Matthew Bennett DIY Electronic Viewfinder and Grip Box.

by jared1September 1^st, 2010

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Matthew Bennett hooked me with this killer video about his DIY EVF (Electronic Viewfinder) and camera rig. His “Grip Box” is made of wood. We really dig this DIY kind of gear. One of the coolest things about HDSLR’s is how inventive the community surrounding it is.

Here is Matthew’s break down in his own words.

“I created this rig because I wanted a few things I couldn’t find with most mattebox/balanced shoulder rig setups.

1. They were too long in the back. I often shoot in cramped spaces and want to be able to back up all the way to a wall if need be. I hate the thought of a weighted extension swinging around behind me that I can’t see. Also, I just generally like the look of a stubby rig.

2. I wanted the camera to sit back a bit and use an EVF for a finder. That way I can adjust to almost any position for low mode shots, etc. Also I can gain stability this way.

3. I wanted to try out a sturdy, bashable mattebox with big grips on the side. I often operate with my hands on the sides of the mattebox, I find it gives me a nice feeling of stability and just.. well, feels right. It feels like you’re holding the shot in your hands. So I thought why not try to make a mattebox with actual gripping surfaces. I created a one-off prototype to try out the concept, and this was the result. Verdict.. fun and a very tactile experience when operating!

Now yes I know it’s not really a mattebox because you can’t drop in filters… so I just call it a ‘gripbox’.

4. I wanted a handheld rig that I could literally eject the camera from – with this, it pops out the side in a second.

Here’s a list of the gear I used:

DIY items:

Gripbox, EVF construction, Shoulder pad

Gear:

15mm rods

Zacuto + Redrock rod clamps

Zacuto follow focus

Zacuto Riser plate

Manfrotto accessory plate

IKAN 2.5 inch lcd

IKAN panasonic battery adapter

Hoodman houdloupe

Canon 7D

Tamron 17-50 VC

Redrock focus gears

Zacuto grips

2.5 lb weight”