I've heard this brought up in conversations about the EasyRig...any thoughts on how the two compare? Are they even comparable, or are they different tools for different situations?
I prefer looking into an EVF when shooting, rather than using a monitor. So for me, the Ergorig is better suited for that style. The camera/lens combo in this video would be pretty tough on my shoulder with an EasyRig. So I believe they both serve their own purpose. The price point is also nice compared to a Vario 5.
Thank you for this review. It has me feeling more confident as I go in for a fitting tomorrow. At 46, my body is telling me it can't handle weeks of HH on dating shows anymore. This looks legit.
Finally a good video with a review of ergo rig. I shoot reality and I’ve even gotten to put one on for a few minutes here and there. I was ready to buy one back in March on this new show i was starting we were two weeks in and my back and shoulder told me “this is the gig you need to buy the ergo rig for.” Then the show got put on pause because of...well..you know. Hopefully we come back end of summer early fall. I will definitely buy on once work resumes!
Thanks! If you do ever try one out, I found this video from Jesse to be helpful in dialing in the Ergorig to your body. th-cam.com/video/-OcuvnRXIZY/w-d-xo.html
Update! I got the ergo rig back in august and love it!!! I even added my hipshot to it for when I have to shoot sit down scenes/resting the camera. I’ve used it on some “housewives” shoots and one of the “90 day fiancé “ spin-offs which all require hours of handheld work. A lot of my fellow ops see me with it, see how I’m able to get around and are interested but the price I feel turn them off. The price (while more than one wants to spend) is high for something that’s not going to get rented from production, it’s better to spend that now than to pay for medical bills down the line. Plus Ergo is way cheaper than the easy rig.
So did you decide to keep it? I remember when it was first introduced at NAB several years ago and I thought then that it would be a much better solution for my style of handheld shooting than an EasyRig. Being a 30+ year career TV cameraoperator here in Sweden I now see a huge percentage of my colleagues some of whom are more than twenty years younger than myself (61) that can no longer shoot handheld due to blown out backs! I have survived by constantly training my core and using good technique but a device like the Ergo Rig looks like a great piece of kit to survive a little longer before spending the money on chiropractor bills!😂👍🏾🙏🏾
After having the ergorig for a while do you still recommend it. I work in motorsport operating hand held. My shoulder is feeling it now after years and it's time to stop going handheld or invest in the ergorig.
I typically only use the ErgoRig when I outfit my camera package with a heavy lens. With normal short zooms, I don't need the ErgoRig for my sports shooting. Mainly because a football game has natural breaks in between plays where I can briefly rest my shoulder. If I was constantly shooting, I would use the ErgoRig more. Hope this helps
Question about the 400mil. The fs7 and amira have internal nd. Should you not have that would a 114 matbox do? Or would this have to be a 126? Looking to get either the 400 2.8 or the 300 1.8 FD as well but the dsmc2 does not have internal nd and I dont want to go the kippertie route. Thanks in advance!
Some of the larger lenses have "drop in" filers near the lens mount. I have never used those filters but it makes sense to keep the filter glass at a manageable size.
It’s important to dial in your dual hand grips to avoid any camera wobble. I haven’t had any issues. Also I like the shoulder plate to sit about an inch above my actual shoulder. If you adjust the plate any higher the chances of side to side wobble increase. As an operator make sure you’re practicing and testing with the Ergorig. It has helped me feel more comfortable with it.
Why the choice of 400mm from a creative perspective, is it just the extreme background isolation you get or just the focal length to reach out into the middle of a football field?
The 400mm and 300mm prime lenses (commonly used with a 2x extender) have been a staple for NFL Films since around the time of the Immaculate Reception play in Pittsburgh in 1972. Ernie Ernst was one of the first to use this setup in a football game in the 1970's. Since then cameramen like Hank McElwee have been shooting it the past 30 years. th-cam.com/video/-rI2H6Hv7tQ/w-d-xo.html
Slo mo is life Tony! LOL. With this first test I just kept it to 200fps. Here are some of demos at 24fps.... th-cam.com/video/MI8ZxaIHi2A/w-d-xo.html Not much stabilization, just the ability to go for longer periods of time with much less fatigue.
I'm sure it will be fine. I am huge fan of EasyRig and their dedication to the film/doc industry. I have had friends buy the EasyRig knock-offs and they don't quite meet the quality standards of the original. That is just my opinion.
@DomTheDP 🤯 , 1st of , 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 amazing 👐, I understand this is an Arri, I do , lol .... I get that it a different tier, and congrats on that. But how do you explain that the 200 fps looks sooo good compare to the garbage 240 , and 300fps that the lower end cameras are putting out. that is just beatifull footage man . ✊ My hat goes of to you .
Arri has definitely the best slow motion sensor I have ever used. They really seem to have a lot of research and development into all their cameras. I also own a Sony FS7II and have been happy with that cameras slow-motion capabilities too. For me it boils down to the EVF for focus. The Arri EVF is the best EVF for following action. I cannot follow action as easy on any other EVF. Arri has something special, which is probably why their camera systems are so expensive.
Have you used the canon FD 300 f2.8?, I see one at visual products with a 2x extender in good shape but not sure if I’ll regret not getting the 400 instead
For me, I prefer a shoulder mounted camera. Every time I attempt to shoulder mount with an EasyRig, it is not comfortable. I also prefer using an EVF over a monitor to follow sports game action for critical focus. A Vario 5 also retails for around $5k.
Hi Tom, I’ve got to be honest. I expected a bit more useful info. You don’t really see the details of shifting the rig upward, don’t really see the detail of the thumb knob and I also wanted to see better b roll of you sitting down, ducking... the things you say atleet stuff we can read online. Here I wanted to see a more in dept use by a dp. Never the less I learned some stuff like the shifting of the follow focus. Thanks for the explanation. Brent.
I guess I should've clarified that this was my first impression and first time using the Ergorig. I will keep testing and tweaking the unit to fit my needs and will keep posting about how I use the rig in my work. Thanks for the feedback.
I've heard this brought up in conversations about the EasyRig...any thoughts on how the two compare? Are they even comparable, or are they different tools for different situations?
I prefer looking into an EVF when shooting, rather than using a monitor. So for me, the Ergorig is better suited for that style. The camera/lens combo in this video would be pretty tough on my shoulder with an EasyRig. So I believe they both serve their own purpose. The price point is also nice compared to a Vario 5.
great review, thanks for taking the time to make it
This is dope, good info, well done! Thanks Dom!
Thank you for this review. It has me feeling more confident as I go in for a fitting tomorrow. At 46, my body is telling me it can't handle weeks of HH on dating shows anymore. This looks legit.
Watched through all the videos, really helpful and insightful! That 400mm is a beauty
Ahhhhhh! The episode I've been waiting for!
I don't need it… but also, I need it.
Finally a good video with a review of ergo rig. I shoot reality and I’ve even gotten to put one on for a few minutes here and there. I was ready to buy one back in March on this new show i was starting we were two weeks in and my back and shoulder told me “this is the gig you need to buy the ergo rig for.” Then the show got put on pause because of...well..you know. Hopefully we come back end of summer early fall. I will definitely buy on once work resumes!
Thanks! If you do ever try one out, I found this video from Jesse to be helpful in dialing in the Ergorig to your body. th-cam.com/video/-OcuvnRXIZY/w-d-xo.html
Update! I got the ergo rig back in august and love it!!! I even added my hipshot to it for when I have to shoot sit down scenes/resting the camera. I’ve used it on some “housewives” shoots and one of the “90 day fiancé “ spin-offs which all require hours of handheld work. A lot of my fellow ops see me with it, see how I’m able to get around and are interested but the price I feel turn them off. The price (while more than one wants to spend) is high for something that’s not going to get rented from production, it’s better to spend that now than to pay for medical bills down the line. Plus Ergo is way cheaper than the easy rig.
I love that the lens is a FD-to-PL conversion. Further proof that whatever works... Works.
It's really the best.
So did you decide to keep it? I remember when it was first introduced at NAB several years ago and I thought then that it would be a much better solution for my style of handheld shooting than an EasyRig. Being a 30+ year career TV cameraoperator here in Sweden I now see a huge percentage of my colleagues some of whom are more than twenty years younger than myself (61) that can no longer shoot handheld due to blown out backs! I have survived by constantly training my core and using good technique but a device like the Ergo Rig looks like a great piece of kit to survive a little longer before spending the money on chiropractor bills!😂👍🏾🙏🏾
I did keep it. I really love the under sling attachment for off the hip shooting as well.
After having the ergorig for a while do you still recommend it. I work in motorsport operating hand held. My shoulder is feeling it now after years and it's time to stop going handheld or invest in the ergorig.
I typically only use the ErgoRig when I outfit my camera package with a heavy lens. With normal short zooms, I don't need the ErgoRig for my sports shooting. Mainly because a football game has natural breaks in between plays where I can briefly rest my shoulder. If I was constantly shooting, I would use the ErgoRig more. Hope this helps
Question about the 400mil. The fs7 and amira have internal nd. Should you not have that would a 114 matbox do? Or would this have to be a 126? Looking to get either the 400 2.8 or the 300 1.8 FD as well but the dsmc2 does not have internal nd and I dont want to go the kippertie route. Thanks in advance!
Some of the larger lenses have "drop in" filers near the lens mount. I have never used those filters but it makes sense to keep the filter glass at a manageable size.
Hi ! its a great review of ergorig but most of the handhel had problems like wobbling... does it help in reducing lateral wobbling?
It’s important to dial in your dual hand grips to avoid any camera wobble. I haven’t had any issues. Also I like the shoulder plate to sit about an inch above my actual shoulder. If you adjust the plate any higher the chances of side to side wobble increase. As an operator make sure you’re practicing and testing with the Ergorig. It has helped me feel more comfortable with it.
Why the choice of 400mm from a creative perspective, is it just the extreme background isolation you get or just the focal length to reach out into the middle of a football field?
The 400mm and 300mm prime lenses (commonly used with a 2x extender) have been a staple for NFL Films since around the time of the Immaculate Reception play in Pittsburgh in 1972. Ernie Ernst was one of the first to use this setup in a football game in the 1970's. Since then cameramen like Hank McElwee have been shooting it the past 30 years. th-cam.com/video/-rI2H6Hv7tQ/w-d-xo.html
You shoot any 24 FPS footage? Did it help with stability at all? Obviously saving your back helps with that but just curious
Slo mo is life Tony! LOL. With this first test I just kept it to 200fps. Here are some of demos at 24fps.... th-cam.com/video/MI8ZxaIHi2A/w-d-xo.html Not much stabilization, just the ability to go for longer periods of time with much less fatigue.
erm... in the unlikely event that I'll buy the ARRI Alexa Classic... what about the Flycam Flowline 500N Strong Camera Support (10kg to 12Kg)
...?
I'm sure it will be fine. I am huge fan of EasyRig and their dedication to the film/doc industry. I have had friends buy the EasyRig knock-offs and they don't quite meet the quality standards of the original. That is just my opinion.
@DomTheDP 🤯 , 1st of , 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 amazing 👐, I understand this is an Arri, I do , lol .... I get that it a different tier, and congrats on that. But how do you explain that the 200 fps looks sooo good compare to the garbage 240 , and 300fps that the lower end cameras are putting out. that is just beatifull footage man . ✊ My hat goes of to you .
Arri has definitely the best slow motion sensor I have ever used. They really seem to have a lot of research and development into all their cameras. I also own a Sony FS7II and have been happy with that cameras slow-motion capabilities too. For me it boils down to the EVF for focus. The Arri EVF is the best EVF for following action. I cannot follow action as easy on any other EVF. Arri has something special, which is probably why their camera systems are so expensive.
DomTheDP yeah , that focus pull mix with that slow mo was smooooooth!!!
Yo Dom! Great video, does this 400 FD lens essentially turn into an 800mm on the super 35 camera?
600mm 1.5x
Have you used the canon FD 300 f2.8?, I see one at visual products with a 2x extender in good shape but not sure if I’ll regret not getting the 400 instead
300 will be lighter. 400 is a beast and heavy
Why wouldn’t you just use an easyrig? I’m not saying anything against an ergo rig, I just don’t know how it would benefit you over an easy rig?
For me, I prefer a shoulder mounted camera. Every time I attempt to shoulder mount with an EasyRig, it is not comfortable. I also prefer using an EVF over a monitor to follow sports game action for critical focus. A Vario 5 also retails for around $5k.
DomTheDP ah, okay. That makes sense. Thanks for answering!
Hi Tom, I’ve got to be honest. I expected a bit more useful info. You don’t really see the details of shifting the rig upward, don’t really see the detail of the thumb knob and I also wanted to see better b roll of you sitting down, ducking... the things you say atleet stuff we can read online. Here I wanted to see a more in dept use by a dp. Never the less I learned some stuff like the shifting of the follow focus. Thanks for the explanation. Brent.
I guess I should've clarified that this was my first impression and first time using the Ergorig. I will keep testing and tweaking the unit to fit my needs and will keep posting about how I use the rig in my work. Thanks for the feedback.