Share your special AKS accessories cameraassistant camera-test By Charles Antoine Auger on 3/19/20, 6:15 PM • 890 views Hi all! My show cancelled on friday and I was taking the time off to do maintenance, firmware upgrades and general sorting of my equipment when this idea came to my mind. I wanted to share with you that piece we all use in Montréal (Canada) that I haven't see anywhere else. It is made locally by a machinist and we call it the "marcel". We can compare it with the 16x9 Cinelock or a standard V lock. The major advantage is that the "male" part is a 15mm stud so we can either use it with the "female" 15mm receiver or with any 15mm female receptacles like the ones on the Arri BP9. The disavantage is that by the designe of it the sytem is not "anti-twist" like the other aks on the market which means that you want to chose the location and the uses carefully. Those are the female variations: 1/4 tread, 3/8 tread and 90 degrees
Male "studs". 3/8 and 1/4 options are available. You can notice the placement on the Film Frog MDR4 plate.
I like to keep one on my Clean's HU3 bracket in case I have to go to a lightweight setup. I keep the 16x9 release for my 1303. (broke last week one in the mail)
Finally here is a picture of what a setup can look like with the aks mounted on it. I feel that this accessory is the best way to quickly switch from any mode to any mode in a matter of seconds.
I unfortunately do not have a picture of the stud on a BP9 but i'm sure you can figure the thing out ;). If you have any "special" aks you want to share go ahead. I guess things will be slow in the next couples of weeks. Stay stafe. Stay home.
Chris Steel On 3/22/20, 4:18 PM I've been using iris rod brackets in a similar fashion. Not quite as elegant as that though. I have the Hill 15mm iris bracket for attaching my motors but sometimes it gets used on the 416 for an accessories post at the rear of the camera. Bolts on arri locking pins using an allen key.
Most of the stuff I use seems fairly standard? I have a KongFrog clip with an easyrig adaptor made by Ed Ratcliffe. Came in pretty useful on a couple jobs but doesn't get much play these days.
I had a really nice compact and lightweight montior bracket for my Preston HU3 made by Gizmo but an easyup fell on it so now it looks like this
Charles Antoine Auger On 3/22/20, 6:15 PM The Ratwork kong clip is definitely a must. In my "to buy" list when the market will come back to a normal state! Thanks for sharing.
Rasmus Frostell On 3/22/20, 10:09 PM Ratworks Side Plate, Cube bar and cube bar extensions... I always use them for tidy builds while on the mini / mini LF. I also have a car cleaning towel that has been very useful from everything to leveling a piece of dollytrack when the grip is out of wedges, cleaning tripods, wiping off wet cases etc. Fairly standard but really helpful in some scenarios.
Rozemarijn On 4/3/20, 9:51 AM I have been using the Manfrotto Dado for a while now. To mount my monitor, remote and cinert to 1 c-stand. love it. And also Ed's pink side-plate. I have the regular one, but def. buying the one for the LF. And the bar is superb. Even extended with a long zoom its still very stiff.
Chris Steel On 4/4/20, 4:58 PM Really like the pink anodised rat plate and bar. Think I'll be getting more stuff from Ed in the coming months... Hopefully in pink Cory Stambler On 3/23/20, 6:27 PM Hey this is a great thread. Charles, I have been locking for those marcel brackets for two years now. I had no idea what they were called. I had no idea where they were made other than Canada. I focus pull mainly for (former assistant, current camera/steadicam operator) Gregor Tavenner, who gave me his bracket. He said I think in Canada, but I am not sure. I called rental houses in Toronto and Vancouver trying to get any information with no avail. Do you mind sending me the machinist's information? I havent found a decent alternative. My favorite pieces are a bunch of brackets for Clean's Camera, Upgrade Innovations, Cinematic Precision, Candreva, and Backpack Rig's ecto plates. I literally have a treasure chest of brackets. Otherwise, some custom 15 rod to cold shoe bracket that I use specifically for the Arricam LT and my Sniper Bracket. ArriMedia London made those for me last time I was out there for work.
Charles Antoine Auger On 3/23/20, 6:37 PM I guess that Gregor got some on Aviator. They are not available outside of Montreal but let me see what I can do for you.