I love the GH4 but I’ve always had a thing for the C100. The beauty of the C100 is that you really don’t need anything but a lens and a mic to get started. Audio is great, you have built in ND and that top handle makes shooting a dream.
While we can’t add built in ND filters to our cameras, we can make build a modded rig to create a mini C100 with almost any DSLR or mirror-less camera.
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What You Need
- Your Camera – I’m using the GH4 but you could conceivably use any camera.
- Cage (Check out my A7s Cage list or the GH4 cage list).
- Wooden Camera Nato Handle
- 19mm Rod Sleeve and Screw
- JuicedLink Micro Preamp
- OPTIONAL: Shotgun Mic (I like the Rode VideoMic Pro)
How to Build a Mini C100
Here are the steps build the modded rig for the GH4. Be sure to watch the video above for more details and instructions.
1. Cage the GH4
Any cage will do. Just make sure it has a flat top and at least two 1/4″ threads in a row for the nato rail.
2. Add a Nato Handle
Attach the nato rail and nato handle. I try to attach mine as far forward on the cage as possible. This way, when you rotate the handle the weight of the camera isn’t too far off to one side.
3. Attach Preamp with Bolt on 19mm Rod
This step is pretty simple. Add the 19mm rod onto the cent of the preamp and attach it to the Nato Handle as shown in the video.
4. Add Microphone of Choice (Optional)
I used a Rode VideoMic Pro, but you could just run an XLR cable to the preamp. A small shotgun is great for mobile shooting and b-roll capture.
What do you guys think of this setup? How have you rigged your GH4 for video?