Reddit reviews SMALLRIG 8 Inches (20 cm) Black Aluminum Alloy 15mm Rod with M12 Female Thread, Pack of 2 – 1051

u/Firedan1176 - I built this little rig with a Kamerar adjustable shoulder pad and an F&V R-300 ring light for run and gun with my original BMPCC, and I plan to use it with the BMPCC 4K.

It is simple, compact, relatively inexpensive and keeps the camera steady - even with unstabilized lenses.

Parts list here:

• Mounting plate is the $31.90 SmallRig Camera Mounting Plate
  
• Quick release is the $37.90 Giottos MH621 Quick Release Adapter with Short Sliding Plate
  
• Appropriate grip for the BMPCC 4K would be a P&C Pistol Grip
  
• Rails are $12.99 SmallRig 20 cm Aluminum Rods
  
• Shoulder pad is a $55 Kamerar Shoulder/Chest Hybrid Pad
  
  Optional Ring Light
  
  
• F&V R-300 SE Lens Mountable Ring Light - $235
  
  You could put a follow focus on the rails in front of the camera instead of the ring light, if you prefer.
  
  Hope this is helpful and good luck with rigging your new camera!

Hi /u/PERSEZ - I built this rifle-style rig for my GH3 for less than £200: https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-itp3Bnmqmrk/U1J4rEWbcmI/AAAAAAAAIrk/NkPv5FhBpXM/w724-h543-no/P1120718.JPG

It also works great with my BMPCC: https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QW78g2jQbeU/U2mZ-aV32NI/AAAAAAAAIzg/E4d9v8aCmME/w963-h543-no/P1080600.JPG

And I can put it on a tripod with or without the pistol grip. Here it is with the pistol grip: https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-2HeaVGwp6y8/U1J4pqlT3dI/AAAAAAAAIrk/3fc9T84GiwQ/w724-h543-no/P1120712.JPG

Here it is with the adjustable shoulder pad turned into a "shotgun shoulder stock": https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-mVcvBM6WRT0/Uz1yVcOzfFI/AAAAAAAAIzw/P81VZu4i7xo/w724-h543-no/P1120703.JPG

Here is the parts list:

[MH-621 Quick Release System with Short Plate - £24] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B009JYQ97Q/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B009JYQ97Q&linkCode=as2&tag=hybrcamerevo-21)

[SMALLRIG Camera Mounting Plate - £19] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0084L52PK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B0084L52PK&linkCode=as2&tag=hybrcamerevo-21)

[Pistol grip w remote shutter release - £28] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B009D3KZV4/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B009D3KZV4&linkCode=as2&tag=hybrcamerevo-21)

Or, if you don't need the shutter release, the [£13 P&C pistol grip] (http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-53481-19255-0/1?icep_ff3=2&pub=5575034783&toolid=10001&campid=5337235943&customid=&icep_item=350812087206&ipn=psmain&icep_vectorid=229508&kwid=902099&mtid=824&kw=lg) is more robust

[Dual shoulder/shotgun shoulder pad - £38] (http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-53481-19255-0/1?icep_ff3=2&pub=5575034783&toolid=10001&campid=5337235943&customid=&icep_item=281140063894&ipn=psmain&icep_vectorid=229508&kwid=902099&mtid=824&kw=lg)

[Two 40cm rods - £22] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00B22Q26G/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B00B22Q26G&linkCode=as2&tag=hybrcamerevo-21)

These rods are long enough to support a larger camera - I find them a little long for the GH3 and BMPCC - you may want something shorter, like [these 20cm rods for £14] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00AZFJRYU/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B00AZFJRYU&linkCode=as2&tag=hybrcamerevo-21).

I also recommend you invest in end caps for your rails. You will need 4 of them, and at [£5 each] (http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-53481-19255-0/1?icep_ff3=2&pub=5575034783&toolid=10001&campid=5337235943&customid=&icep_item=161482343120&ipn=psmain&icep_vectorid=229508&kwid=902099&mtid=824&kw=lg) in the UK they are pretty expensive - but they will keep a poorly tightened camera from sliding off the rails and onto the floor.

My end caps have been worth the investment :)

So for a total price of about £150, you will have a simple, flexible rig that can accommodate a wide range of cameras.

Good luck!

Rigging it is easily the best way to make it usable for sure. The downside to rigging is that it gets bigger. (which for some is a downside, not really for me)
I'd start with the camera, if you're running just the camera I'd look at the smallrig cage. I've been really happy with their stuff. I would however take a look at what you're rigging onto it and ask yourself which cage to get, they have the gh4 cage, but they also make a "universal" small dSLR cage. I personally like the universal style (though I've not used it so take it for what its worth) because it has a clamping plate on the bottom and a hot shoe clamp. this secures the camera to the cage in 2 spots. I like the rigidity. (but I run heavy stuff on my rigs).
If you are running the GH4 with a YAGH the only option is the Wooden Camera kit. I've beat mine for 3 years on the road and its great. 100% recommend it. I went the YAGH rout because I was dropping this into a production environment, I needed the SDI out, XLR in and audio DAC, as well as teh TC for multi cam sync.
Now regardless of what cage you get the next and most important thing you can buy is the HDMI cable clamp. Dont skip this. if you want to use a monitor you'll need an output. I don't really care who makes the camera they all are flimsy and break. they are all expensive to have repaired. and Panasonic isn't repairing GH4s anymore to my knowledge.

Next I'd look at mounting. what are you putting the camera on? Its nice to set cameras down from time to time, even if you're just shooting handheld B-roll. I'd look at the CAMVATE quick release mount base. For like $40 you you get quick lease plate for your cage setup and a height adjustable rod clamp. you can then throw any tripod plate on the bottom of it and you're up and running. The rods give you the starting platform for future rigging.

With the camera now in a cage and on sticks. I'd look at a top handle. I'd get a smallrig again, but one with a nato slide. quick release is always the best option. so figure about $15 for the nato plate and then $60 for a handle. I like the handles with rod mounts so you can run an evf on them. I also would stay away from handles with leather or leather like wraps. they get hot and slippery with sweat.
alright we're getting there. this is where it gets more use case specific, what kind of audio are you running? also what kind of batteries are you running? and then do you use an external monitor or an evf?

For audio, if you're running externally, I'd look at getting some sort of battery plate that you can mount the audio to. CAMVATE again has a nice setup for a Vlock battery with all sorts of various regulated power on it. Its also built on a nice cheese plate.

After that, I'd look at a mattebox, then a follow focus, then monitors. but that gets pricey very quick.

so for links to everything:

Cage - $70.00
Rod Base and riser - $39.00

Nato Plate - $13.00

Top Handle - $60.00

Battery Plate - $100.00

Rods - $13.00

The last thing, if you have a monitor that you want to run on the rig, don't waste your money on the friction arms. they fall apart so fast. for about the same cost of a manfrotto arm you can get one of smallrig's double ball arms. I run this like 3 times a week and its great.

Monitor Mount - $50.00

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So all in total you'd be looking at about $300.00 and you'd have a solid base to start working with. You can probably do better digging around on amazon, or even going to ebay. but I don't have the time right this second to do that. but when you are looking at things make sure that everything is either quick release or thumb screws. trust me you do not want to have to carry a set of allen wrenches to build your camera every time.

Yessir. I'm a fan of Smallrig. Very good for the price. Something like this paird with these rods should do the trick.