Enter The Third
I arrived home today to the smallest of Smallrig handles, the 2821 mini top handle.
This one will hopefully be the side handle for my cage. The Niceyrig has a double row of off-set 1/4” holes on the left side of the Pana cage, so my plan is to mount this handle in the normal orientation, but angled slightly down on the back end to make a very handy, but small profile side handle-bar usable from any angle* and rest it on my wrist while focussing. Sans camera, it feels very nice.
I have avoided a standard side handle, because they are really only good for holding to the front, not low or high.
The whole foot is a floating 35mm long screw chamber, so finding suitable holes should not be an issue. if the angle does not work, I will mount it at right angles which will push it forward slightly.
Dwarfed by the current favourite for top handle duties the 1446b, the tiny 2821 seems almost pointless, but it comfortably fits my larger than average hands and is strong enough to take the weight of the whole rig when changing grips etc. The 1446b has one of the better ball heads mounted for screen duties.
The mounting point of this little handle is centred enough so the handle should not interfere with screen operation (ed. It does a little), but I have options on the cage, so I can be flexible here. The rear of the handle is actually closer to the centre than the front.
All just fairly pointless speculation at this point until the cage comes, but feeling good so far :).
*The idea is to have two contact points at all times.
Top handle and side from above.
Main and side handle/lens from behind or below.
Top and main handle from above.