I agree if you can get by with less.. that is best, but after 6 years I have found many rig configurations are not "what they seem" or "what works for you", It is my honest opinion that you need a few years
of buying rig-lits (bits and pieces) to get the setup that works with you, I have found the less I need to fumble around with my rig the happier I am on any shoot, and the faster my setup times are.
This is a time in low-budget independent filmmaking where "Time" is of the essence, and literally minutes count, therefore my rig is quickly configurable and affordable.
If I told you how much I obtained all the parts for my rig (hundreds below retail)I could write a book and it would be a best seller. It is in the years of trying every rig known to man that I ended on this one, It is not for everyone, it is built for me and how I like to work period.
There are rigs that cost thousands more than mine and are awesome, but with the low cost of the BMCC My rig dollar for dollar fits perfectly.
They key to any shoulder rig is getting the camera as close to "Above your shoulder" as possible
and the grips as close to your chin/chest as possible, Trust me you will not enjoy long shoots if your
reaching far forward with arms extended for long periods of time, crunch/compact your rig as close to you as possible, I hope that makes sense.
I'll post pics soon of the two extremes to show what I'm talking about .
If you take any advice from my rig, please look at the Manfrotto 394 rc4 Low Profile QR Plates they are awesome for just a few dollars more or less than the manfrotto rapid connect mounting plate
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/control ... &A=detailsCheers.