Rigging is like legos for adults, its easy to get carried away with it I definitely recommend putting time into thinking about how it rigs out before shoots, better to trial and error it when you have down time and not when in a rush on set But its also important to keep it simple, at a certain point you deck a camera out to be more trouble than its worth..if its holding you back then you've gone too far Currently the most I use my camera for is shooting a youtubers videos and her style is typically very controlled and locked down on sticks, so my rig is pretty decked out with dual 7" recorders, a wireless feed, a follow focus, and a vmount but it's totally impractical for just about anything that isnt locked down in a studio Gotta build it out for what the job requires And there is nothing wrong with keeping it super slimmed down, mirrorless cameras can still be amazing with nothing but a lens and a filter
Story of my life. I practically bought everything. From expensive side handles, mattebox, Ninja V, different ND filters, drones, and three closets filled with accessories that I no longer need. And I am not into professional work. I just shoot for pleasure, mostly family trips. Shit that I don't need. Now I have trimmed down my setup. Use the Tilta top flag instead of the mattebox for simplicity, it's easy to attach and detach. My ninja v remains useful, because I have terrible eyesight. It's crazy how RUclips merchants help market things to that you think you need but absolutely don't. Sold most of my lens and just left three boxes of my vintage lens collections. Hopefully, the price will appreciate more and those too will go.
Yeah big investment, definitely kills the vibe for a family event fully rigged out, I guess that’s my purpose for having two cameras I can switch between..
I agree, I started down that path and then took a step back . Just learning better skills to pan better with a tripod instead of buying a $800 geared pan head has taught me a lot. I’m taking it slow, only buy what I absolutely need.
Hey man just wanted to say great video, especially the audio, I wish I could get mine so clean sounding LOL. As far as making a camera rig I found making my videos it's been pretty helpful just filming different types of videos. I like making car videos the most and found a setup that works great for that. When I'm filming videos at home I find I don't need most of the stuff and actually better without in some instances. The quick release plates are great and I can pick and choose what I want in a matter of a couple minutes.
I think the problem is that unless you're on a set, you don't really need to rig out your camera. Most mirrorless cameras have everything you need right on the camera. And it's not really difficult to put filters on your lenses, it's just a few seconds to screw them on. And it's not that difficult to carry three or four batteries, and just swap out your battery real quick. I think people get completely consumed with gear, but they never think of actually making art. Or even if they are looking to do corporate work, or weddings, or stuff like that, they just create this gigantic barrier of getting the exact gear that they think they need to do these things that they will probably never do because they actually need this distraction to stop them from actually using their camera that has incredible capability just all by itself. I think this is a great video, because I think it will make people think, why am I even thinking about rigging up my camera? :-) Most monitors are really good on these new cameras, it's so easy to put an inexpensive microphone right on the cold shoe or hot shoe on the top of your camera, or use an inexpensive lavalier mic plugged into something like a zoom h1n, or grab something like a hollyland lark max for just over $100 if you just get one channel, I think this is all distraction keeping people from doing what they're really afraid of actually doing. Telling stories. Great video, thanks so much for sharing.
Rock thanks for taking the time to break it down, The why is important, but not always clear especially if you have tunnel vision, solving one problem leads to another, but It was and still is fun to tinker, but I need to be careful and not let it distract me from the bigger goals.. Thanks for sharing..
I recommend looking into magnetic filter rings I have a bunch of Xume rings on all of my filters so I can just pop them on and off without screwing Been using them for years, it has saved me sooo much time
Sometimes it feels like rigging cameras is an activity that is completely disjointed from actually working with video. It's fun, but it's an incredibly inefficient way to make a mirrorless camera do stuff that true video cameras do out of the box. All your gripes come from the fact that you're using a mirrorless camera. Even more accessible true video cameras like a Sony FS5 don't have those issues. You can use both LCD and external monitor, buttons on the side that don't get blocked, long battery life, no rigging required.
Great video! Funnily enough I'm working on a C70 rig video at the moment! One of things I'm showing is the Mic and Monitor being used at the same time, made me chuckle when you said about most RUclips videos not showing that!
Great video! Something i recently learned from watching Curren Sheldon is that matteboxes really are most useful on full blown cinema rigs and ive realized for myself that i probably dont need one and i should just stick with my screw on nd and as for glare issues a lens hood could work for that or could go full diy and strap a piece of paper or cardboard on or maybe 3D print something if your feeling fancy lmao
Great video. Learning our own equipment is key. When you rig your camera it’s like a new camera. On jobs a rig is sometimes for me required, I need to weigh my camera down because I have no IBIS. V mount battery is important which is honestly the main reason I’m rigged out the matte box is for outdoor use for me when with clients. These are tools and you use your tools to get the job done. In my experience I having a rigged out camera with clients is important because you set a standard. It’s like a suit to an interview especially if they have gotten video work done before. Lastly you do what makes the job easier for you. If You have snow tires when it snows put the snow tires on!! I keep my cage on my camera because I do both video and stills long rant but great topic and points!!
Thanks Joseph, yeah it’s a lot to keep in mind but I’m on the Journey, a lot more rigs and equipment to learn and test out… Thanks for your thoughts appreciate it..
If you remove the side handle on the right side and use the actual camera's grip then you'll be able to reach the buttons. I had the same issue you described of not being able to reach custom buttons because of the cage above the grip, but I got a rhinoceros cage from Smallrig without that part, which solved that issue for me. It also makes the grip bigger if you need that to replace the side handle I recommended that you remove. Personally, I use a clean feed to my monitor and then fold my screen to the side of the v mount batter when I'm not using it. The extra step of folding it out to view settings or touch to track autofocus is annoying but I find it to be acceptable since the monitor gives me a bigger brighter screen over the one on my camera. I hope that helps! Noah
@@OsiasBoyd look up smallrig cold shoe accessories, they have some that screw into the cage to give a cold shoe wherever you want on the cage The 2060 lets you add a cold shoe exactly where you want it The 2879 extends out and puts a cold shoe hanging off the camera BU2736 lets you add one to the side of the camera I'm using a 2881 to mount a RodeGo so I can view the screen at a glance
As someone who built my DIY rig, I can assure you wouldn't believe how easy it is to make your own rig that's actually usable. Use aluminium tubing and spark plug clamps for the rails. Buy a used up but professional follow focus, replace bearings, add a whip from a steel wire. Use Makita 14.4V batteries instead of V mount. Dtap can be added, but you can use jack connector if you have a soldering iron.. It all look professional as long as you paint it black. I made a handle of polymer clay, with a pasta machine to make it pretty. You can make it precisely fit your hand. There are also cheap cnc parts that are used to build machines. They are quite affoardable and can be used to make clamps and angle joints. There is one guy, who got a cheap rucksack, a winch with a crank and turned it into an easyrig for $100. The first time I saw a shoulder rig and heard the price, I realised that there's no way I'll drop so much on something this uncomfortable and simple. I still like camera cages, but a lot can be substituted with something without that film gear tax.
The “dirty feed” issue is mostly a Sony problem. 😢 Everyone is searching for a monitor that gives you control to workaround the issue. Atomos just released a Shinobi II that gives camera control but you lose custom mode function 💀
Ahhhh I see, really annoying, I saw the Shinobi release, completely confused why this is still an issue in 2024… Really which a decent inexpensive fix, update, comes out soon!! Thanks Alvin..
For the screen issue when my rig is on a tripod I mount the battery upside down on the rails, so I can see and use the camera screen along with a top mounted monitor.
That’s a good idea, I would have to get a different plate, and rails to do that, the last thing would be controlling setting in front of the camera so I can see the exposure for self recording, I’ll likely need the Shinobi for that..
Good video. I think a lot of creators see the truth of rigs once it's too late. Most of the functionality of your camera is IN your camera. A cage, a matte box, rails, a top handle, etc. don't make your image different. It would be nice if rigging weren't such a common pitch since it doesn't "Supercharge You Camera" or "Make Your Camera a Cinema Camera"
Biggest struggle with a rig for me is trying to achieve balance with the weight. When you add a lens adapter, monitor and matte box + filters, everything gets pretty front heavy, even with a vmount on the back.
I haven’t bought any filters for my box yet, so I’m sure that will add some good weight to it, so far I’m still using my circular filters, can’t decide if I should get another..
These are some great considerations to have. I don't have a rig on my personal DSLR yet, but I have used rigged-out box-style cinema cameras on professional sets. These small DSLR/Mirrorless cameras are based on a photo-first design - they're not meant to be rigged out, and that's why we run into all these issues. Conversely, cinema cameras are video-exclusive platforms which are designed with rigs in mind. Rigs are meant to make shooting more convenient and frictionless - building them around photo-first cameras is never going to be an ideal solution. Unless you're lucky enough to have separate photo and video cameras, these are the unfortunate compromises you have to make.
This is so true, I have worked with leads and equipment all my life, the more complex the rig, the more that can go wrong, and it does! Yes, I agree there is a use case for rigging, especially the cinema line cameras, but for standalone mirroless, I would strongly recommend thinking twice. The camera is far more flexible for jobs in its natural state.
@OsiasBoyd I run a Canon R3. It has good battery life and AF. there's no need to rig it out. Even to focus my anamorphic lens, I just hit magnify, manual focus, then record, and work a treat. It also flies on a gimbal well and monopod. I have tried mounting monitors and shotgun microphones, but I also find this cumbersome. I record all my sound on recorders either on the person or through a desk off camera and align in post. Works a treat. My main use case is weddings. Therefore, being flexible with your camera is more important than the best rig. 👌 but that maybe different for different use cases.
Totally agree, it’s interesting but testing it all out is fun, my mane thing is battery, I tend to leave my camera running for hours while playing around with settings, lighting etc.
Thank Osias for this COMPREHENSIVE video. I agree with everything you say. The section that has NEVER been MENTIONED in other people’s videos is why the mic & the external monitor have never been shown together on a rig. Now, you tell me it’s because that will make the rig looks very big. Yes, I will learn how to use my camera completely before trying to build a rig.
lol I think it’s more than that, just forgot to finish the point, The added handle gets clumsy and sort of in the way, it makes it more difficult to reach the custom buttons while holding the handle.. so I think they leave it off because they don’t have it fully figured out.. but I don’t know… it is oddd
Honestly this just seems like a byproduct of professional style equipment being accessible to consumers and some folks don’t realize that if you’re just shooting family trips, you don’t need ANYTHING besides a cheap mirrorless and a kit lens. I would only invest in cinema focused rigs and accessories if I’m getting or planning to get paid. When money comes into play that’s when things like matte boxes, ND, v mount etc comes into play. Personally for myself, I wouldn’t show up to any set without a rig. One of my cameras is a box style cinema cam and the other is a mirrorless that’s useless without a rig. I have at minimum one AC and one gaffer. I need timecode ports for sound. I need Sdi ports for video txs. I need monitors for critical focus and framing. matte box for 4x5 filters. But again it’s because it’s my use case. I think what almost every RUclipsr fails to mention is that different use cases require different tools. RUclipsrs are too busy getting sponsorships so they push whatever hype train is currently leaving the station and a bunch of folks who truly won’t make films past a hobbyist level get sucked into it and think they need all these things. If you’re not getting paid and your not consistently having to support crew as part of your workflow, u can get by with less than 3k worth of gear tbh.
When I built out my fx3 rig, I ran out of money before I got a v-mount and battery plate.... My work around is funny, when mounted on a tripod I plug everything into a Jackery battery hanging from the tripod. It's funny because it works just fine for power and weighs down the whole rig on the tripod. (I promise I'll take care of that before going to my next gig)
Nice video. I agree with some of the cons. The monitor isn't really an issue for me as I mostly send out a clean feed and use the tools on the monitor for exposure information. that way, I get a full screen view and have the camera's monitor for all other information.
Rig only what's necessary for what you are shooting to get the job done. Be practical, lol..... For run and gun, I keep the mic on the camera, audio is super important to me. I recently stopped using an external monitor all the time and only use it when I can't use the screen on the camera. Rigs look cool, and it is great for clients to see at the shoot, but they can over complicate things. As stated, rig only what's needed. Great vid, I just sub'd to your channel!
I also have and use A7S3 rigg like yours, I know exactly what you mean. Nice video! Great (and also not) too here that I'm not the only one with these problems 😅
I'm rigging my A6700. I'm old and my eye sight has deteriorated. So I got a 5.5" monitor. I don't like the hdmi cable I got. What cables are you using? I'm not going with a battery. I'm curious about mat box. What matbox did you get? You should list your build in the description
Great perspective.. i used to be like you and i realized the same thing. I own ZVE1 and now i only have the cage for my camera because sony body is made of hard plastic. Just a little extra protection. I no longer put anything else as the heavier the rigging the less i shoot. That is not good. So i’m taking minimalist style.
good points and a much needed conversation, i think rigs are great for corporate/wedding shoots.. Especially for longer days - the vmount helps a lot. Monitor helps for cinema lens/mf. Would dial it to the body and lens when doing personal shoots.
Dude you hot boxing your studio? 😅. Greatest point I heard in this is build your rig for what you need and not necessarily what you want. Mine is 8lb 9 oz and that is about the most that I would want it to be.
the monitor crop is a sony problem i dont have that on my canon r6ii. i just use a 5.5 monitor in my Hotshoe, that's it. the monitor uses minimal power, npf750 battery last like 3+ hours max brightness. ive got small batteries. i prefer to swap small batteries than use big bulky battery setup.
sounds like largely a Sony problem mate, a lot of the issues you talked about I dont have with my bmpcc rig, maybe that camera is just better for rigging out than sony, but I've found it so much of an improvement, I'm able to get a follow focus, monitor, vmount, shotgun mic and quick release tripod plate on my rig and it improves the usability and ergonimics drastically, also the weight is important due to a lack of ibis
Haha I fight this fight all the time …I’m preparing to do a solo film project where I’m in front and behind the camera and I’m finding this whole setup too cumbersome to still be creative and not slowed down to get my shots… so now my setup is for client shoots and bragging points only hahahah
Dude story of my life, flip the monitor get it set, lately I’ve been leaving the dirty feed off so I can have a front camera and a rear, thinking of the Shinobi 2 it may be a solution for now…
I look at one of your 'negatives' as probably the biggest 'positive' of a rig - increasing camera weight and size - if you do any amount of hand-held shooting (much of what I do...). Taking away the micro-jitters and giving you better more comfortable ergonomic grips/handles for prolonged shooting is huge. If you shoot mostly on sticks or with a gimbal then those advantages disappear of course.
Cool dude, I’m still figuring that portion out, I haven’t taken it on a run/gun shoot yet. I definitely need to still test out the micro jitters, and see if it’s even worth it..
Thanks you, yeah, I guess my excitement fell as soon as I turned the camera on and attempted to film my first video, but hey we all can learn from each other!!
I was just about to buy all this stuff I dndt really need. I found out I can do all that with just camera, gimbal, some VNDs, and charging battery. For mics I use DJI mics . For wedding, quinceañeras .
These things are like a mix of LEGO bricks and pokemons. You can build anything you want, and for sure you want to get them all. There are three issues with this: 1. It costs a lot. I mean a small piece of metal with holes in it costs 50 dollars. 2. Weight really adds up fast and that can be tough for your back if you shoot handheld or on a gimbal. 3. If you change cameras, around 25% of your rig becomes obsolete. The cage for sure, but also other small accessories that were useful on the old camera and now you need something else. All in all I have a huge box full of rigging accessories and I only use a third of them. Just like a kid's LEGO stash.
I guess it depends on your rig. My shoulder rig for my FX3 has made shooting way easier and more enjoyable for me. I find it more comfortable to shoot with my cam on my shoulder than in my hands in front of me. The vmount is attached to the shoulder pad and balances the weight. The set up is big but it works.
Appreciate the advice. my stuff hasn't gotten to that level yet but i have a cadge and periodically add stuff to it like a screen. the weight defiantly gets awkward.
My camera has about half dozen ways, maybe more i rig it out. From super sinple just cage and left side handle (with strap) to fully blown out with vmount, monitor, dji focus stste, etc. it all depends on what im working with or on. If im strolling around ill do the top handle with MS mic to XLR with some AF zoom lens and side handle on left. Rigging for my gimble have to omit vmount if i use grip battery, or vmount plate with dual grip handle and monitor... Or got a smallrig NP battery plate to get a little more battery life but still fit gimbal area. If im doing tripod, ill mack it all out. Also have the hibrite+transmission and 4d grips so i can use gyro on that with mounted gimbal to tripod or slider. Then have full control on that and not even reallly need to touch camera anymore. Its a deep dark rabbit hole. Am i picking my cine lenses or vintage lenses that need the dji lidar etc. Or just going basic with sony GM lens. Now im looking at the edlekrone jib and head for point tracking because sliders can only do so much, even with gimbal. Opens up horizontal and vertical wirh pan/tilt. But regardless its all built around solo operation. But it gets really expensive even past the rig itself. Thats honestly the cheapest part of it all as long as you only buy something with intent to fix a problem. But my cage has arri plate built in to clamp to my mini tripod, or clamp to my rod setup which has a plate that slides into my gimbal or my tripod. And my rod setup has a front and rear rod witu connectors i can use or not. But if i ever get a b camera, the only part i will need is the cage for it. Everything else can transfer between the 2.
Yeah I’m starting to understand the multiple use cases, the journey I guess is seeing if I can build one simple enough for my use while hitting all my pain points, since I intend to make more videos about the topic, I figure ill dive deeper into it… I do like the freedom in filming, longer duration, but the monitor thing erks me, would love to be able to use monitor, to control camera, I may get the Shinobi, but honestly I want the ninja v so I can add a terabyte drive on, but we will see what I do.. I watched another RUclipsr who had multiple rigs, for different scenarios, do something to figure out for sure..
@@OsiasBoyd I got the ninja ultra. 5" is where it's at. I have never bothered to record on it yet though. I have the portkeys 7" but too big. Also didn't work well with fx3 for me. With a power sled off vmount it's not too bad weight added. I use HDMI output only so keep back screen and use their built in tools. Mostly waveform and oeak8ng., and lut.
For me, building out a rig is a creative solution for the handheld look. Extra weight helps me focus less on micro jitters and more on my composition and story telling. I love this insight and I appreciate you telling the other side of the story. New subscriber *
Awesome thanks for the sub, I’ll be testing out the hand held look and seeing if it really makes a difference, mostly I’ve been on the tripod, so stay tuned..
I make 4k month ad a videographer. All i use is a gimbal and if its off the gimbal its on the tripod with a cage and handle to support a usb battery pack. Camera rig 100% not needed.
You know what I hate that Sony changed on their cameras, and correct me if I'm wrong, but they removed the removable battery door and dummy battery wire hatch. My broke A7III has it but not my A7SIII or my A7RV or A1. Now I always have to have the door open all of the time. It's not the end of the world but I don't want it open all the time where it can get damaged or in the way of things on a few occasions.
would you put some links together for every piece of your camera rig, thinking about building out my a7siii, if you use affiliate amazon links you'll get a kick back as well
unpopular opinion ....youtubers are not filmmakers most of this are may be helpful but not for RUclips, most of people i watch on RUclips have a 10 year old camera but they got things to say... hope you find your path mate. shinobi ii is a good solution on settings touch on a monitor and mounting the mic with a clamp on the side of your top handle or at your right side handle.... left handle seems useless :)
Run and Gunner. went from a mildly rigged BMPCC4K to a ZVE1 and gimbal. I hate rigs. only thing good was attaching things and took out some micro jitters. CUMBERSOME is right.
I rarely fully rig-out my camera anymore . I pretty much had to with my BMPCC4K. Since switching to Sony, I mainly run the basics. I use an external monitor sometimes. But if it's a big client shoot, I put everything on there just for show.
@OsiasBoyd the only advantage I have seen is the client walking in and saying, "Wow, nice setup." Lol. The V-mount does last forever, and the monitor helps with framing and focusing. But it's so heavy. I do use a cinesaddle for handheld work if I need a full rig. I get the same result with or without the rig mostly.
all these manufactures and clowns on salary like Caleb doesn't care how those parts will work and make your shooting easier. they just want to make money) rigging up a7s can be more expensive than just go and buy fx6. so that's the point? than i see heavily rigged mirrorless i immediately understand - this is not a professional guy
Horrible Video. You have NOOOOOOOO clue what you're talking about when it comes to building a Rig. LOL. Everything you've pointed out a child would know how to avoid or fix. SMH.. It's like me wanting to make a movie. So I have to buy a camera body, oh now I have get a lens, ohhh now I have to spend more money and get a memory card, ohhh now I have get a ND filter, and now it's super heavy. Well I guess I should just use my iphone 12 max pro because it's way smaller and I don't need to get a lens or memory card. Mann so getting a camera is going to cost me more money and it's going to be way too big and heavy? Wait I guess that does make sense.
@@OsiasBoyd don't let this guy get you down, he's no professional He's got a lot of learning to do himself and is trying to make himself feel better by putting others down, he'll get humbled
Rigging is like legos for adults, its easy to get carried away with it
I definitely recommend putting time into thinking about how it rigs out before shoots, better to trial and error it when you have down time and not when in a rush on set
But its also important to keep it simple, at a certain point you deck a camera out to be more trouble than its worth..if its holding you back then you've gone too far
Currently the most I use my camera for is shooting a youtubers videos and her style is typically very controlled and locked down on sticks, so my rig is pretty decked out with dual 7" recorders, a wireless feed, a follow focus, and a vmount but it's totally impractical for just about anything that isnt locked down in a studio
Gotta build it out for what the job requires
And there is nothing wrong with keeping it super slimmed down, mirrorless cameras can still be amazing with nothing but a lens and a filter
Story of my life. I practically bought everything. From expensive side handles, mattebox, Ninja V, different ND filters, drones, and three closets filled with accessories that I no longer need. And I am not into professional work. I just shoot for pleasure, mostly family trips. Shit that I don't need. Now I have trimmed down my setup. Use the Tilta top flag instead of the mattebox for simplicity, it's easy to attach and detach. My ninja v remains useful, because I have terrible eyesight. It's crazy how RUclips merchants help market things to that you think you need but absolutely don't. Sold most of my lens and just left three boxes of my vintage lens collections. Hopefully, the price will appreciate more and those too will go.
Yeah big investment, definitely kills the vibe for a family event fully rigged out, I guess that’s my purpose for having two cameras I can switch between..
I agree, I started down that path and then took a step back . Just learning better skills to pan better with a tripod instead of buying a $800 geared pan head has taught me a lot. I’m taking it slow, only buy what I absolutely need.
Hey man just wanted to say great video, especially the audio, I wish I could get mine so clean sounding LOL. As far as making a camera rig I found making my videos it's been pretty helpful just filming different types of videos. I like making car videos the most and found a setup that works great for that. When I'm filming videos at home I find I don't need most of the stuff and actually better without in some instances. The quick release plates are great and I can pick and choose what I want in a matter of a couple minutes.
I think the problem is that unless you're on a set, you don't really need to rig out your camera. Most mirrorless cameras have everything you need right on the camera. And it's not really difficult to put filters on your lenses, it's just a few seconds to screw them on. And it's not that difficult to carry three or four batteries, and just swap out your battery real quick. I think people get completely consumed with gear, but they never think of actually making art. Or even if they are looking to do corporate work, or weddings, or stuff like that, they just create this gigantic barrier of getting the exact gear that they think they need to do these things that they will probably never do because they actually need this distraction to stop them from actually using their camera that has incredible capability just all by itself. I think this is a great video, because I think it will make people think, why am I even thinking about rigging up my camera? :-) Most monitors are really good on these new cameras, it's so easy to put an inexpensive microphone right on the cold shoe or hot shoe on the top of your camera, or use an inexpensive lavalier mic plugged into something like a zoom h1n, or grab something like a hollyland lark max for just over $100 if you just get one channel, I think this is all distraction keeping people from doing what they're really afraid of actually doing. Telling stories. Great video, thanks so much for sharing.
Rock thanks for taking the time to break it down, The why is important, but not always clear especially if you have tunnel vision, solving one problem leads to another, but It was and still is fun to tinker, but I need to be careful and not let it distract me from the bigger goals.. Thanks for sharing..
I love a top handle and the weight it provides. A monitor on and off set is key.
I recommend looking into magnetic filter rings
I have a bunch of Xume rings on all of my filters so I can just pop them on and off without screwing
Been using them for years, it has saved me sooo much time
Sometimes it feels like rigging cameras is an activity that is completely disjointed from actually working with video. It's fun, but it's an incredibly inefficient way to make a mirrorless camera do stuff that true video cameras do out of the box. All your gripes come from the fact that you're using a mirrorless camera. Even more accessible true video cameras like a Sony FS5 don't have those issues. You can use both LCD and external monitor, buttons on the side that don't get blocked, long battery life, no rigging required.
Great video! Funnily enough I'm working on a C70 rig video at the moment! One of things I'm showing is the Mic and Monitor being used at the same time, made me chuckle when you said about most RUclips videos not showing that!
lol great, I thought I was going mad, appreciate the watch, how are you using your rig?
@@OsiasBoyd nope not going mad 😅 I use mine for doc and commercial work mostly, depends on the job of course!
I just my rig done, and it got really expensive. The whole setup looks pretty intimidating and definitely I can’t be low key anymore on the street
Great video! Something i recently learned from watching Curren Sheldon is that matteboxes really are most useful on full blown cinema rigs and ive realized for myself that i probably dont need one and i should just stick with my screw on nd and as for glare issues a lens hood could work for that or could go full diy and strap a piece of paper or cardboard on or maybe 3D print something if your feeling fancy lmao
Great video. Learning our own equipment is key. When you rig your camera it’s like a new camera. On jobs a rig is sometimes for me required, I need to weigh my camera down because I have no IBIS. V mount battery is important which is honestly the main reason I’m rigged out the matte box is for outdoor use for me when with clients. These are tools and you use your tools to get the job done.
In my experience I having a rigged out camera with clients is important because you set a standard. It’s like a suit to an interview especially if they have gotten video work done before.
Lastly you do what makes the job easier for you. If You have snow tires when it snows put the snow tires on!! I keep my cage on my camera because I do both video and stills long rant but great topic and points!!
Thanks Joseph, yeah it’s a lot to keep in mind but I’m on the Journey, a lot more rigs and equipment to learn and test out… Thanks for your thoughts appreciate it..
If you remove the side handle on the right side and use the actual camera's grip then you'll be able to reach the buttons. I had the same issue you described of not being able to reach custom buttons because of the cage above the grip, but I got a rhinoceros cage from Smallrig without that part, which solved that issue for me. It also makes the grip bigger if you need that to replace the side handle I recommended that you remove. Personally, I use a clean feed to my monitor and then fold my screen to the side of the v mount batter when I'm not using it. The extra step of folding it out to view settings or touch to track autofocus is annoying but I find it to be acceptable since the monitor gives me a bigger brighter screen over the one on my camera.
I hope that helps!
Noah
Where do you put your mic? My handle holds the mic, doesn’t fit if I put it on the cafe….
@@OsiasBoyd look up smallrig cold shoe accessories, they have some that screw into the cage to give a cold shoe wherever you want on the cage
The 2060 lets you add a cold shoe exactly where you want it
The 2879 extends out and puts a cold shoe hanging off the camera
BU2736 lets you add one to the side of the camera
I'm using a 2881 to mount a RodeGo so I can view the screen at a glance
@@OsiasBoyd I like the side handle on the left.
As someone who built my DIY rig, I can assure you wouldn't believe how easy it is to make your own rig that's actually usable. Use aluminium tubing and spark plug clamps for the rails. Buy a used up but professional follow focus, replace bearings, add a whip from a steel wire. Use Makita 14.4V batteries instead of V mount. Dtap can be added, but you can use jack connector if you have a soldering iron.. It all look professional as long as you paint it black. I made a handle of polymer clay, with a pasta machine to make it pretty. You can make it precisely fit your hand. There are also cheap cnc parts that are used to build machines. They are quite affoardable and can be used to make clamps and angle joints.
There is one guy, who got a cheap rucksack, a winch with a crank and turned it into an easyrig for $100. The first time I saw a shoulder rig and heard the price, I realised that there's no way I'll drop so much on something this uncomfortable and simple. I still like camera cages, but a lot can be substituted with something without that film gear tax.
Maybe I’ll play around with that idea, never actually thought of it.. thanks..
@@OsiasBoyd The easyrig video is from The Smuggler's DIY Flowline Camera Rig. The wire clamp rig was from cheezycam blog.
The “dirty feed” issue is mostly a Sony problem. 😢
Everyone is searching for a monitor that gives you control to workaround the issue. Atomos just released a Shinobi II that gives camera control but you lose custom mode function 💀
Ahhhh I see, really annoying, I saw the Shinobi release, completely confused why this is still an issue in 2024… Really which a decent inexpensive fix, update, comes out soon!! Thanks Alvin..
@@OsiasBoyd the update is now released and it seems to fix all the bugs
For the screen issue when my rig is on a tripod I mount the battery upside down on the rails, so I can see and use the camera screen along with a top mounted monitor.
That’s a good idea, I would have to get a different plate, and rails to do that, the last thing would be controlling setting in front of the camera so I can see the exposure for self recording, I’ll likely need the Shinobi for that..
Good video. I think a lot of creators see the truth of rigs once it's too late.
Most of the functionality of your camera is IN your camera. A cage, a matte box, rails, a top handle, etc. don't make your image different.
It would be nice if rigging weren't such a common pitch since it doesn't "Supercharge You Camera" or "Make Your Camera a Cinema Camera"
Biggest struggle with a rig for me is trying to achieve balance with the weight. When you add a lens adapter, monitor and matte box + filters, everything gets pretty front heavy, even with a vmount on the back.
I haven’t bought any filters for my box yet, so I’m sure that will add some good weight to it, so far I’m still using my circular filters, can’t decide if I should get another..
Great perspective
Thanks for sharing transparently
Glad you enjoyed it!
The look of your shot is immaculate !
Thanks man appreciate that..
These are some great considerations to have. I don't have a rig on my personal DSLR yet, but I have used rigged-out box-style cinema cameras on professional sets. These small DSLR/Mirrorless cameras are based on a photo-first design - they're not meant to be rigged out, and that's why we run into all these issues. Conversely, cinema cameras are video-exclusive platforms which are designed with rigs in mind. Rigs are meant to make shooting more convenient and frictionless - building them around photo-first cameras is never going to be an ideal solution. Unless you're lucky enough to have separate photo and video cameras, these are the unfortunate compromises you have to make.
Yes it seams like the natural progression is to eventually go Fx6 or Red next, I’m not quite there yet but learning as I go.. thanks for the comment..
This is so true, I have worked with leads and equipment all my life, the more complex the rig, the more that can go wrong, and it does! Yes, I agree there is a use case for rigging, especially the cinema line cameras, but for standalone mirroless, I would strongly recommend thinking twice. The camera is far more flexible for jobs in its natural state.
@OsiasBoyd I run a Canon R3. It has good battery life and AF. there's no need to rig it out. Even to focus my anamorphic lens, I just hit magnify, manual focus, then record, and work a treat. It also flies on a gimbal well and monopod. I have tried mounting monitors and shotgun microphones, but I also find this cumbersome. I record all my sound on recorders either on the person or through a desk off camera and align in post. Works a treat. My main use case is weddings. Therefore, being flexible with your camera is more important than the best rig. 👌 but that maybe different for different use cases.
Totally agree, it’s interesting but testing it all out is fun, my mane thing is battery, I tend to leave my camera running for hours while playing around with settings, lighting etc.
Thank Osias for this COMPREHENSIVE video. I agree with everything you say. The section that has NEVER been MENTIONED in other people’s videos is why the mic & the external monitor have never been shown together on a rig. Now, you tell me it’s because that will make the rig looks very big. Yes, I will learn how to use my camera completely before trying to build a rig.
lol I think it’s more than that, just forgot to finish the point, The added handle gets clumsy and sort of in the way, it makes it more difficult to reach the custom buttons while holding the handle.. so I think they leave it off because they don’t have it fully figured out.. but I don’t know… it is oddd
@@OsiasBoyd I think there must be a NEGATIVE reason for it because nobody wants to talk about it.
Honestly this just seems like a byproduct of professional style equipment being accessible to consumers and some folks don’t realize that if you’re just shooting family trips, you don’t need ANYTHING besides a cheap mirrorless and a kit lens. I would only invest in cinema focused rigs and accessories if I’m getting or planning to get paid. When money comes into play that’s when things like matte boxes, ND, v mount etc comes into play. Personally for myself, I wouldn’t show up to any set without a rig. One of my cameras is a box style cinema cam and the other is a mirrorless that’s useless without a rig. I have at minimum one AC and one gaffer. I need timecode ports for sound. I need Sdi ports for video txs. I need monitors for critical focus and framing. matte box for 4x5 filters. But again it’s because it’s my use case. I think what almost every RUclipsr fails to mention is that different use cases require different tools. RUclipsrs are too busy getting sponsorships so they push whatever hype train is currently leaving the station and a bunch of folks who truly won’t make films past a hobbyist level get sucked into it and think they need all these things. If you’re not getting paid and your not consistently having to support crew as part of your workflow, u can get by with less than 3k worth of gear tbh.
Exactly!
When I built out my fx3 rig, I ran out of money before I got a v-mount and battery plate.... My work around is funny, when mounted on a tripod I plug everything into a Jackery battery hanging from the tripod. It's funny because it works just fine for power and weighs down the whole rig on the tripod. (I promise I'll take care of that before going to my next gig)
Nice video. I agree with some of the cons. The monitor isn't really an issue for me as I mostly send out a clean feed and use the tools on the monitor for exposure information. that way, I get a full screen view and have the camera's monitor for all other information.
Yeah it’s not a problem until it is for me, once I’m set up no issues, but not sure how it will be in a run or gun setting..
Bro same boat, great info
Rig only what's necessary for what you are shooting to get the job done. Be practical, lol..... For run and gun, I keep the mic on the camera, audio is super important to me. I recently stopped using an external monitor all the time and only use it when I can't use the screen on the camera. Rigs look cool, and it is great for clients to see at the shoot, but they can over complicate things. As stated, rig only what's needed.
Great vid, I just sub'd to your channel!
Thanks Louie! All love..
I also have and use A7S3 rigg like yours, I know exactly what you mean. Nice video! Great (and also not) too here that I'm not the only one with these problems 😅
Totally solved one problem just to create 5 more😂😂😂
I'm rigging my A6700. I'm old and my eye sight has deteriorated. So I got a 5.5" monitor. I don't like the hdmi cable I got. What cables are you using?
I'm not going with a battery.
I'm curious about mat box.
What matbox did you get?
You should list your build in the description
I agree, will list everything soon,
Great perspective.. i used to be like you and i realized the same thing. I own ZVE1 and now i only have the cage for my camera because sony body is made of hard plastic. Just a little extra protection. I no longer put anything else as the heavier the rigging the less i shoot. That is not good. So i’m taking minimalist style.
Yeah anything that stops you from creating is no good, appreciate the comment..
good points and a much needed conversation, i think rigs are great for corporate/wedding shoots.. Especially for longer days - the vmount helps a lot. Monitor helps for cinema lens/mf. Would dial it to the body and lens when doing personal shoots.
Cool man thank!
Dude you hot boxing your studio? 😅. Greatest point I heard in this is build your rig for what you need and not necessarily what you want. Mine is 8lb 9 oz and that is about the most that I would want it to be.
your voice is like gold brother
the monitor crop is a sony problem i dont have that on my canon r6ii. i just use a 5.5 monitor in my Hotshoe, that's it. the monitor uses minimal power, npf750 battery last like 3+ hours max brightness. ive got small batteries. i prefer to swap small batteries than use big bulky battery setup.
sounds like largely a Sony problem mate, a lot of the issues you talked about I dont have with my bmpcc rig, maybe that camera is just better for rigging out than sony, but I've found it so much of an improvement, I'm able to get a follow focus, monitor, vmount, shotgun mic and quick release tripod plate on my rig and it improves the usability and ergonimics drastically, also the weight is important due to a lack of ibis
Yeah seeing some of the discrepancies, thanks for the comment! Will look into other camera systems!
Get a cage. Strip it down for simple shoots & build it up for complicated shoots. I have a cage that fits around my battery grip.
"Camera rigs makes you look like a pro"? :) Oh, that's why there are so many noobs rigging cameras for no reason :)
Haha I fight this fight all the time …I’m preparing to do a solo film project where I’m in front and behind the camera and I’m finding this whole setup too cumbersome to still be creative and not slowed down to get my shots… so now my setup is for client shoots and bragging points only hahahah
Dude story of my life, flip the monitor get it set, lately I’ve been leaving the dirty feed off so I can have a front camera and a rear, thinking of the Shinobi 2 it may be a solution for now…
I look at one of your 'negatives' as probably the biggest 'positive' of a rig - increasing camera weight and size - if you do any amount of hand-held shooting (much of what I do...). Taking away the micro-jitters and giving you better more comfortable ergonomic grips/handles for prolonged shooting is huge. If you shoot mostly on sticks or with a gimbal then those advantages disappear of course.
Cool dude, I’m still figuring that portion out, I haven’t taken it on a run/gun shoot yet. I definitely need to still test out the micro jitters, and see if it’s even worth it..
10:27 This is it!!!!
Excellent video! So true. I should’ve watched before I rigged mine out. 😅
Thanks you, yeah, I guess my excitement fell as soon as I turned the camera on and attempted to film my first video, but hey we all can learn from each other!!
I was just about to buy all this stuff I dndt really need.
I found out I can do all that with just camera, gimbal, some VNDs, and charging battery. For mics I use DJI mics . For wedding, quinceañeras .
Matteboxes are cool until you're outside with the wind blowing.
I never thought about that, good point
These things are like a mix of LEGO bricks and pokemons. You can build anything you want, and for sure you want to get them all. There are three issues with this:
1. It costs a lot. I mean a small piece of metal with holes in it costs 50 dollars.
2. Weight really adds up fast and that can be tough for your back if you shoot handheld or on a gimbal.
3. If you change cameras, around 25% of your rig becomes obsolete. The cage for sure, but also other small accessories that were useful on the old camera and now you need something else.
All in all I have a huge box full of rigging accessories and I only use a third of them. Just like a kid's LEGO stash.
I guess it depends on your rig. My shoulder rig for my FX3 has made shooting way easier and more enjoyable for me. I find it more comfortable to shoot with my cam on my shoulder than in my hands in front of me. The vmount is attached to the shoulder pad and balances the weight. The set up is big but it works.
That’s cool, what kind of a camera do you shoot with? How do you control your camera settings?
Appreciate the advice. my stuff hasn't gotten to that level yet but i have a cadge and periodically add stuff to it like a screen. the weight defiantly gets awkward.
Yes sir, Having the cafe is nice, I’m thinking about getting a half cage.
I think this is a great point. I bought the cage for my a7iii and rarely use it now. Smaller set up is just easier for me.
Totally agree!
You just need a Side handle and that's it
You had so much confidens in the start, so i kept watching. Good video.ood video.
Thanks Bee appreciate it
My camera has about half dozen ways, maybe more i rig it out. From super sinple just cage and left side handle (with strap) to fully blown out with vmount, monitor, dji focus stste, etc. it all depends on what im working with or on. If im strolling around ill do the top handle with MS mic to XLR with some AF zoom lens and side handle on left. Rigging for my gimble have to omit vmount if i use grip battery, or vmount plate with dual grip handle and monitor... Or got a smallrig NP battery plate to get a little more battery life but still fit gimbal area. If im doing tripod, ill mack it all out. Also have the hibrite+transmission and 4d grips so i can use gyro on that with mounted gimbal to tripod or slider. Then have full control on that and not even reallly need to touch camera anymore. Its a deep dark rabbit hole. Am i picking my cine lenses or vintage lenses that need the dji lidar etc. Or just going basic with sony GM lens. Now im looking at the edlekrone jib and head for point tracking because sliders can only do so much, even with gimbal. Opens up horizontal and vertical wirh pan/tilt.
But regardless its all built around solo operation. But it gets really expensive even past the rig itself. Thats honestly the cheapest part of it all as long as you only buy something with intent to fix a problem.
But my cage has arri plate built in to clamp to my mini tripod, or clamp to my rod setup which has a plate that slides into my gimbal or my tripod. And my rod setup has a front and rear rod witu connectors i can use or not.
But if i ever get a b camera, the only part i will need is the cage for it. Everything else can transfer between the 2.
Yeah I’m starting to understand the multiple use cases, the journey I guess is seeing if I can build one simple enough for my use while hitting all my pain points, since I intend to make more videos about the topic, I figure ill dive deeper into it… I do like the freedom in filming, longer duration, but the monitor thing erks me, would love to be able to use monitor, to control camera, I may get the Shinobi, but honestly I want the ninja v so I can add a terabyte drive on, but we will see what I do.. I watched another RUclipsr who had multiple rigs, for different scenarios, do something to figure out for sure..
@@OsiasBoyd I got the ninja ultra. 5" is where it's at. I have never bothered to record on it yet though. I have the portkeys 7" but too big. Also didn't work well with fx3 for me. With a power sled off vmount it's not too bad weight added. I use HDMI output only so keep back screen and use their built in tools. Mostly waveform and oeak8ng., and lut.
For me, building out a rig is a creative solution for the handheld look. Extra weight helps me focus less on micro jitters and more on my composition and story telling. I love this insight and I appreciate you telling the other side of the story. New subscriber *
Awesome thanks for the sub, I’ll be testing out the hand held look and seeing if it really makes a difference, mostly I’ve been on the tripod, so stay tuned..
@@OsiasBoyd I feel the same. The weight helps a lot with the handheld look.
I need my external monitor for false colors. As a DP I need to know my own exposure ratios.
Yeah I get that, one of my main purposes for the monitor as well..
Great video subbed up 🔥
Awesome dude, welcome to the channel, appreciate it
user error, get the right equipment, they make several monitors that allow you to control your camera
Monitor and mic is definitely one of my issues where I considered selling my cineeback for.
Dam should’ve got a FX6
I make 4k month ad a videographer. All i use is a gimbal and if its off the gimbal its on the tripod with a cage and handle to support a usb battery pack.
Camera rig 100% not needed.
Great topic. What’s up fellow Boyd! 🤝
Appreciate it! Thanks..
You know what I hate that Sony changed on their cameras, and correct me if I'm wrong, but they removed the removable battery door and dummy battery wire hatch. My broke A7III has it but not my A7SIII or my A7RV or A1. Now I always have to have the door open all of the time. It's not the end of the world but I don't want it open all the time where it can get damaged or in the way of things on a few occasions.
For sure
would you put some links together for every piece of your camera rig, thinking about building out my a7siii, if you use affiliate amazon links you'll get a kick back as well
Thanks good idea I’ll have to figure that out
unpopular opinion ....youtubers are not filmmakers most of this are may be helpful but not for RUclips, most of people i watch on RUclips have a 10 year old camera but they got things to say... hope you find your path mate. shinobi ii is a good solution on settings touch on a monitor and mounting the mic with a clamp on the side of your top handle or at your right side handle.... left handle seems useless :)
Run and Gunner. went from a mildly rigged BMPCC4K to a ZVE1 and gimbal. I hate rigs. only thing good was attaching things and took out some micro jitters. CUMBERSOME is right.
"RUclips Journey" = Becoming a full-time RUclipsr?
The solution is having 2 cameras, 1 for show and 1 for stealth or gimbal.
I rarely fully rig-out my camera anymore . I pretty much had to with my BMPCC4K. Since switching to Sony, I mainly run the basics. I use an external monitor sometimes. But if it's a big client shoot, I put everything on there just for show.
Interesting to see the perspective, but I get it, does rigging it out give you any advantage?
@OsiasBoyd the only advantage I have seen is the client walking in and saying, "Wow, nice setup." Lol. The V-mount does last forever, and the monitor helps with framing and focusing. But it's so heavy. I do use a cinesaddle for handheld work if I need a full rig. I get the same result with or without the rig mostly.
Good video but I film naked with my cams 😂 FX6 & ZVE1 🎥 but maybe one day I will rig up my FX6 😉👍🏻
Check out the new Atomos Shinobi II 5.2" HDR Monitor you can change your settings on the monitor and it gives you full restate access to work with.
Will do, do you have one that you use on a Sony camera?
@@OsiasBoyd I dont have the new one but I seen some videos about it here on RUclips.I do have the Ninja V that i use
The screen going black is a Sony problem
Yeah I’m finding that out, looking for a solution, thanks..
I’ve never used Sony but my free world screen doesn’t black on my a screen
I have a free world, it’s the monitor on the camera that blacks out for Sony, not the external.. what camera do you shoot with?
When o finally got every part of my ring; I go back to bare bones camera 😅😅😅
I got a mattebox to charge more 🤣
all these manufactures and clowns on salary like Caleb doesn't care how those parts will work and make your shooting easier. they just want to make money) rigging up a7s can be more expensive than just go and buy fx6. so that's the point? than i see heavily rigged mirrorless i immediately understand - this is not a professional guy
Yeah, I started thinking that myself… Thanks for the comment..
Horrible Video. You have NOOOOOOOO clue what you're talking about when it comes to building a Rig. LOL. Everything you've pointed out a child would know how to avoid or fix. SMH.. It's like me wanting to make a movie. So I have to buy a camera body, oh now I have get a lens, ohhh now I have to spend more money and get a memory card, ohhh now I have get a ND filter, and now it's super heavy. Well I guess I should just use my iphone 12 max pro because it's way smaller and I don't need to get a lens or memory card. Mann so getting a camera is going to cost me more money and it's going to be way too big and heavy? Wait I guess that does make sense.
I’m sure you’re a professional, and you got it all figured, like I said in the video there is a lot for me to learn..
@@OsiasBoyd i checked him out and no he is not. pros dont comment negative on amateurs bro.
Thanks man
@@OsiasBoyd don't let this guy get you down, he's no professional
He's got a lot of learning to do himself and is trying to make himself feel better by putting others down, he'll get humbled
Guys an ass hat wtf