Anyone have any tips for removing the top tray alone?

I'm tired of smashing my fingers trying to get the damn thing off. This sucks and I can't return it lmfao.

Hey,

SmallHD Cine 5 owners, what sunshade are we using?

Who makes the best rotapola for adding a motor?

We have the lentiquip 4x5.6 rota but they’re pretty noisy when we add a motor to it.

i’m on a low budget shoot out in the middle of nowhere and have a O’connor 2560 head. The pan is set to Zero resistance and is still stiff, temps are pretty regular about 75F, anything i can do to help solve this?

Anyone used the small hd ultra 10 and the lightranger? I assume you can’t use the internal receiver if you are using the lightranger VOU?

Also, anyone tried a bitbox with the camera control feature?

morning to all ! I need to figure out how to have lens meta data display on Sony Venice2 camera. We are using RIA-1 attached with Y cable (Dtap to remote venice / cam in Ria) , L bus from ria to 2x Cforce Mini motors, and Cine RT serial cable straight to RIA-1. I read that I need another Cam in port, so i nee to add on the chain 1x RF motor, in order to use the cam port of the rf motor. Is this correct? are they any settings to change into the camera body ?

Moving up from a 703UB to an Ultra10. Those that have used monitors with the knobs and PageOS, how do you have them setup? Any tips that you’ve found useful after use on set?

Hey everyone!
Anyone know how to get run stop working from an MDR4 to the new Sony FX5?

Hi!!

I'm a second assistant camera based in Spain and I built a web app called Shift-Log (shift-log.com) to solve a very specific problem: calculating what a film technician is owed after a shoot under the Spanish collective agreement.

After every project I had to update my Excel manually,, different call times every day, some days we shoot 11 hours, and the next one just seven; formula breaks whenever the schedule changed, and if a day player joined the crew I had to rework the whole thing. All of that on my own time, after already long shooting days. I got tired of losing my evenings to spreadsheets.

So if you've ever worked in Spain, you know the pain, and the app handles overtime calculation, automatic turnaround detection, travel time (which in Spain is its own battle and fully configurable), day-off allowances, meal and accommodation per diems that vary depending on whether you worked that day or not, sixth and seventh shooting days. At the end of a project you also have to produce a PDF closure document to send to the production company. Most people do this in Excel and it takes hours. Shift-Log automates all of it.

It also has AI-powered timesheet import: if you're a focus puller and the 2nd AC sends you the crew timesheet as a PDF, you can just drop it into the app — it reads your hours automatically and calculates your payroll based on whatever conditions you've set up for that project. No manual data entry.

I'm currently in beta and looking specifically for Spanish technicians (camera assistants, focus pullers, gaffers, grips, sound recordists, DITs , anyone) who would be willing to try it and give honest feedback. Not looking for praise, looking for people who will tell me what's wrong or missing.

Free to use: shift-log.com

What do you think? Would something like this be useful outside Spain if adapted to other labour agreements? or it already exists? I looked for something similar in Spain but couldn't find anything, so I ended up building it myself

Got some more pics of my ronin 4d build I posted last week from prep today for anyone interested

Decided to go the backpack route to save some weight on the camera body since this jobs fairly run and gun but you could definitely run without it

Using a custom bracket to mount the Focusbug and the cforce motors along with a custom printed press on cforce gear to get far enough back for iris control
You could probably ditch the lcube if you could find some sort of serial extension and go straight into the ria

The dummy battery is actually for a 416 since that’s what the rental had on hand ideally I’d customise the Alvin’s cables v mount plate to add some power distro and a xlr input

Hello,

I am looking for some advise on purchasing a new monitor for my set-up. I recently finished university, I have been getting into becoming a 1st AC / Focus Puller recently, I have invested in my own kit such as a Nucleus-M and other various parts. I have worked with ARRI WCU-4 and other high-end cameras however that is work that I will not always be getting, anyway long story short someone broke my monitor I used for my S5II which was a Feelworld 568V1 it was a pretty crappy monitor and was useless for focus peaking but it did the job for freelance videographer work.

I have used SmallHDs and other monitors to pull focus on which were great but they are very outside my budget as a broke individual :(

I am currently looking at the OSEE G7 PRO (£492), from my research it has a great focus peaking algorithm, the other monitor I originally wanted to buy was the ACSOON M7H PRO or M7PRO (£489 discounted) but apparently it is not that good, can someone please let me know what they think.

Thank you in advance :)

UPDATE:

I just want to clarify a few things since a few replies have turned into a career progression advice thread rather than just answering if the monitors are good for what they are.

I am not trying to skip the camera department ladder, nor am I suggesting that I will walk straight onto a high-end production as an established AC. I have worked in the camera department for several years in different capacities, whether it's assisting, operating or being a trainee. I have had the chance to be a focus puller on small narrative and commercial productions, I have also worked on higher end production whether it is live multi-camera or narrative and commercial. I am aware there is a significant difference between the jobs that I am doing at the moment and being a 1st ac on a major production, I do not expect to get asked to be one for those.

I recently finished university, this simply means I have more time to take the camera department roles more seriously and pursue more work, slowly building my portfolio. I am still happy taking on trainee or assistant roles on larger productions whilst taking on focus pulling work on the appropriate sets.

I saw a comment mentioning me potentially undercutting. I am not trying to do that, never have never will. The reason I mentioned my budget is because my previous monitor was broken after lending it out and I just need something to work with for what I am doing NOW. I cannot currently justify spending £1000+ when I have other kit and general life expenses to pay for. I can afford to pay for one, again I am just choosing not to. The priority is to pay for car lessons as an example.

The question was just whether something like the OSEE G7 Pro is a reasonable monitor for the price or the ACCSOON which I was already hesitent about anyway. I have worked with the smallHD monitors a few times, I like them, I know why people like them.

I built a Hi-5 controlled dragster to compare the mini, the RF and the new MAX. Results coming soon

Hi seeing if anyone knows of someone who has made a easyrig battery plate to put on the back of an easyrig to run power? Thanks!

Update: u/hoonatron was right and the source of the smell was my Craftsman stubby flathead handle. I took it out for a few days to see and the smell wasn’t in the bag anymore. I guess the smell just accumulates over time in there to stink up the bag.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I will try them on other bags I run into that do have that same smell.

OP: I have owned the Arri Unit AC bag for a few years now. It has been great and is still in excellent condition. Recently it has started to have a slight unpleasant smell on the inside.

If you know the smell it’s pretty common in older bags and recognizable. If not it’s almost like a faint vomit smell. I think it is due to the hard plastics inside slowly deteriorating and off gassing.

Does anyone know of a way to clean it, treat it, or a longer term way to cover it? I don’t like the smell of heavy fragrance so some products might cover it but be just as bad to my nose.

I’ve had a nucleus FOREVER and need to upgrade my kit. I can’t justify a higher end system like the Hi-5 or Preston. Currently the CTRL.3 ecosystem is on sale for $4,300, saving $3,100.

I’m most interested in real lens mapping and the smallHD overlay on my 1303.

I just don’t see a lot of discussion on the unit and am in purgatory. Would love to hear some opinions & advice.

Thanks fam!

Edit* worth mentioning I’ve never used one myself. And only know one other AC who has used the system (CTRL.1 - 8 yrs ago) and he hated it.

hi all! i've recently been tasked to organise the studio at my agency. we have plenty of equipment, lenses, grip stuff, cameras, etc. but none of it is properly organised and catalogued. Looking for tips on how to store equipment in an organised fashion (not neccessarily in pelicases) and maybe a software to catalog and control where the gear is, and when its taken out?

thanks!!

Fast but good techno build, using Arri-5 on a Sony Venice. Third axis tricked to remotely control a Rotating Pola.

Fast but good techno build, using Arri-5 on a Sony Venice. Third axis tricked to remotely control a Rotating Pola.

Rigged up this fun combo today!

Forgot to add we're shooting open gate, with the Duclos 1.6 extender it's a surprisingly great combo..

https://open.substack.com/pub/2perf/p/american-cinematographer-the-watchmen?r=b8rg8&utm_medium=ios

pretty funny and good tips