You Need A Rat Bag [No, Seriously] + 5 Use Cases
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 14 มิ.ย. 2024
- #zcam #dzofilm #slrmagic #focusrat
0:00 Introduction + Promotional Declaration
0:50 #1 Hipster Rat
2:02 #2 Rat King
3:31 #3 Stoic Rat
4:19 #4 Pack Rat
4:54 #5 Rat Straps
5:24 On Set - Autofiction
6:48 Conclusion
@focus_rat @BandH @DZOFILM
Focus Rat Steady Bags - A vital production tool for cinematographers, camera operators, videographers, camera assistants and more.
We were fortunate to work with Focus Rat on getting some of our equipment needs met for an indie we filmed over the summer. They took a leap and sent us two bags for marketing collaboration.
In the video we're using the Large Steady Bag with V3 Shoulder Strap. It's there top of the line bag and if you order direct from Focus Rat you can get custom branding (how cool!).
As soon as you get them in hand, you feel the quality of the materials. These are built for heavy duty use and they stand up to so many working conditions. Once you have one, you start to find use after use, where maybe you were filling in with less than great solutions.
This is also our first time making a video like this, so I'm laughing at myself in the VO, partly because, I love the names we came up with but it's also a bit unnerving putting ourselves out there, since we're usually behind the lens.
What's great is you can now order a Rat Bag for your very own through B & H Photo Video or online at focusrat.com/.
Technical Note: B-Roll, BTS and Testimonial footage filmed on the Z-Cam E2-S6 with SLR Magic Microprimes, in 4K DCI and 6K Open Gate.
Music by: @TheatreOfDelays "Resonance" + "Pulse" available on Artlist. - ภาพยนตร์และแอนิเมชัน
We've gotten a lot of comments that mention the price or similarities to other products in the market, so I'll share my thoughts more thoroughly:
In the video it's discussed that this is a collection of methods for using this type of stabilization but it doesn't replace every solution out there.
That being said, it is better than other alternatives like DIY steady bags, etc.
We used them in tandem with Easyrigs, since these steady bags, like most, work best for mostly stationary filming, where you move into a position and are able to do small orbits, float, or add a little motion to your shot; all without having to support the full weight on your forearms, back, and shoulders; it's distributed, making the weight of the rig you're using part of the stabilizing equation.
Easyrigs are great for a ton of things but are also, for the weight of my rig, prohibitively expensive, especially when going with a brand name. Configuring an Easyrig to support up to 25lbs can easily cost $3k, that's 10x the price of the most expensive Focus Rat and that's before accessories.
This industry creates opportunities to streamline and make more efficient and ergonomic, the rigors of working in film and video production. Options are a good thing. This means that a filmmaker at any level, now has access to a broader range of tools to improve their craft.
As to the price and make quality, these are premium materials with precision crafting. This isn't a sponsored placement either, though we were provided with a steady bag, our opinions are our own.
Another feature, to answer why choose Focus Rat? They offer custom branding, which is great for small crews and production houses that want to brand their BTS. Alternatives like Cinesaddle are original to the space and unique in their offering but are also heavily self-branded. The materials used are identical in quality but Focus Rat provides a little more value and a broader range of options and colorways.
I trust the Focus Rat steady bag with the full weight of my rig and rental equipment. Like anything you use on set, you test it. I've tested these for nearly a year and with rigs small and large. For my preference, I wouldn't build anything larger than 20-24lbs given its weight you still have to support. That covers an Angenieux 25 - 250, with Z-Cam, motors, focus handles, monitor and V-mount, and all used for documentary capture, but can easily support an FX3 with prime lens and monitor.
I can't wait to try out some other sizes and work with smaller rigs too, but for the work I've done recently, the rigs have been built for solo operating and focus pulling.
Focus Rat isn't a cheap brand by any means. They back their product and have a fun image that drew us in. When I look at the investments I've made into gear, this would barely factor against how much I've spent on a single monitor or the 100's of cage and rig components you end up acquiring when you buy a camera, even a cheap alternative camera has these operating costs. But I've never doubted those investments and look to invest in a higher-end camera and lens package, all of which bring the associated costs of a Rat Bag into perspective.
Thanks for watching.
Made my own with a memory foam pillow inside a laundry bag. Laundry bag even has a strap so you use it as a waist high sling for the cam. Used all the money I saved on other accessories. :)
Looks kinda funny especially for weddings jobs. Still considering it knowing it could bring results.
Yeah, that's probably where going with the medium-sized Rat Bag in black would be the move.
An advantage is if you're filming at waist level, your presence is knocked down a bit, which could help for capturing candid moments during the reception.
Between this and an EasyRig, Steadicam, or Gimbal, your options for steady filming are complete. Ok, last bit, if you order direct from Focus Rat, you can get your branding added to the bag, which is great for potential referrals, be it logo and website or logo and QR code. That's something we're looking into for our next Rat Bag!
fascinating. first time i see this product on youtube. somehow just yesterday i figured out im too tall to frame things the right way. i need one. now.
Thank you for commenting and that’s a great angle to add - for tall operators, the adjustable strap makes filming more comfortable.
We’ll have a few more tips to share in our upcoming part 2 video.
I've had my Focus Rat for just over a year now and by far my favourite use for it is when shoulder operating. I bury my elbow into the bag on the camera side and it helps stabilise the camera and also take away some of the fatigue.
That's a great tip, mind if we add it to our part 2 video?
@@wearehierophants sure! No gatekeeping here.
Sweet! We've seen this shooting style before but so glad you mentioned it here in the comments!
this is so interesting
I feel like on a long shooting day having additional weight on the front side of your torso, that pulls and perhaps digs in from one side of the shoulder instead of having most of the weight sit on the waist would make for more fatigue - and in face fetched scenarios, more injury? Definitely useful in some applications but I feel that they’re in specific scenarios. Neat product, might try it by filling my spare messenger bag with a pillow!
Totally, that's why it's a component of a stability / operating recipe. We used this extensively throughout filming a feature, at times on takes that were 30 minutes long. Depending on the action though, I would move between this or an easy rig. We'll cover a few pointers in our Part 2 on how to assess pain points from a body focused approach. For the most part, fatigue comes from not having the right plan in practice from having enough operating hours to know what to change.
I love this process though - sometimes the budget dictates what you can have, but as an operator, cinematographer and AC, it's best to bring your own tools forward for your own comfort and health.
Great points on forward weight and shoulder dig! If you've got the steady bag well positioned and are able to make quick changes, ala multiple straps or quick adjustments to a primary strap, you can fix most concerns. I tend to have the bag tight to the body and place the rig in at an angle. If my camera placement is good and balanced with the bag position, I could shoot all day. Where you get into trouble: pivoting your body to change camera height or angle - this is where you can pinch muscle groups and cramp and fatigue. All in all, the Focus Rat made up 65% of our stability strategy, and we had x2 easy rigs on set too.
Thanks for commenting, let us know how you DIY solution works out.
You are 100% correct. I tripod my camera if it’s not on a dolly anyway.
I had a cinesaddle a long time ago that was stolen. It was literally one of my favorite pieces of gear - a low tech wonder I used to many times to count. This looks comparable for sure.
Sorry to hear about that. You absolutely nailed it though; the original CneSaddle is a low-tech wonder!
The original design choices are present in the Rat Bag too, like the loops on the corners for car mounting, and to that end, you’d still need to order the car kit from Cinekenetic to do that type of rig.
The main advantages of the Rat Bag are custom branding, updated color-ways, and different sizes at decent prices, along with a growing collection of cine tools, like T-markers, sand bags and shot bags.
We all end up with a different introduction to gear. Had I started my cinematography journey earlier, a solution like this might have still alluded me unless I had exposure.
I like that our video has opened a broader discussion for fans of the CineSaddle to share their sentiments for a born classic.
Thanks for commenting!
@@wearehierophants $300-450 is considered decent prices?...google DIY options you can build this for under $10. goodlord Openmoon has the same product.
Thanks for the video. Is there a bounce in the footage when while walking/tracking shots as an operator with this bag on?
Thanks for watching! So the short answer to your question is yes, there is bounce while walking but depending on your rig weight and length, and where your bag is placed, you can reduce the appearance of steps.
Unlike a gimbal or steadicam, you won’t be able to erase your movements entirely though.
The Steady Bag is meant more for reducing fatigue and keeping shots stable while stationary or making small deliberate movements.
That’s why we still use gimbals, Easy Rigs, steadicam, and handheld; it’s all about the style you apply to the story you’re telling or collection of styles that work for the narrative.
We have figured out something pretty cool using the Rat Bag that we’ll show in our upcoming part 2 review. We think people are going to be interested in this method 😊!
Hope that answers your question. We’ll try and add some footage examples in the next review to demonstrate the type of steady a Rat Bag can offer your cinematography.
@wearehierophants Big help with the detailed answer, much appreciated and will check out your part 2, thanks
Edit: can you include some footage from the cameras POV so we can see what it footage looks like when operating using the bag
For sure, that seems to be something sorely missing in our first review 😅, but we’ve also been saving a few things for our in-depth behind the scenes on Autofiction, our indie we shot last summer.
In that video we’re going to highlight a few shots that were done in tandem, one camera using the Easy Rig, and another using the Rat Bag. Should illustrate a good instance for why both work for certain shots, even within the same scene.
They are an essential tool for our style of working and we keep finding new uses for them along the way.
More coming very soon!
Aha, you did the Zacuto custom job as well. So did I; be careful in direct sun, I burnt several spots into the screen in August.
Yeah, it's been great - thanks for the heads up too! As a precaution, I got the auto-swing eyecup; it's a little cumbersome, but closes off the loupe to any light which is a nice safety feature. It's decently priced too, since I got the Z-Finder second hand.
Shit! Why did I not find that sooner!
@@wearehierophants
Also, sorry you encountered that. Easiest $18 I ever spent 😂 and Zacuto's customer service is top notch. I inquired on ordering some parts for my second hand Z-Finder, but couldn't find a listing on the website; a few emails later and I had a custom invoice and fast shipping. www.zacuto.com/products/auto-closing-eyecup?_pos=1&_sid=e0099341c&_ss=r
Good stuff! Had no idea this existed!
Awesome video
I apologize if I missed it in the video, but what size Rat Bag are you using?
Great question and thanks for asking. I’m using the Large Focus Rat Bag with the V3 shoulder strap. It’s capable of holding and dampening the weight of a large rig. In the video, my rig is nearly 18lbs, but I’m currently using one that’s 22lbs and bears that weight just fine. The Essential is the same size as the large but the shoulder strap is not detachable. Hope that helps!
@@wearehierophants Thanks! My rig setup is 16lbs.
also love using a cam bag as well, great video! I wouldn't believe, I have the same portkeys + zacuto hack! also awesome!
Thank you, that’s such a good idea too - usually my camera bag is too heavy to be useful lol. Loving the LEYE SDI Zacuto combo as well - saw that @bestboyadam did a video about it. It’s made the EVF so effective for evaluating focus that I want to make a strip down rig, kinda like a medium format camera…maybe in a future video!
Great video, I actually tried this hack with a shoulder bag, but this looks more made for the purpose, I have ordered one after watching this video. Thanks
Glad it was helpful! We'll have a few more tips in our upcoming Part 2 video.
I own a cine saddle, and honestly I see almost no difference. It seems extremely similar.
I always prefer to support the original makers of any idea personally.
I love mine, but my back pain is still shouting for an easyrig.
Yeah, there's no way to talk about the steady bag without respect to the original. I'm also with you on your feelings of supporting the original maker. For us, we wanted to work with a young company that's creating more than just Steady Bags, but a whole ecosystem of cinema support tools. They've also been incredibly generous and supportive of our filmmaking, projects, and helping us grow as artists.
Focus Rat, in our opinion, continues the relevancy of what the Cine Saddle started, providing a fresh take for a new generation of filmmakers, while also offering different colorways, custom branding, and continued innovation. This keeps the story going.
Since we've gotten a lot of filmmakers commenting, it's apparent there's a lot of for Cine Saddle! I think that's an amazing testament to how novel and wonderfully executed that original bag was. There's also no replacing the legacy of movie makers and the innovation that followed. Focus Rat is a purveyor of this awesome concept, along with other vendors, and they become part of that legacy too, while also creating a story of their own over time.
And lastly, yes, our Steady Bags are but one of our many stabilizing strategies. The EasyRig, while game-changing for long-term ergonomics as an operator, is also a serious investment; a steady bag fits into a great niche for beginners and pros, who have a budget.
Thanks for the comment!
Awesome video! Very well produced! Didn't know about this bag, simple but so useful! Also, just a friendly heads up, your audio is super low! (right click on the video -> stats for nerds -> your volume is -17dB lower than TH-cam's standard😅), Maybe look into normalizing your audio to YT's -14 db! Other than that, great video, thanks for that! Subscribed! :)
Thanks for the heads up, I agree, the vocals were a quick clean up pass in Premiere Pro using its Essential Audio tools. I’ll finesse it for the part 2 video. Thanks for the sub!!😊
These look great, particularly the customizable one where you can add your branding. A nice touch. Thanks for the steer on sizing, really useful. That's a sweet Z Cam rig too, and a good reminder that I have a Zacuto Z finder from Canon 5d mk II days knocking around that is begging to go on a LEYE evf with my F6 ;-)
Thank you, and all great points. I like that, when ordering directly from Focus Rat, you have a custom branding option.
Check out BestBoy Adam’s video on Zacuto Portkeys LEYE SDI mod. I’ve done x2 and the results are impressive. Focus is easy to evaluate, even with peaking off. And if you want to go minimal, say you’re handheld, drop the monitor weight and run EVF only - you can with this solution.
We love our Z-Cams! It’s a shame they don’t get enough credit - I mean, we’re still getting useful firmware updates. Tempted to get a F6…😂. Thanks for the nice comment. Let us know if you do the LEYE mod!
@@wearehierophants Thanks very much, appreciate that 🙏. Yes, I'll keep you posted.
I saw Thorsten's original video a while back and it got me intrigued. I may well try it for use in indoor/darker scenes. I film a lot in the snow though and have found EVFs are really hard on the eye you use because it's SO bright, even with brightness turned right down. It leaves you half-blind for a while until you readjust... But that's great to hear about focus evaluation, such a key factor.
Absolutely re Z-Cams, and Kinson and the team just keep on making things better and better. The F6 is an absolute steal for the price, particularly as you can use it in full frame or S35, each with so many different resolutions. Amazing low light performance too. And now there's even more temptation with the Pro version...😂
Wow, I never even consider filming in snow! Thorsten is so great to have pull that off - watching back at early reviews on the LEYE SDI, all had the same commentary on the eyepiece. I picked one up with the intention to replace it, somehow, with an old LCDVF from our 5D MKII :)
I never used it much though, because focus was so difficult judge and the fogging was pretty bad. After this upgrade though - I'm completely invested. We bought a second Zacuto on Ebay just in case aftermarket sales drove the price up to high. Glad we have it.
On Z-Cam, the E2-F6 has never been at a better price, but the F6 Pro has all the body integrations I need for flying a steadicam, gimbal and simplifying my rigs by having an onboard V-mount. Hoping they give us a paid RAW capability in a future firmware, but H.265, ProRes, ProRes Raw and Braw are still great options to have.
@@wearehierophants great to hear your experience with the LEYE. I have one on order, plus the 3D printed parts coming soon and am looking forward to using the Z-Finder again after years of it sitting in a drawer 😅
When you converted yours, did you unstick the black tape from the viewfinder's frame and then cut off the excess from around the screen, or peel all the tape off the screen? It seems Thorsten took it all off but I've read of others who I think left it on, having trimmed it. If the screen's fragile I guess either way there's an element of risk.
Yes, the F6 Pro ticks so many boxes, though I doubt it will ever get internal RAW, at least as long as RED continues enforcing their patent. Hopefully they'll soon add h.265 - as far as I can see at the moment it only shoots ProRes. It also lacks some of the options of the F6, like the 4k 4:3 anamorphic they recently added, which I use a lot, but fingers crossed these will come in time.
So I did 2 conversions, one for myself and for my Director on the feature (his camera was used as A-Cam and he just so happened to have an LEYE SDI - perfect). When I did my conversion, I cut through the tape with an x-acto blade, rather than peel it off. My concerns were over pulling the foil backing off the LCD unit. On the second conversion, I was able to pull the tape up from one side without issue, and just folded it over, again, not wanting to pull off that foil backing by accident or through rushed efforts.
Just like in Thorsten and BestBoy Adam's videos, it's important to go slow with this step and have all your pieces ready to go, AND, here's the most important part, mount the monitor to a cine arm and clamp that down so there's no movement - keeping the whole assembly close to your working surface too - once you free that loupe, the weight of it could disconnect the small snap-in video wire, which is difficult to put back in - not impossible, just difficult. Bear in mind that the monitor is taped to the loupe and production standards and QC will vary from device to device.
Here's a post I did about my where I answer some questions about it: th-cam.com/users/postUgkxW7W1EUtz21lpioLyxgpZV3upjE3TaaCp
On the F6 Pro: I'm just going to get it and maybe an original E2-F6, probably first quarter of the new year. I keep going back and forth on this or that, (that being the Komodo-X) but I'd rather build up my glass and gaffer package instead of the rather substantial system investment of a RED. Even without RAW, though H.265 should be there, the ProRes is more than enough. Plus that's what rentals are for - when you need raw, you rent it lol. Now if Sony does something crazy and puts out an FX6 II with lite RAW, I might have another *that to add to the equation lol. Z-Cam has been doing some great things with these humble cameras and acting like you'd want more companies to, putting consumer value first. I wish they would market the brand...at all...lol. It's hard to sell this camera to producers or clients, but that's what a showreel's for.
Hope your EVF comes out like you want it to!
This looks EXACTLY like my modded Cine Saddle Bags from 10 and 20 years ago where I had sewn in clips to use a Kata camera bag shoulder strap for getting handheld shots in the manner. Nice. But, seems a bit unethical to completely steal Cine Saddles IP.
Thanks for commenting! I can't speak to the ethics of IP but I see where you're coming from. What I can say is that there's enough unique qualities and features that set this apart from other steady bags out there, which there's a few companies making these. At a customer level though, they're providing excellent customer service and communication and as a bonus, I love the mascot!
What size bag is this here.
This is the Large Rat bag with the V3 Shoulder Strap. This can hold 25lbs and reliably stabilize a rig big or small. It’s my favorite but I hope to try out some smaller sizes too.
So a Cine Saddle...which has been around for a very long time.
Ok, so what's the deal with the follow focus? The brand....I subbed off of that alone. LOL.
Hahahaha! Thank you for the sub and comment - ok, so the deal is: Tilta Nucleus Nano II!
This is a dream come true for how I like to rig, only hoped it would've released sooner as we wanted this exact setup for the feature we did earlier this summer.
Here's a few more details: I'll show a little more on this particular setup in our DZOFilm Pictor Review (coming very very soon), but in short, this one handwheel allows you to control 2 motors at once. There's a Rocker Button, which is close to the thumb for zoom operation, and the Knob (or handwheel) for focus.
It's being used with a Nano I and Nano II motor. At this current firmware, the Nano I motor defaults to Focus and the Nano II motor, since it's user-asisgnable, defaults to Zoom. If you're interested in a short reel about this, I've been thinking of making one. This particular setup also uses a Nitze Handgrip. Very nice handfeel, great materials but there's one issue I encountered which it did require taking the rosette apart to re-tighten the rosette to grip hardware - but for the price, worth it. There's a short SmallRig slim nato rail mounted on top of the handle. In the meantime here's a post with some photos: th-cam.com/users/postUgkxagYCRWw5T5woPpxEuj2JAUeLt9G9IAki
this are on b&h, I had doubts about but this video make me think again, insane!
Thank you for the comment, glad our video put the Steady Bag in a new light!
I had no idea this video was made by someone with only 40 subs, the production quality was insane
Haha, thank you so much for saying that, we don't know why we only have 40 subs either!
So its a knock of Cinesaddle?
same exorbitant price to.
@@D3CONd The Essential one is below 150$ tho W/ shipping.
I use my bagpack 😂. I never knew they made an actual product that can be used on set
Cinesaddle! Been around for 20 years.
Yeah but they are almost TWICE the a$$ Raping price as these pillows. Just NOT professional looking imo. I would never have my rig lying around in some non-stable pillow..nope😂
@@D3CONd Yeah, checked out and its been copies so many time, its now a matter of how well the copies have been made. 😃
As a 6’7” shooter, shoulder rigs are too high. These type of saddle bags are perfect and adjustable enough to be flexible.
Yes!! I find that shoulder height is good for some things but not everything. I think there's a visual feedback bias, where camera folks think to look like a camera person you have to match the silhouette of a clipart image of 70's TV camera operator, lol. Thank you for representing tall filmmakers!
Nowadays many TV people shoot from hip up (low angle shot) because they have a small camera 😂 Nothing wrong with it in telling a story but in the news and such it's often more natural to see what you'd see if you were there live.
200 dollars without a rat inside a bag? you must be joking
😂
Smaller rigs make so many things simpler, every pound of camera weight brings along 5lbs of accessories, go smaller, simplify everything.
As someone who used to shoot with this philosophy, I'd like to respectfully disagree. A larger rig can really simplify your rig in certain ways, particularly with power solutions. A larger rig can allow you to use fewer battery types. I run pretty much on v-mount only. One battery for everything.
Heavier rigs are also so much easier to shoot steady handheld footage with. Wanna remove micro jitters? Try shooting a 17lb cam like this.
i often shoot my own Canon C70 at a similar weight. The rigs I build weigh that much because the functionality of the components I've added actually make shooting simpler.
I like both (heavy rigs + simple rigs) and for different reasons and filming scenarios. As a cinematographer, I've been building rigs for almost 15 years - adding weight has usually made for better footage. Also, having worked with an Arri 16SR3 HS, there's nothing lightweight about it, even with minimal accessories lol. When I'm doing photography or e-commerce video, I keep everything as small as possible, stripped down, lean but stabilized with a handle or camera straps. We'll cover a few more rig types in our Part 2 video and we've got something special planned for early next year. Thanks for commenting!
Thanks for adding to the discussion! The best part about cinematography is coming up the with rig that helps the story, AND makes the day, when you're team is trying to knock 10-12 pages a day. Often I see cinema builds for movies that are massive (35 - 65lbs) or stereo rigs (forget it) but that's what dollys are for, along with cranes, russian arms, trinity(s), steadicams, etc.
For anyone in the space of considering a Steady Bag, I think it's about creating more onset options for the operator, AC, or the one-person crew. Maybe a gimbal doesn't solve every filming scenario, same way a tripod can't do it all either. On a given day, I might start off with a big zoom oriented rig, then step over to a minimal primes setup, then to a gimbal, then to handheld on shoulder, then to a Steady Bag where I can support all those filming styles.
Obviously different use cases have different requirements, if you’re on a set and capturing all day some bile script, sure battery and solidity top pocket-ability and all day walk-around capability.
The camera is a tool, use the appropriate kit for your use case.
At the end of the day its the Content which matters most, if what you shoot in 8k 16bit raw is trash, who gives a shit how nice the color is.
The motion picture can turn a man who knows nothing into an explorer who can take on any task, i love film makers who teach things which make the world more capable, in any capacity. Lots of pros with lots of gear shooting death and nonsense has a usefulness value of -X amount.
All that matters is the story you tell, thats the only objective that will last through history. Everyone and there mother makes youtube content, a pro that makes commercials to sell product people dont actually need is never going to produce what a Auteur like Orson Welles could.
A giant rig also requires a second human and as i said in the beginning, for every 1lb of CameraBody and LensGlass you deem necessary, you need to carry 5x to support it properly, including second person probably in the case of a studio shoot.
“It’s a toolbox, you put the tools to do the job in the box.”
Get paid more, then bring more tools to justify the cost is the usual DP mentality in my experience.
Make Great Films, thats all that matters, picture and sound is secondary to the Story you’re delivering to your audience.
The price is right but I’m still v skeptical about the long term ergonomics. 🧐
The Steady Bag, for me, has been a good in-between; it fits nicely in the mix of handheld (on shoulder or usually holding the dead camera weight), tripod, gimbal, and easy rig, but at the end of the day, these all are just options, and all with respective trade-offs.
The case I would make for why I use and love my steady bag, has more to do with how much utility I get from this particular option. It's fast to setup and get going, is uncomplicated, has become a fixture in our house (when not on gigs) and works well for my style of operating.
In our upcoming Part 2, I'll point a few things to help someone get the most out of their steady bag, but in short, using one has helped me pay more attention to bad ergonomics in my typical way of operating. Also, I've been using this for nearly a year and it's helped to reduce my shoulder and joint pain. Everything adds up, especially as an elder millennial 😅.
Great tool, but wouldn’t use it shooting from the hip most times. The level is too low. These bags are worthwhile though.
For the work we do it's usually mixed coverage but this camera height is ideal for lifestyle footage, establishing wides, e-commerce video, etc. - best part about the V3 straps is how quickly you can adjust the camera height to your preferred operating position. We'll have more tips and techniques covering this in our Part 2 video. Thanks for commenting!
My saddle bag isn’t as cool as this lol
OMG lost me at that price tag…I can only imagine that being that RICH must be awesome.
The Essential Rat Bag for 149$ at B&H is not that terrible to be honest.... But it's out of stock atm...
@@Erdoscotto be fair you get an easyrig for a thousand … and that is much more than a foamy bag.
What the hell. 150 euro for something that a stromg strap can do is not cool, also that rig is wayyy too expensive to trust a foambag or a strap with it. This is why easyrig exists and we all know once you have an expensive rig there are no cheap accessories because you just dont trust the cheap alternatives.
We've gotten this comment a lot so I'll share my thoughts more thoroughly:
In the video it's discussed that this is a collection of methods for using this type of stabilization but it doesn't replace every solution out there.
That being said, it is better than other alternatives like DIY steady bags, etc.
We used them in tandem with Easyrigs, since these steady bags, like most, work best for mostly stationary filming, where you move into a position and are able to do small orbits, float, or add a little motion to your shot; all without having to support the full weight on your forearms, back, and shoulders; it's distributed, making the weight of the rig you're using part of the stabilizing equation.
Easyrigs are great for a ton of things but are also, for the weight of my rig, prohibitively expensive, especially when going with a brand name. Configuring an Easyrig to support up to 25lbs can easily cost $3k, that's 10x the price of the most expensive Focus Rat and that's before accessories.
This industry creates opportunities to streamline and make more efficient and ergonomic, the rigors of working in film and video production. Options are a good thing. This means that a filmmaker at any level, now has access to a broader range of tools to improve their craft.
As to the price and make quality, these are premium materials with precision crafting. This isn't a sponsored placement either, though we were provided with a steady bag, our opinions are our own.
Another feature, to answer why choose Focus Rat? They offer custom branding, which is great for small crews and production houses that want to brand their BTS. Alternatives like Cinesaddle are original to the space and unique in their offering but are also heavily self-branded. The materials used are identical in quality but Focus Rat provides a little more value and a broader range of options and colorways.
I trust the Focus Rat steady bag with the full weight of my rig and rental equipment. Like anything you use on set, you test it. I've tested these for nearly a year and with rigs small and large. For my preference, I wouldn't build anything larger than 20-24lbs given its weight you still have to support. That covers an Angenieux 25 - 250, with Z-Cam, motors, focus handles, monitor and V-mount, and all used for documentary capture, but can easily support an FX3 with prime lens and monitor.
I can't wait to try out some other sizes and work with smaller rigs too, but for the work I've done recently, the rigs have been built for solo operating and focus pulling.
Focus Rat isn't a cheap brand by any means. They back their product and have a fun image that drew us in. When I look at the investments I've made into gear, this would barely factor against how much I've spent on a single monitor or the 100's of cage and rig components you end up acquiring when you buy a camera, even a cheap alternative camera has these operating costs. But I've never doubted those investments and look to invest in a higher-end camera and lens package, all of which bring the associated costs of a Rat Bag into perspective.
Thanks for commenting.