I recently discovered the over priced, over hyped thing that are “cinebags” or similar.
I got excited, really excited, then I took a step back and had a broader look at the phenomenon.
Sure, they have their uses, when you are running a big enough rig that hand holding for long periods is unrealistic, but too small to warrant a full Flycam rig or similar, something like a mirrorless with extra screen and battery option, maybe an FX6 as is, but not a full TV camera kit.
I was keen but there are things that put me off. They are a huge bag of well, nothing really, that has to be included in an already large kit. They are bulky to use and to be honest a little odd to look at. I don’t have the all day need they are designed for, I do need however desire the stability they add.
So “starting from the beginning square” as the Japanese would say, I looked at it from the core of the issue, stability, security-support in that order. Getting some weight mitigation and finding the three-point shape that provides hand holdable steadiness.
During my searches, I re-discovered an old friend, the Op-tech strap.
The Op-tech strap dates back to I think the 80’s, a combination of neoprene and elastic designed to take the weight of heavy bags. I had one fr years, used in conjunction with a Domke F2 strap, the Op-tech just a little shorter than the original strap, the two coinciding at about the same tension, creating a “weightless” feel, but at the time, I did not use bags professionally, so it was rarely needed.
What it adds is a “support triangle” or three contact points, just like the cinebag and also some security. It does not have the same weight distribution, but that is not needed, stability is all.
The S5, BMVA 5”, a set of rails with a V-mount battery holder, top and (optional) side handles and a chest pad gives me a balanced and comfortable rig with many useful shooting angles, all supported by the strap.
Big plus is it cost me $40au as opposed to $400 and I can now see the value.
They are slicker and less bouncy than previous versions, something I appreciate. The old one could get pretty gamey when you ran with it and I was always wary of its longevity (quite long as it goes). The modern version is more rigid and conservative in design, but plenty.
Still a support triangle, but far less bulky.
To be honest, I am embarrassed how obvious this is.
Holding that rig without a strap was never ideal. It required both hands and my full attention, while making changing settings difficult. It needed that third contact point and a feeling of safe support, something that a strap could provide, but lack of decent options probably made it too hard and subconsciously rejected.
When done it just made so much sense.