Universal Cinema Camera Box

[Matt_E_Video]

Hi All!

New to the forum so I thought I'd share with you the project that I'm working on. I'm a videographer and I shoot mainly with the blackmagic pocket cinema camera as can be see http://tinyurl.com/halkabz.

The sensor in this camera is fantastic, stunning in fact. The issues I have with it are the form factor, battery life and audio, all of which are very poor for shooting. I have decided to create something that addresses all of those issues. Project cine, as I've dubbed it, is a box that the camera mounts too that turns it into a more friendly form factor for filming including audio preamps and also battery power.

Smallrig have sponsored the build and supplied all the metalwork needed to finish it which is fantastic!

The audio preamps will come from the saramonic smartrig which I am in the process of disassembling (also the reason for joining this forum).

This was the concept render for the idea.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8yDqKXMwneSV0xuUklUNkh3SG8/view?usp=sharing

Its designed to be as flexible as possible.

Now I havent much experience with electronics but I am learning a lot quickly so its good to have another set of eyes look over the project. I have begun to modify the saramonic. I have stripped it out of its casing and desoldered the 9v battery contacts replacing it with wires that lead to a 9v contact pad so that the battery can be moved. The next step is to desolder the xlr connection and replace it with a metal one on wires. That is not a problem. I am currently looking at moving and replacing the switch. Its an ON OFF ON Switch as can be seen here

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8yDqKXMwneSQ3huWDQzdXhzaTg/view?usp=sharing

I could not see the bottom of the board until I had desoldered the 9v pads and before I did that I picked up this toggle switch that I hoped to replace the switch with.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8yDqKXMwneSSU90NmhqY2pxR1U/view?usp=sharing

However once desoldering and looking at the bottom of the board its clear that the switch on the board has 8 pins not 6 with 2 of the 8 staggered from the other 6

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8yDqKXMwneScTVVUmdtQUx6eDg/view?usp=sharing

Presuming that switch wouldnt work I have now ordered this which has the same pin layout.

http://tinyurl.com/h7rcwwc

I presume this will now work?

Also the potentiometer which can be seen below it. That needs to be replaced and moved, for that I've ordered this (50K stereo logarithmic)

http://tinyurl.com/hxs22qw

I think I have the pin order for the potentiomter on the board but if anyone has any other ideas that would be appreciated.

Many thanks,
Matt

[rx8pilot]

Aren't there are thousand of these rigs out there already? I got out of the small camera accessory business because it was so ridiculously crowded. On top of that, anyone that comes up with a good idea suffers from 10 other companies copying within a week at a lower cost.

Is this project just for fun and learning? I will say that I had a great 10 year run designing and manufacturing custom camera systems (generally for full size motion picture cameras like Sony F35's, F65's, ARRI, RED, etc).

[Matt_E_Video]

Aren't there are thousand of these rigs out there already? I got out of the small camera accessory business because it was so ridiculously crowded. On top of that, anyone that comes up with a good idea suffers from 10 other companies copying within a week at a lower cost.

Is this project just for fun and learning? I will say that I had a great 10 year run designing and manufacturing custom camera systems (generally for full size motion picture cameras like Sony F35's, F65's, ARRI, RED, etc).

Theres thousands of rigs, but they require all these individual parts to be disassembled to use in different configs, this is designed to turn small form factor cameras into production machines meaning they can have minimal parts changed moving rig to rig. This project is just for my use and enjoyment, I have no means of manufacturing to sell. I am simply making a product I cannot buy to use.

Coming from the industry, if you have any suggestions let me know thanks