Equipment: Rigging your Camera for Video
If you are new to video capture, then you might not know what the term rig means. And too those of you who know, a video rig system can become quite expansive and can be very expensive.
So you ask, what is a Video Rig? Well, the simple answer is, Ha there is no simple answer but the most common use of a Video Rig is as a stabilizer and hand held support for you video capturing equipment.
Rigs come in all shapes and sizes, most with rods, others in square box like contraptions called cages, and others that are made with rounded tubes.
The most common rigs systems often will include shoulder mounts and hand grips to assist in making your camera more stable and make your videos more fluid.
Most rigs that are out today use rods that often come as a pairs. These rods come in varying lengths and can be connected in length using screw junctions, make for even longer rods. They can also be joined at different heights or shifted laterally by way of optional Vertical-Offset and Horizontal-Offset components, respectively.
Standard 15mm in diameter, and made of stronger and lighter-weight tubular aluminum or carbon fiber, a pair of rods can be used in a variety of rig configurations such as with Fixed or Variable Plates and with the Flexible Matteboxes.
As one videographer put it, if you love erector sets, you will love most rig systems. And by that comment, when you look at some rig sets, you can understand why.
But the most important thing to understand about rigs or rig sets is that rigs are a very versatile tool in your video capture arsenal. Some call them transformers because of the unlimited configurations that can be built.
But be forewarned, getting into a rig system can become costly. Like a drug, you first start with a simple cage, then you add rods and a shoulder pad, then come the handles. Next you will be adding more rods a follow focus, then you add the mattebox. More rods and rod adapters and your now adding a monitor, led video light, and an audio mixer. Oh and don’t forget the Microphone.
So what are the cost of these Rig kits and who makes them? Well there are too many brand to mention, also all rig systems come in a very wide price range, starting from as little as $150 U.S. dollars to as much as several thousands of dollars and more.
If you have a favorite rig system, or would like to share your rig configuration for future postings, please send us a comment.
But I will mention some of the more popular makes the of rig systems:
Redrock Micro http://store.redrockmicro.com/
CPM Camera Rigs http://www.cpmcamerarigs.com/
SONY Alpha Pro 