Official Automotive Rigs - DIY Thread

I was never happy with this shot but inspired by another dark and moody edit I had seen, I had another try at it tonight. Much happier with how it ended up!

Also included the shot straight OOC for comparison!

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/EiX7​sK

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/DTGc​gK

Oh. Hell. Yes!!!!! Dude, everything about that shot is fantastic!!!

Moustache at the ready for this Ferrari 328 GTS

Nice one man, that red really pops against the blue. Love me some old-school 3-series Ferrari, and love Magnum P.I. as well!

Setup questions

OK, all my rig parts are ready to go. I had a DIY rig made of PVC and it was sh*t. I understand all the camera setup but how do you judge where and how to balance the rig? How do you determine where to place the suction cups and how the boom is placed in the rig?

adigitalart wrote in post #17919162
Setup questions

OK, all my rig parts are ready to go. I had a DIY rig made of PVC and it was sh*t. I understand all the camera setup but how do you judge where and how to balance the rig? How do you determine where to place the suction cups and how the boom is placed in the rig?

Always install the cup near a seam, an edge, or a corner. Then try for a 10-ft spread between the cups. Remember, the less you have hanging out in front of the front cup, the better. What is above the cups literally doesn't matter. It could be made out of steel, many of the early one are. What's in FRONT of the front cup is all that matters, so the spread becomes super important.

https://www.facebook.c​om …39.211454075617​628&type=3

I would tell you to search all BTS rig shots, but there are a lot of guys doing really dangerous things. I've never understood it really, the shot isn't worth the possibility of damaging the car and/or your equipment. Also, like photography, rigging isn't a poor man's sport, so if you can't do it right yourself, or buy a kit that's done right, don't even bother, it's not worth the risk IMO.

Right, I bought most of my rig from you besides the super clamps and magic arm that I already owned.

VisualEchos wrote in post #17899594
1 Magic arm, yes, but get the MA143A, it has the camera platform on it

I have the 143A (purchased from you), but I also used the 244 once before and I found it MUCH easier to get the camera locked in at the right position. With the 143A the cam lock makes it so that you have to kind of hold a floating camera in place while you flip a lever and hope everything stays in the same spot. Which is usually moves just a hair and then requires some adjustment (at least for me). The 244 seemed easier to tighten down while keeping it in the exact same spot. I see that it costs a hair more.

What are your thoughts on these two? I'd be very interested in switching if it only cost me the $20 difference, but I fear the 143A will be a bit tough to find a buyer for since it doesn't seem like a real commonly used item in the photography world.

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …_143A_Magic_Arm​_with.html

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …iable_Friction_​Magic.html

The reason I like the one with the arm is because I never had to adjust it, and when I did, it was just by a little bit, so I never unlocked it. I was always trying to make it as straight as possible so I could get the camera further away from the boom. I don't even use a magic arm anymore, haven't for years, I use a 30" extension so I can make it easier on myself in editing. Either of the magic arms you listed will work, I just prefer the one with the arm.

I tried to find this lens... it's almost like it doesn't exist.
Ken Rockwell said they should be about $200 they are in the $300 price shipped from Japan.
There is only one for Nikon. If i find one for $200 i would get it in a heart beat and get rid of my UWA.

Here's 2 from a recent photoshoot for Klutch Wheels

Nikon D750, 20mm f1.8

10s, f7.1, ISO 200, CPL,ND64

Dude, that first shot is money!! The second one has some distortion issues, as well as looking crunched. You need to tell me about your shots when you make them so I can share them properly!

Thanks Andrew!! The more and more I looked at the image the more it bugged me so I actually ended up fixing the distortion on the second image. The first version however, already went to Instagram :/ .