Home Tripods & Rigs Top 4 DSLR Shoulder Rigs & Mounts
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Top 4 DSLR Shoulder Rigs & Mounts

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Like a tripod, a shoulder rig (or mount) is a great addition to your collection of camera gear. Getting a shoulder rig is a worthwhile investment, because it adds a much more professional quality to even the most amateur videos.

It lends you far more stability and greater control than just holding your camera with your hands, especially if you’re moving while recording. You definitely need this kind of stability when you’re following a moving subject, otherwise the video will end up shaky and unbalanced.

Using a shoulder mount will make shooting more comfortable, especially if you’re planning on filming for a long period of time. You’ll also look more professional yourself, which is helpful when shooting in a crowded area. People will be able to clearly identify you as the videographer, which means they’ll be more likely to stay out of your way.

finding the best dslr shoulder rigs & mounts

Finding the Best DSLR Shoulder Rig: Budget vs. Pro Rigs

Like most audio visual equipment, you usually get what you pay for. If you’re just starting out, you may not know if you prefer using a shoulder rig, so a cheaper one might be a better investment.

Budget rigs run the risk of being less reliable, although we’ve found a couple that perform quite well for their price range. Professional grade shoulder rigs tend to be more durable, but are definitely more expensive.

If you’re an amateur, you may want to start off with a budget model until you get comfortable with using a shoulder rig. Most camera equipment really depends on how you use it, so you can still capture great footage even if you’re using a cheaper piece. Here’s a few reviews to consider when you’re shopping around for a shoulder rig.

Best ‘Pro’ DSLR Shoulder Rigs & Mounts Reviews

Zacuto Z-DSP Scorpion Rig

1.-Zacuto-Z-DSP-Scorpion_review

Pros:

  • Very comfortable
  • Comes with an EVF mount, rods for mounting other accessories
  • Adjustable for people of any height and size
  • Top handle allows for low mode shooting

Cons:

  • Quite pricey (retail value at around $2,430)
  • Set-up might be complicated for beginners

The Zacuto Z-DSP Scorpion is a fantastic new shoulder rig kid, with a uniquely ergonomic design. The frame is versatile and lightweight, with a permeable gel-padded shoulder pad and ball joint. The gel padding is a great feature, as it conforms to your body allowing for superior comfort without inhibiting your mobility. It also features an adjustable, built-in top handle, so you can carry the rig when you’re not using it, or easily transfer your camera from your shoulder to the tripod.

The ball joint design is what makes this rig so flexible, allowing you to manipulate the entire shoulder pad in different directions so it adapts specifically to your body. This is greatly beneficial, especially when shooting over long periods of time. It also has a multifunctional baseplate, so you can mount your camera to the shoulder rig, and additionally mount the rig on your tripod.

The baseplate attaches with standard size screws, and also offers quick release port so you can easily switch between your shoulder, the tripod or just using the camera on its own. The kit also comes with lightweight Zgrips V3 hand grips, for greater control over the whole piece, and a 7lb counterbalance.

Redrock Micro Shoulder Mount

2.-Redrock-Micro-microshoulder_review

Pros:

  • Durable, with no plastic parts
  • Offers great stability and control
  • Relatively affordable (marked at around $568.00)
  • Compatible with virtually all cameras
  • Easily customized with lots of accessories

Cons:

  • Doesn’t come with counterbalance included.
  • Grips are rather short

This rig is also highly ergonomic, nearly every element of the entire frame can be adjusted very specifically to suit your body and shooting style. It is compatible with nearly every kind of camera, from tiny camcorders, ENG-style cameras and video DSLRs.

The frame of the Redrock Micro is constructed from sturdy yet lightweight aluminum and stainless steel, with carbon fiber rods that can support a variety of different accessories. The rig features a soft, curved rubber shoulder pad and rubber-coated handgrips, which ensures extra stability even when you’re moving around a lot. The rubber padding isn’t quite as nice as the gel padding that the Scorpion offers, but it is still very flexible and suitable for long-term shooting.

Because it’s extremely light, you might want to add a counterbalance (which isn’t included in the standard kit, but comes with the Field Cinema Standard Bundle). If you purchase additional rods, you can minimize transfer time between your shoulder and tripod by running the microshoulderMount on additional rods beneath the rig. Although that might sound unnecessary, having extra rods on hand is useful because you can use them for other accessories as well, such as external monitors, articulating arms, power sources and hard drives.

Overall, it’s a good rig for beginners, easy to set up and not as expensive as many other professional models.

Best Budget DSLR Shoulder Rigs Reviews

PR-1 Prime Video Shoulder Rig

PR-1-Prime-Video-Shoulder-Rig review

Pros:

  • Great value for the price (around $264.99)
  • Converts from shoulder to gunstock style
  • Nice long handles
  • Easy to use
  • Sturdy, durable construction
  • Great for adding accessories (includes pieces for doing so)

Cons:

  • Foam shoulder pad and grips are a bit slippery
  • Heavier than some models

This is pretty decent rig for a relatively low price. It’s great for beginners who are just learning to use 15mm rail systems, and is versatile enough that you can add to it over time for a more advanced build. It’s decently adjustable, and is compatible with most cameras, as well as other accessories like microphones, LED monitors, follow focus systems and EVFs.

The PR-1 Prime Rig might not be  as stylish as a professional rig, but it is a good way to affordably upgrade your camera, allowing you to capture much more steady footage from all different angles. The rig has a hybrid chest-shoulder pad made of foam rubber, which allows for a lot of stability but might need additional padding to make it more comfortable. The hybrid style allows you to shift from a shoulder-mount stabilizer to a gunstock-style, which makes it more versatile than many other budget rigs.

Along with foam-covered handle grips, it will definitely provide you with much more flexibility while shooting, and is comfortable enough to use for extended periods of time. The kit also includes 2 P&C rods, which offer 20 additional mounting points and a 7-inch steel friction arm, some nice extra pieces to have around for when you start collecting more accessories.

Fotodiox WonderRig Elite

Fotodiox-WonderRig-Elite review

Pros:

  • Excellent value for the money (retails at around $250)
  • Easy to use
  • Great for beginners and advanced users alike
  • Quality follow focus with attachment for zoom mechanism
  • Compatible with other accessories

Cons:

  • Front-heavy
  • Grips can be a little slippery

This little kit is very affordable and has several nice features. The WonderRig Elite comes with standard 15mm rail rods, which mount the reversible follow focus that can be used on either side of the lens, and also includes a matte box.

Matte boxes are essential for blocking out lens flare, and once you’ve used one you’ll never want to go without one again. The matte box included with this kid has three adjustable barn doors (top and each side), which are made of sturdy plastic. Although plastic isn’t the ideal material for this accessory, the WonderRig’s matte box is still pretty effective, and is a great value for the low price.

Buying individual accessories for a shoulder rig can get expensive, so this kit is a good bargain for sure. The frame is constructed from durable steel, and since it’s reverse-mountable, you can use it ambidextrously.

The follow focus is smooth and easy to configure, although it isn’t adjustable in height (meaning you’ll have to only use certain lenses). Decent-sized grips reduce arm strain, and the curved shoulder pad is relatively comfortable (although you might want to add additional padding as needed).

One disadvantage is that while this model is overall quite sturdy, it is also rather front-heavy, so you’ll definitely want to purchase an additional counterweight for maximum stability.

Still, if you’re looking for a good setup without having to piecemeal accessories, the WonderRig is a great option.

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