Since the explosion of DSLRs, shoulder rigs have become almost a necessity for smooth handheld work. Some you can buy on the cheap, others you can build yourself for even cheaper, and one can even double as a portable jib solution. Name brand rigs will save you the trouble of a DIY assembly job, and should hold up well enough to use on just about any shoot, but they'll cost you quite a bit more. Now we've got another how-to video, this time geared toward shooters who'd like to build their own somewhat heavy-duty shoulder rig for as little as $100. Check out the video and the full eBay items list below.
Steve of Taylordfilms dropped us a line and told us about the video, which goes into all the details you need to recreate the rig yourself:
Below is the items list from the video description. Taylordfilms has used eBay to source the pieces, so the prices are approximate -- but this affords a patient shooter the possibility of better value down the line.
We were looking for the best deal on a professional grade shoulder rig and we decided the best deal would be to buy the components separately from china. We did it for around $100 dollars, can you do it for less? Let [Taylordfilms] know in the comments below.
- 4x 300mm 15mm rails
- 2x 200mm 15mm rails
- Mounting Plate
- 2x 5mm Rod Clamp
- Extender Offset and Z-Shaped Offset
- End Clamp
- Check Marshalls/TJ Max or Ross for leg weights
While aluminum isn't quite stainless steel (which Redrock uses in its rails, for instance), this rig will definitely be sturdy enough for a DSLR setup. It also looks the 'pro' part as well as any other rig, especially with the third-party follow focus. In fact, I wouldn't have assumed it to be a self-assembled rig at all had I seen it on a shoot. The build's pro looks are due to the its use of rig-specific pre-fab parts, of course -- but what's interesting about Taylordfilm's approach here is the combination of shoot-dedicated gear and flexible bargain-hunting.
What do you guys think of this particular rig? What other pieces would you need for minimum functionality in your own uses? In building your own rig, would you go Taylordfilms route or full-on DIY?
Link: Taylordfilms-- YouTube
