camera system designed to start as a small, compact shoulder rig that can produce good, simple, stable footage from the shoulder. Shoulder shooters can shoot real time events, construct great sequences by changing POV fast and keep up in the heat of the action by moving their feet, not lugging a tripod.
The rig can build out into a ‘production or cine’ style rig (and also, the part I enjoy most, some extra bits and bobs) and it forms a kind of mini grip system.
You can also purchase individual parts to work with other manufacturer’s systems.
The basic attributes of the S2 RnG Rig for the news shooter are:
Small and light (fits in many shooters bags)
Simple rigid construction
Shoulder, floor or table-top shooting
You can put it down easily on the ground (not on its side like some other rigs)
Shooting stills on the rig is possible
15mm or 1/2inch rod options
Good ergonomics
Cheap and easy to mount a Zoom recorder, or arm for an EVF … or both
Drops straight onto a tripod for interviews etc
Many follow focus options
Instant battery swaps with Canon DSLRs – no need to remove the camera from the rig
Optimised for Really Right Stuff or Manfrotto 501/577 tripod plate solutions
Adjustments allow for lenses from 14mm (full frame) up to 70-200 with one rod length
Works with Loupe/Finder or monitor/EVF for both left- and right-eye shooters of all sizes
You can see more details and purchase the rig over at http://www.halfinchrails.com”
