2007Brackets/Widgets forum
Using Brant's VLS bracket to enable inverted camera mounting when a monitor cannot flip the image
19 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- The VLS bracket can support mounting a camera upside-down on a Steadicam to obtain an upright image when using adapters that invert the image into the camera
- Inverting the entire camera setup avoids the need to flip the image in post-production, saving a rendering step
- Inverting the camera setup means on-set monitors do not need to be flipped for viewers to see a correct image
- When a camera is mounted inverted, accessing camera buttons and menus becomes difficult even for operators familiar with that camera model
- The VLS bracket was designed with substantial mounting hardware suitable for supporting a camera by the bracket rather than relying on the camera's plastic handle
Depends on
- The inverted setup was tested with an HVX200 and RedRock M2 adapter combination but not comprehensively tested with other camera or adapter combinations
- Some concern was raised about potential optical alignment issues when the lens bends under the inverted camera's weight, though testing showed acceptable results in this one instance
- The solution applies specifically to scenarios where the external monitor lacks an image flip feature
- Operating with an inverted camera without focus gear adapters for still-camera lenses is significantly more difficult