EEVblog #550 - Manfrotto Video Camera Articulated Arm - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 21, 2013, 10:12:00 pm
content: Dave checks out the Manfrotto 396B 3-section double articulated arm to see if it's suitable for his bench video camera work. Also, the Manfrotto 035 super clamp and the 237HD heavy duty flex arm.DIY camera mountDIY microscope stand:

author: eliocor
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 21, 2013, 10:34:42 pm
content: I warmly suggest you the "Magic Arm" (obviously from Manfrotto!!!): you won't regret it!I use this one:http://www.manfrotto.co.uk/magic-arm-with-quick-release-plate(very sturdy)but maybe you will prefer this model which have variable friction:http://www.manfrotto.co.uk/variable-friction-arm-with-quick-release-plate

author: Anks
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2013, 10:47:31 pm
content: Manfrotto stuff is great we use there winch stands for lighting rigs.

author: JoannaK
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2013, 11:15:51 pm
content: My main tripod is venerable 055, must be soon 3 decades old still working great.. Not as light as some newer ones, but **** stable.Dave, did you clamp trough the ESD mat when testing 3-part arm? I'd expct that ESD mat to be somewhat soft and thus cause extra flex?

author: Maxlor
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2013, 12:43:37 am
content: It occurs to me that you have the segments where you talk to the camera, and then there's the segments where you show us something on your bench. Ever considered using a head-mounted camera for the latter? It seems to work well for guys shooting sports videos. Maybe you're a candidate for the Google Glass, heh. Then again, too much camera movement is uncomfortable, and it's hard to keep your head still while working...So maybe not a head-mounted camera, but an eye-ball-mounted camera, because even if your head moves, your sight usually stays focused on one area, right? I'm envisioning cyborg dave here, or Dave LaForge, hehe.Cheers though. I appreciate the thought you put into increasing the quality of your video production.

author: robrenz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2013, 12:50:29 am
content: Shameless self promotion of my solutionhere

author: BravoV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2013, 01:19:45 am
content: Quote from: robrenz on November 22, 2013, 12:50:29 amApproved !

author: hobbs
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2013, 01:21:03 am
content: Quote from: eliocor on November 21, 2013, 10:34:42 pmSeconded. I've been using Magic Arms on my optical tables for a good 15 years--a regular 1/4-20 set screw holds it to the bench amazingly well. Best hundred bucks in tripods.CheersPhil Hobbs

author: staxquad
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2013, 07:39:48 am
content: Quote from: robrenz on November 22, 2013, 12:50:29 amsend him one, he ain't got no machine shop to make one (or your expertise)finally put him out of his misery

author: G7PSK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2013, 09:34:48 am
content: What you need dave is something along theses lines.http://www.b-hague.co.uk/pan__tilt_power_head.htmhttp://www.ebay.com/itm/Servo-Pan-Tilt-Motorized-Head-for-DSLR-Camera-Jib-Crane-wedding-Videography-/181060228398http://www.ebay.com/itm/PROAIM-Professional-12ft-Jib-Boom-Crane-Pan-tilt-Motorized-Head-Rig-Video-Camera-/190976260548You need remote control so that you don't have to keep touching the camera.

author: EEgalitarian512
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 23, 2013, 06:08:34 am
content: Don't know if it is just me, but, this Manfrotto Articulated arm video does not show up in my YouTube "My Subscriptions" list. Curious.

author: yvesdm3000
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 23, 2013, 08:18:58 am
content: Quote from: eliocor on November 21, 2013, 10:34:42 pmI worked with the magic-arm (your first link) and that thing is awesome, VERY sturdy and all the movement releases with only 1 handle, very quick to handle that way.-Yves

author: jancumps
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 23, 2013, 08:59:22 am
content: Quote from: EEgalitarian512 on November 23, 2013, 06:08:34 amYes, curious. It shows up in mine. "EEVblog heeft één video geüpload EEVblog #550 - Manfrotto Video Camera Articulated Arm •1 dag geleden •9.353 weergaven"

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 23, 2013, 09:00:03 am
content: "Manfrotto" is a little too close to the (NSFW) term "man frottage"

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 23, 2013, 02:01:17 pm
content: My two comments (worth at least $0.01 each), since this thread still has less than 1000 replies.1. The Manfrotto stuff is very modular, like Legos. You could for example attach astudlike models 036, 037 or 066 to the superclamp, to which you could attach a ballhead or something like model 158 that should attach to a 036 stud and rotate.2. In my experience you want as few degrees as possible that still allow you the range of motion you need. So try to have as few ballheads / joystick grips as you can get away with. Or trying to use a 1-axis joint (eg. model026) instead of a ballhead joint. The magic arm or gooseneck is much better in that regard than the articulated arm with half a dozen knobs. Just undoing one knob, moving the camera to the correct position, and fixing everything with one knob is ideal. This does not apply to panning shots, but none of these setups appear to be suitable for panning anyhow.

author: ju1ce
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 23, 2013, 08:57:28 pm
content: Quote from: EEgalitarian512 on November 23, 2013, 06:08:34 amIt happens to me too from time to time. Only when I come to the forums I notice that a new EEVblog video is out!

author: Arie57
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 24, 2013, 05:30:51 pm
content: Hee Dave,You got some advise to use de back of your table (not the wall). You said that it is too wobbely to connect your rig.If you mount a piece of wood, let say with a width of 40+ cm, onto the pillars, then it become stable. Better is to make a cross to the pillars. This can be made with cable. But wood is the cheapest. Mount this with screws in the corner of the plate of wood.(Always make a triangle. It's set a plane and also a ridget construction.)Then you could also mount your rail onto this.Arie

author: Zad
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 28, 2013, 06:03:16 am
content: I just present this as an idea for what it is worth...When filming commercial television and video, the main camera would normally be directly opposite the presenter. I appreciate that for the most part, there is aslightlyinconvenient wall and set of shelves in the way, but how about the space behind you? If you had a sturdy desk at right-angles to the back wall with space on both sides of it, you could have the camera conventionally mounted opposite you on a tripod - the extra space would perhaps allow you to use a "dolly" mount or a semi permanent track. Tripod dollies also have the benefit that they brace the legs, making them more sturdy.Now clearly this isn't suitable for all filming, but it does mean that you aren't stretching over the camera and mount, and is generally a more professional approach which viewers in general are familiar with. If it came to it, the camera mount could be opposite you, but the camera mounted closer to your point of view. Moving the filming area into the middle of the room would enable lighting from more sides too, with space for fill and targeted spot lighting.

author: Sebzy
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2014, 01:31:13 pm
content: Was just looking for a new mount for my theremin and stumbled upon this youtube video where the guy converts an old mic stand into a camera boom stand. Quite simple but provides great reach. The stand can be counter weighted too to offset the weight of the camera.Nice cheap hack.

author: lunar
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 28, 2019, 07:57:24 pm
content: It looks like this video is missing fromhttp://www.eevblog.org/video/