An extremely low-profile, two-axis gimbal connects the shoulder pad and dovetail, allowing fore/aft linear as well as pan/roll adjustments. By simply adjusting the angle, the weight of the camera package can settle into a very stable equilibrium with a level horizon and low CG (center of gravity), making frame-tips after directional changes a thing of the past.

The Mantis also offsets the pan-axis angle of the shoulder pad relative to the camera so that the LOS (line of sight) of both operator and camera become perfectly parallel, eliminating neck and torso twisting or side-stepping. The adjustments are so easy that they can be tweaked between takes. And you can go from tripod to handheld in just 20 seconds.

Element Technica’s handheld rig uses standard bicycle-style grips on rosette-mounted handles. These include a home for the ViewFactor Origo remote start/stop button and are connected to the rosette crossbar with telescopic handle extensions that come in two size ranges: large (8” to 14” in length) and small (4” to 7.5” in length).

The crossbar at the front of the dovetail is adjustable side to side as well as rotationally, and the clamp that holds it in place can support a fully loaded ARRICAM with 1,000 feet of film and a 5:1 zoom. For those who prefer a more traditional approach, the rosette crossbar and clamp can be quickly removed from the dovetail and attached to a universal mount on the iris rods.

Mantis is designed specifically for ARRIFLEX-style bridge plates (435, ARRICAM, Moviecam, Phantom, etc.) and available as a system or a la carte.