CPM Filmtools DSLR Cage Version 2
Sunday, June 27, 2010 at 8:42AM So after a LOT of emails from people asking me about my first video going through my original DSLR Rig, I have been doing a fair bit of work upgrading. The main change was that I found I really needed a top handle. After looking at all the available options from RedRock, Jag35 etc. I settled on the CPM FilmTools DSLR Cage. I liked the fact that it was lightweight (carbon fibre) I could use it with my existing parts and it was reasonably priced. To that I have also added a swing away mattebox,, basically I just modified the exisiting ProAim Mattebox with a set of RedRock mini carbon fibre rods and a couple of mounting blocks. Also for my LCDVF which was not really attaching with the strength I felt I needed I have modified a bracket to hold that in place as well. Anyway, less talky, more showy, here is a rather long video going through all the parts, and for those who email me on a daily basis asking abotu the different parts that make up my rigs, I have added a list of links after the video.
Cage and Top Handle - CPM FilmTools : www.cpmfilmtools.com
Handlebars and Shoulder Support - RedRock Micro : www.redrockmicro.com
Follow Focus, Mattebox and Baseplate - ProAim : www.thecinecity.com/tcc/product.php?productid=12
Case - Pelican 1620 : www.pelicancase.com
Viewfinder - LCDVF : www.lcdvf.com
LED Light - ebay : Assorted auctions
Mini LCD Screen - 4" LCD : www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.15001
Audio - Beachtek : DXA-5DA : www.beachtek.com
Evan Butson | 9 Comments | tagged CPM Film tools, DSLR Cage | Share Article | in 5D Mark II, Canon 7D, DSLR Video | Email Article
Reader Comments (9)
Hey Evan,
really like your set up. Mine is similar (but using mostly dvcity stuff).
Im really interested in the 'swing-away' modification you did, could you post some more pictures of the set up?
Also, is there a specific place or part number for the 'hinge' you got? Ive looked in the past for something as elegant as the one you have, but they all looked too industrial (stands out way too much!).
For the sticky metal plates for the LCDVF, did you have to email him or did it come in the mail automatically? (my first one came off, for my second i added alil extra glue so it wouldnt. Wasnt aware he sent out replacement frames...)
Side note: i didnt notice any 'follow focus gears' on your lens. Does the Sigma turn without adding a lens gear?
Thanks again for the video!
Thank you very much. Great effort.
Can't wait to see it in action. Good luck in SA!!
Jack, I just finished adding the better locking mechanism for the mattebox rather than the rubber bands, when I get back from South Africa I will do a blog post with some more detailed photos. As for the hinge it was just from my local hardware store, no real part number, I think from memory it was listed as a door hinge. I emailed the LCDVF people as soon as the first one fell off, didn't get anything in response and then one day they just arrived. I do use gears on the lenses, just didn't bother adding them to the lens for the video, I figured pretty much everyone knows what they look like :)
Hi Evan, Love your set up. I just order bunch of stuff from CPM, and I'm hoping to build one very similar like yours. I just wonder, which Mattebox did you purchase at the thecinecity? I love how you did the sway away set up, can't wait to see more pictures of it. Thank you for all the great infos.
It was the one that came with the Proaim bundle of baseplate, followfocus and Mattebox. Doesnt have a specific model etc. As soon as I get back from the World Cup I will be doing a rather detailed report on how the whole kit has handled.
Awesome setup. Been dying to see a CPM rig setup. I'm sold on em for sure now. Random question though, I noticed you had your Macbook Pro in what looked like a vertical docking station? Who makes it?
Yeah, just finished up shooting the World Cup and it rocked, very satisfied. The MacBook stand is called a Henge Dock, available here.
http://hengedocks.com/
Its about $70 US from memory depending on your model. I give it about an 80% for setup and a 95% for use. It took a good hour to get the cables lined up perfectly so they would mate with the laptop when it was inserted in the dock (you basically mount their custom cables in the dock with a small hex screw and so you can mount only the cables you want. Getting the network cable to mount correctly was a pain. But after that it works great. My only real complaint is you lose access to the SD card reader on the MacBook and the firewire cable means you cant ply another cable into it. Other than that its pretty good and makes the cabling so much easier.
Great rig...I've built a CPM setup myself and I really love a lot of the modifications you've made. Quick question about your case: it seems very handy to have that hard area in the bottom left corner and the area on the right for your matte-box baffles. How did you accomplish this? I assume it wasn't something as simple as just cutting the foam out, or was it?
All the foam was custom cut by a company here in Melbourne, whenever possible when I get a case cut I always set aside some room for a misc area for the bits you dont remember, buy after etc. When they cut it they also line it with alluminium plate and a thin carbet so it is rock solid and doest distort with the foam.