With Fujifilm’s newest launch of the X-T5, I knew it would not be lengthy earlier than brackets and mounting rigs would start showing on-line. For my very own cameras, it is at all times been Smallrig brackets as a result of construct high quality and regarded design. So, after buying the X-T5, I went on to their web site to see if any had been obtainable and promptly bought one, however that is not all that they had obtainable.

For me, the retro-styled aesthetics of the silver X-T5 are a giant draw past the standard of the Digicam and pictures themselves.

The Cage Styling

The hand-held cage is marketed as retro, which may fall loosely into the visible class of steampunk, one other aesthetic type I am significantly keen on. If you take a look at the Cage, you may probably see how I got here to this conclusion, however maybe utilizing the title of steampunk cage isn’t a sensible choice for advertising and marketing functions. Nevertheless, even with its brushed bronze styling and ergonomics, it has many extra capabilities than simply wanting good.

Construct High quality

The cage is solidly constructed steel weighing solely 370 g and that includes an ergonomic cowhide handgrip that gives loads of grip for even the largest of fingers. There’s loads of clearance above the dials, and the design of the cage permits on your thumb to relaxation comfortably on the chilly shoe that is built-in into the body behind the handgrip. The highest deal with has a nonslip rubber grip, and the deal with is detachable if you wish to use the cage when solely capturing images. The cage and deal with have loads of connections factors for maximizing your filming rig and embody:

• 21 1/4” holes
• 4 ARRI 3/8” holes
• 2 strap slots
• A NATO rail
• A sling strap bar on the underside

Included on the underside is a dual-head wrench to avoid wasting you from foraging for the proper measurement Allen key to regulate all the pieces. Though the cage weighs 370 g, I’ve to confess it did not really feel noticeable, and I believe that has loads to do with the very ample handgrip measurement. The size of the cage are 145.8 mm x 63.2 mm x 103.4 mm. It does not add any discernible bulk to the digicam as a result of design, and I by no means felt that I abruptly had a bulkier digicam when connected. I really felt it protected the digicam.

The detachable HDMI and USB-C cable clamp is articulated by means of 90 levels to permit for the port doorways to open, after which, it sits again neatly in place with loads of clearance for the door.

The shutter button provides to the general retro look of the cage, and once more, that is detachable. Admittedly, I’ve nonetheless to get used to utilizing it, however I can see its operate by way of the cage design, and it really works very nicely in that respect.

The chilly shoe spirit degree will be connected to the entrance chilly shoe mount, as per pictures, or on the digicam itself, no matter your desire. 

Usability

Granted, that is the place I fall down by way of what this cage is able to relating to filmmaking. I apply it to a tripod, mounted to digicam items and handheld b-roll pictures for YouTube, so at present, I am not getting all the pieces out of the multifaceted performance that the cage is able to, however I’ll say that it has now bought me wanting on the varied prospects of it when used for filmmaking.

A full filming rig setup will be connected to this cage, together with a aspect deal with, monitor, microphone, energy financial institution, lights, flash for images, magic arm, focus pull. The record will go on, however I hope you get the thought.

For on a regular basis images with the highest deal with eliminated, it feels nice in hand, and you don’t have any restricted entry to any of the highest dials. I do take away the shutter button adapter, nevertheless, as I am not fairly used to that but. The handgrip is sufficiently larger than the bracket handgrip and really feels higher within the hand. That’s not to dismiss the Smallrig, as it’s a nice useful bracket, however once I handed it to a different Fuji shooter, other than the steampunk remark, his first commentary was the extra substantial grip.

What I Favored

The construct high quality and multifunctional design of the cage, in addition to the aesthetics.

What May Be Improved

One add-on that I hope Smallrig creates for this cage is an Arca finish plate to allow you to maintain this on the digicam and use it for images when not filming. I did search for one on the location, however could not see one. This could serve two functions. The primary is the safety it will present to your digicam ought to it fall, and the second is that you’d be capable to mount it in portrait orientation onto your tripod with out switching again to the bracket. I may simply connect a tripod plate, however that may defeat the aim of this retro-looking cage.

Last Ideas

Maybe a majority of this text focuses an excessive amount of on the aesthetics of the cage, and I ask no forgiveness for this, because it does look good, and it is meant to. The performance of the cage is under no circumstances to be ignored, because it does all the pieces that you could possibly hope it will and extra, because it has all the pieces for the filmmaker and photographer. It is nicely designed and manufactured and offers you with a myriad of attachment and extension prospects to construct up an entire filming rig, which I’m now wanting into, because of the cage.

Smallrig has been producing brackets and digicam cages for various manufacturers since 2009 and has persistently offered high quality working with manufacturers akin to Fujifilm, Nikon, and Atomos. You should buy yours right here.