Video has some cool stuff.

Stills shooters use cameras (boooooring-just joking), videographers use very cool “Rigs”.

My “rig” has a few considerations that I think may be able to be balanced, at least I hope so.

• It needs to be small enough to be on most of the time (not keen to be assembling-disassembling it constantly),

• it needs to handle a non-rig feel, as well as the benefits of a rig when needed,

• it has to be versatile enough to take a variety of accessories.

The Cage

Smallrig makes a dedicated G9 cage, but for half the price and I think a more versatile option, I have gone with the Niceyrig. It takes any Panasonic (possibly even an Oly at a pinch), has a second cold-shoe and more real estate on the top and side bars. I may even employ this as a C-type cage using the right hand handle obstruction free, but that depends on cage stability.

Top Handle

You really need one. These add several angle options and centre the camera when shooting one handed. They also usually add cold shoe slots with some depth, which for me will help accommodate a bulky Zoom mic.

They are useless for high shots and make a rig quite tall, which may limit bag options, but otherwise, they tend to stay out of the way. I have the 2094c for hot-shoe mounting, but will now be cold-shoe adapter mounted on the cage (or used straight on a smaller camera). At first this was a pain, but on second thoughts, it provides a quicker mounting-dismounting dynamic than the usual screw in handle.

I also have the 1446 screw-in handle on the way (which was super cheap). This will give me the option of a lower profile, rubberised and securely screw mounted handle. I think this will feel safer for shooting from vehicles etc.

Side Handle

I do not see the point of a right hand handle, as the camera, designed by experts, comes with an excellent one and it is properly placed to reach all the buttons and dials!

The left hand gave me some trouble at first. The natural way to hold a camera when focussing on the actual lens is to cradle it underneath or reach down from above. The former is prone to becoming uncomfortable with a big, blocky side handle sticking out.

This type of handle is really only designed for forward holding at waist to chest height unless you get an adjustable Arri-rosette style (bulky and not instantly changeable). What if you want the camera lower or higher than that?

I may have a solution with the Smallrig 2821 mini handle, attached to the left side of the cage (which has 2 rows of off-set screw holes). This may be set at a 30-45 degree angle down and back or up and forward or just at 90 degrees straight on. I will experiment depending on the screens movements and how it feels on.

This should offer several benefits;

• a protective bumper for the left side and screen,

• a contact point on my left arm for passive stabilising while cradling the lens and focussing,

• something to hold when changing hands or using the right hand for other duties,

• a handle that can be held straight on, from above (stabilising the top handle) or from underneath for high shooting, providing something a little substantial.

This is a relatively small, smoothly rounded handle, not even providing a cold-shoe slot or a solid grip with a big camera, but for this application, it will hopefully be ideal.

Bottom Handle?

Bit out there, but I will explore the benefits, if there are any, of a long handle o n the bottom of the camera (1446). I have a spare and the bottom bumper-bar idea appeals, as does the hand rest while focussing, but it really just may not work and I have never seen it done!

Cold Shoes And Accessories

These are always handy. The rig has two, the 2094c has one up front and one back, the 1446 has one and the cheap Ulanzi T-Bar can make one into three. Depth can be an issue, so the slightly front of body top handle and rig ones are good to have.

My possible needs are;

• a Zoom H5 or H1n with their own mic capsules (one is a long shotgun),

• a Zoom H5 or H1n as pre-amp for a 3.5 mic (boomed or LAV),

• a Zoom H5 as XLR interface to up to 2 studio condensers and possibly a capsule or 3.5 (mics run out to stands or boomed),

• a small shotgun mic for run and gun (and backup sound),

• a light or two,

• a monitor (???).

The Zooms are mostly static options, so the Ulanzi will be fit on somewhere and handle what ever combination is needed, even mounting them sideways or reversed depending on the application.

The monitor thing is vexing.

Not sure I need one just for me. They impress clients, help with large production framing and give valuable breathing room for large stand-off or shoulder rigs, but the entire dynamic of my kit would change. This is one of those things that will have to earn its place in a minimalist kit and my gut thinks it will not. I have addressed the bright day issue with a soft hood for the existing screen and screen size does not bother me.

A camera mounted light would be a desperation move, but I may be desperate, and I have one at hand.

I figure two cold shoes will handle most needs (cage and top handle offer four), three to four when mounted on a tripod with more comprehensive sound needed (T-bar brings it up to six with three”up-front”).

Next week the bulk should be here, so a single image will answer my question, which is;

How big a rig is big enough, but not too big?