About the EXMount

The EXMount concept was born sometime around the end of 2008 when I bought my first EX-3 camera.  I run Jimmy Jibs and a Glidecam X-45 system.  Mounting the EX-3 on these was a bit of a pain - especially when the EX-3 has a large heavy 2/3" wide-angle lens on the front of it!  How do you balance it?

 

The very first version of the EXMount was a couple of pieces of aluminium channel bolted together - with the wedge plate and stopper on the bottom which would mount to the VCT-14 plate - crude, but it worked!  But it only held the camera by that 1/4" thread - and didn't prevent the camera from twisting on the mount.

What about operating on the shoulder?  Not so comfortable.  So, version 2 had a shoulder pad.  But that EX-3 viewfinder is so long and while it was useable in handheld/shoulder mode, the viewfinder felt uncomfortably close - jammed up against the eye.

 

 Evolution of the EXMount

 

I had a few key requirements for the mount I wanted to make:

  1. Compact - something that could be left on the camera, but could also be removed easily.
  2. Attach to the camera securely in 3 places, prevent 'twisting' and protect the camera base.
  3. Utilise the VCT-14 style of tripod baseplate - to make it easy for mounting the camera to jibs, steadicams, pan & tilt heads etc.
  4. Power the camera from a large standard battery - which would also provide balance when on the shoulder.
  5. Allow other accessories - ie mattbox systems, radio receivers, lockit boxes, nanoflash recorders etc to be attached to the mount.
  6. Look good!

 

EXMount front ends - hot off the mill 

EXMount front ends - hot off the mill

 

About this time, I started talking to my brother Mike, who is an engineer - to see what could be done.  We hit on the idea of a moving shoulder pad.  In its forward position, the rear stopper would engage to the tripod plate and keep the camera/mount secure - and minimise its overall length.  In the rear position, the viewfinder would be at a more comfortable position while operating on the shoulder.

Along the way, a few other features have been added - the Side Accessory Plate, BNC connectors - with a few more to come.

Its been a long process - somehow everything always seems to take longer than you expect.  But the EXMount is finally here!

Mark

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EXMount with 23x HD lens & Chrosziel Mattbox

EXMount with 23x HD lens & Chrosziel Mattbox