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Car sucker mount vibration?


Rod Lewis

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Hello!

Any advice as to how to minimise the amount of vibration that occurs when driving with my Canon 5DMKIII on my car bonnet? I have a dencent-ish mount rig (picture included) but the footage I got on my first attempt was awfully shaky, despite the rig being very securely attached.

 

Any ideas as to how I can minimise the shake? Maybe I could put a ratchet strap round the car or something? Also, I shot with the battery grip on the bottom. In my mind the extra weight might actually help steady the camera. Is that correct, or does that not actually help in this case? Also, I was using a very heavy lense for the test - the Canon L 24-70. Next time I'll be using the Zeiss 50mm 1.4. A different vehicle perhaps? I'm liking my car because it has lots of tyre (only 15" alloys), so guessing it's a smoothish ride. Maybe a bigger, heavier vehicle?

 

If anyone has any advice on this at all please tell me know!

 

Thanks!

 

Rod

post-68030-0-49893300-1431540065_thumb.jpg

Edited by Rod Lewis
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you probably need to lock down the top of the camera to reduce the vibrations

i would be putting safety straps on it to stop that very expensive sound if it all goes wrong,

 

cheers

post-24290-0-97452700-1431556114_thumb.jpg

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Hey that's a great looking set up there. I'd love to know what exactly that is that fits into the hotshoe mount on top of the camera?

 

I've been 60mph with the set up in my photo for quite a while. It's certainly secure, but yeah, shaky. Even at 30mph it's shaky.

 

The device attached to the top certainly looks handy though, as do the straps.

 

Interesting that kind of mini tripod mount you have there. Looks very sturdy indeed.

 

Thanks

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hi rod,

i used a magic arm to attach to the hot shoe mount on the camera to stop the vibrations on the camera.

 

the tripod is a manfrotto hi hat attached to 3 aluminium glass handling suction cups that have been tapped

with 3/8 threaded bolts to mate with the 3/8 holes on the hi hat.

 

this mount is as steady as a rock. we tried to rip it off and the bonnet will come off before the suction gives away.

 

i would definitely use some form of safety strapping to keep it on for everyones safety.

 

cheers

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hi rod,

i used a magic arm to attach to the hot shoe mount on the camera to stop the vibrations on the camera.

 

the tripod is a manfrotto hi hat attached to 3 aluminium glass handling suction cups that have been tapped

with 3/8 threaded bolts to mate with the 3/8 holes on the hi hat.

 

this mount is as steady as a rock. we tried to rip it off and the bonnet will come off before the suction gives away.

 

i would definitely use some form of safety strapping to keep it on for everyones safety.

 

cheers

 

Great stuff Ian, thanks. You you have any opinion about the battery grip I have in my pic? I'm wondering if the weight will be useful or not. I can remove it - though not sure I remember where I left the original flap door thingy lol.

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i am not sure how the battery grip attaches to the camera but i would do a check to ensure the join

can handle the stress and forces the camera is subjected to.

 

the grip is being held on the car mount by a 1/4 inch screw but what is holding the grip to the camera.

if it is just a plastic retraining clip i would not use it.

 

cheers

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Take out the battery grip. It adds a joint which could add vibration and the weight is of no benefit.

The straps in Ians picture are the way to go and the magic arm holding the top of the camera is a great move.

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The smaller the rims, the more air they have inside, if you can find a car with 13" or 14" it will be smoother, you can also take some pressure off the tires (not much!) to give them more "travel".

If you can find a BMW or a Mercedes, even older ones, they usually have a smooth suspension.

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You have three suctions mounts grouped too close together and modern auto sheet-metal is as rigid as tinfoil.

Move two of them forward and toward the edge of the hood where it meets the fenders. The metal is folded over there and stiffer.

I don't see a safety line attached to the camera. You should always safety the camera to a separate mounting point.

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You have three suctions mounts grouped too close together and modern auto sheet-metal is as rigid as tinfoil.

Move two of them forward and toward the edge of the hood where it meets the fenders. The metal is folded over there and stiffer.

I don't see a safety line attached to the camera. You should always safety the camera to a separate mounting point.

Hey thanks! Would you say that the sucker on the left is close enough to the windscreen? So maybe if two were that close out would be better?

 

Thanks. I'll use a strap.

 

R

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Probably. When mounted, if you can push on the camera and see the hood flex, it's certainly going to do so when driving.

 

Thats interesting. Maybe if I strap the gear down very tight I can press the hood down hard so it can't flex? If that makes any sense?

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I'm no expert in car rigs, but have observed disturbing things done to private vehicles on small shoots, by so called experts.

If you pre-load the hood by tensioning the rig against the sheetmetal with a ratchet strap, you risk passing the yield point of the steel, the point of no return where you've created a crease or circular depression. Most over the hood mounts rely on transferring the weight of the camera, through a cheese plate onto two lengths of speedrail mounted to the fenders. Look in the Matthews catalog to get an idea of how it could be done and some of the equipment used to make it safe for the driver, the car and the camera, etc.. Matthews has some videos demonstrating their products on Utube.

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http://www.cinematography.com/index.php?showtopic=67372

 

What Brian and Andrew are telling you is correct.

 

They're giving me good info, and what they're saying is true, but I wouldn't necessarily say that it's correct so much as another option (with a regard to using a beam rather than mounts).

 

The mount system in my second pic on the BMW was smooth as hell. My DOP used the same system for the last Audi advert. Unfortunately he's un-contactable though, let alone able to work on these pick ups.

 

Not saying I don't appreciate the advice, but sucker mounts do work. I just don't have a DOP for these pic ups so I'm all alone!

 

I've gained some useful tips from these threads though, so thank you to all concerned.

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A BMW or Audi is going to have a more solid construction than say a cheaper car. Much depends on the car and its design.

 

I've got an Audi and it has only 15" rims, so I'll let a little air out the tyres and drive about 35 mph and see how I go! To be fair, last time I didn't have a strap or anything holding the top of the camera down and also the battery grip and a heavy Canon 24-70L lense.. I'm hoping that if I get a magic arm on top of the hot shoe mount, use a a strap, remove the bettery grip and use the lighter Zeis lense it'll be a bit smoother.

 

Will let you know how it goes!

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The weight of your DSLR should not be an issue for the hood of your car. Adding straps and grabbing the camera from the top should work well. Get rid of the battery grip if you can.

 

This is a link to a rigging page on my website. It hasn't been updated in about 7 years, but there are some photos of rigs with bigger cameras.

 

http://www.thegripworks.com/rigging.html

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This kind of rig needs a lot more work and reinforcement. As you get lighter and lighter, it becomes easier to lock down, with a lot less stress on the car and the rig.

 

Wow that's some pretty high end stuff you're up to there!

 

I can't take the battery grip off frustratingly because I have lost the original lid. Spent all night looking for it lol.

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Hi everyone. So I had a go tonight with the set up in the pic attached. I tried to keep the mounts all near the windscreen as the metal of the bonnet/hood was definitely sturdier. I removed the battery grip, and used a hired Zeiss f1.4 (much sharper image) and much lighter than the Canon 24-70. Also I attached another mount via an improvised arm to the top of the hot shoe mount, and I also ran a ratchet strap round the whole car from top, underneath the chassis, over part of the camera plate and back. I'm not sure if this helped. I have the lense for one more night so any advice would be very appreciated!

 

The footage is only slightly less shaky. I'm disappointed because I've spent every minute of the last 48 hours working on this :(

 

Is it just the 'jello' of the 5D?

 

I'm driving an Audi A3 and the rims are 15" I think.11133965_10206255421764985_1130754723493

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Three points define a plane, basic geometry, that's why a 3 legged stool is stable on a surface. Same for a camera tripod.. Your have all four mounting points in a near straight line,

nothing to resist tip of the camera forward or back. One cup near the edge of the hood by the windscreen, two cups moved forward and as close to the

edge of the hood, near the fenders as you can. The fourth cup, possibly on the roof, stabilizing onto the hot shoe. Lose the camera strap. No safety line on the camera?

 

Might want to put a scrap of Duvetyn between the ratchet strap and the car body, prevent scuffs and scratches.

Edited by JD Hartman
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Three points define a plane, basic geometry, that's why a 3 legged stool is stable on a surface. Same for a camera tripod.. Your have all four mounting points in a near straight line,

nothing to resist tip of the camera forward or back. One cup near the edge of the hood by the windscreen, two cups moved forward and as close to the

edge of the hood, near the fenders as you can. The fourth cup, possibly on the roof, stabilizing onto the hot shoe. Lose the camera strap. No safety line on the camera?

 

Might want to put a scrap of Duvetyn between the ratchet strap and the car body, prevent scuffs and scratches.

 

Hey cool thanks. I thought about the mounting points and was aware that it might be iffy, but also I was keen to avoid the floppy area of the bonnet, so I was hoping that 4 mounts might be enough to compensate for that. Clearly not. But as you, or someone suggested, about a foot into the bonnet, it becomes very floppy so I'm sure I need to find a way of not attaching any suckers to that area. Maybe the main sucker one on the bottom of the windscreen behind the two near the windscreen?

 

I'll try two cups moved forward as you suggest, but my worry is that they're placed right over where the bonnet becomes very floppy. But yeah, I'll try it.

 

Good idea on the roof for the fourth one. I'll give that a try. I have a feeling I may not get past the 'jello' effect of the 5D though.

 

Zeiss f1.4 lens is lovely and sharp compared to my Canon 24-70, as expected. I'm shooting wide open which is a bit limiting on focus but I'm only as iso 800. Might close down a bit and maybe push it to 2000. I hear that about the limit before it starts to lose it.

 

The slackline I have attached is my kind of safety strap. It runs over the back of the mount and it pulled tight, so even if the sucker come's lose it won't go anywhere. ( I'm guessing). Feel free to correct me on that!

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In your last image, the mount is setup like a domino standing on edge. You want two of the three points moved forward, right and left

to the point where the hood meet the fender. You may need some different grip gear or need to use a grip arm between the

suction cup and the camera mount.

Edited by JD Hartman
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In your last image, the mount is setup like a domino standing on edge. You want two of the three points moved forward, right and left

to the point where the hood meet the fender. You may need some different grip gear or need to use a grip arm between the

suction cup and the camera mount.

 

Yeah ok fair enough. Maybe I can rig them so that they're not too far forward and still fairly close. I can appreciate what you're saying. I wasn't sure it would be the right approach but thought I'd give it a go. Last chance tonight with this lense.

 

I'm still not quite sure what you're saying though - lost in translation perhaps. The hood is the bonnet, I get that much. Google images suggests the fender is the side panel. Sadly I don't have any poles long enough to get the other mounts to the point where the hood meets the fenders. At least not tonight and the lens goes back tomorrow. Doesn't stop me getting some more poles tomorrow though when the shops open again. Was only £50 for the lens hire.

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