A Wooden Camera Universal Hot Shoe + Redrock Micro microSpud = shoeSpud.A small addendum to my post on Monday, Canon C300 Mark II. I added one more piece to the handle after getting a couple more bits in today. I call it the shoeSpud. It’s made from Wooden Camera’s Universal Hot Shoe and a Redrock Micro microSpud. Adding it to the NATO Handle Plus allows for two more mounting points of a Canon C300 Mark I or Mark II’s monitor unit.
The shoeSpud mounts the C300 Mark II’s monitor on the forward end of the handle. The screen can be up, as seen here, or flipped down 180 degrees. Princeton, NJ. March, 2017. Another option is to rotate the handle 180 degrees. The shoeSpud now faces back and the monitor unit can be mounted vertically. This gives full access to all of the monitor unit’s controls. Princeton, NJ. March, 2017. Reverse angle of shoeSpud facing back. Princeton, NJ. March, 2017.I have seen a few similar commercially made cold shoe to 15mm rod combos online but with each it is not clear if they can fit the C300 monitor unit’s oversized foot or if they are robust enough to handle the weight of the monitor unit. I know from experience that Wooden Camera’s Universal Hot Shoe fits C300 Mark I and Mark II monitor units and that it can also take the C300 Mark I monitor unit’s locking pin. Add to this, that the Redrock Micro microSpud at 1″ long is a good length for attaching to the handle.
To make the shoeSpud, unscrew the knurled retaining ring from the microSpud. Holding the spud with a wrench, you can add a cloth between the wrench and the spud to minimize scratching, insert a ⅛” Allen wrench into the microSpud’s open end and unscrew the ¼-20″ post from the spud.
With the threaded post removed you can now screw the Universal Hot Shoe to the spud. I recommend using a dab of Loctite. And voilà! You know have a shoeSpud. Insert that into the 15mm hole of the NATO Handle Plus and secure the shoeSpud with Wooden Camera’s small lockdown screw and another dab of Loctite.
The shoeSpud in the NATO Handle Plus with the lockdown screw visible. Princeton, NJ. March, 2017. The shoeSpud in action. Princeton, NJ. March, 2017.A Redrock Micro microSpud is $8.00 at B&H. The Wooden Camera Universal Hot Shoe is $35.00.
