Canadian third-party accessories maker SHAPE recently introduced an entire rigging solution for the Canon C500 Mark II. The complete kit consists of a cage, a REVOLT baseplate, a top plate, one left-side handgrip, a push-button viewfinder mount, a follow focus, a 4 x 5.6″ rod-mounted matte box, and a long top handle. Of course, you can buy every part separately. Let’s take a closer look at this SHAPE all-in-one solution for the C500 Mark II. Image credit: SHAPE SHAPE Rigging Solution for the Canon C500 Mark II The Canon C500 Mark II has been out in the wild for a couple of months now. Like every new camera that comes out, third-party accessories companies are releasing custom-made rigging solutions. Canon’s latest flagship full-frame cinema camera is no different, and after the Zacuto Recoil solution for the C500 Mark II, SHAPE is joining the game. Image credit: SHAPE The SHAPE rigging solution for the Canon C500 Mark II consists of several parts, including: A cage that wraps entirely around the camera, and that includes a top plate. One REVOLT baseplate where you can attach 15mm rails. A left-side handgrip. One push-button viewfinder mount. A follow focus plus a 4 x 5.6″ rod-mounted matte box. And a long top handle. Let’s take a closer look at it piece by piece. Image credit: SHAPE SHAPE Camera Cage for the Canon C500 Mark II The core of this system is the SHAPE camera cage. This cage consists of four parts that are attached to each other: a top plate, a base plate, and two side brackets. There are a lot of 1/4-20″ and 3/8-16″ mounting points all over the cage, with “ARRI anti-twist” four-way locating hole patterns. On the right side of the side bracket, there is an ARRI rosette gear if you want to attach the control handle that comes with the camera. One nice touch is the cable clamp next to the rosette mount that avoids putting too much pressure on this fragile connector. Also, there is a built-in magnetic Allen wrench slot on the base plate if you want to disassemble the cage. Image credit: SHAPE SHAPE Push-Button Viewfinder Mount The SHAPE Push-Button viewfinder mount screws directly to the Canon C500 Mark II display and replaces the mount that comes with it. The viewfinder mount attaches to your top handle via a 15mm rod, which allows for side-to-side adjustment. With the three 19mm push-buttons, you can quickly loosen, adjust, and lock any of the height/orientation of your viewfinder. This is one of the best viewfinder mounting solutions for the C500 Mark II. Image credit: SHAPE SHAPE Accessories On top of the baseplate, you can mount a large top handle that wraps around the entire camera. This top handle features a ton of mounting points to attach accessories directly to it. Also, this top handle is modular: you can remove sections if you want to strip down your rig. Most of the other accessories are not C500 Mark II specific, but if you are starting from scratch, they can be an excellent addition. These accessories include the SHAPE REVOLT baseplate to attach 15mm rails at the front and back of your camera and mount it on your shoulder. For extra stability, you can attach the left-side handgrip to the REVOLT baseplate. This handgrip features two push-buttons to adjust the position of the handle quickly. Finally, to finalize your rig, the full package comes with a Follow Focus Pro and a 4 x 5.6″ mattebox. Pricing and Availability Most of the SHAPE solutions for the Canon C500 Mark II are available already. The complete rigging solution is $2815.12/€3253.00, but as already mentioned above, you can also buy all the parts separately to fit your needs. What do you think of the SHAPE rigging solution for the Canon C500 Mark II? Did you ever shot with SHAPE accessories in the past? Let us know in the comments below!

Once exciting deals for filmmakers appear, we try to share these with you guys. We selected some of the best offers of filmmaking equipment from our partners’ online shops for this week – including Canon XC10, SmallHD FOCUS OLED, Panasonic GH5, Rokinon Cine lenses, FUJIFILM X-T3 and more. I went through the current deals on our partners’ websites and have selected the best offers currently available, which I think could be interesting for you. First, there are B&H offers listed for our readers based in North and South America, and then there are a couple of deals from our European partner CVP. By shopping at our partners’ stores, you are supporting cinema5D through our buy links, as we get a small affiliate commission when a purchase is completed. Now, let’s take a look at this week’s top deals for filmmakers: B&H: Canon XC10 – $500 Discount The Canon XC10 is an all-in-one camcorder that features a 1″ CMOS Sensor and DIGIC DV 5 processor, capable of recording in 4K at up to 30 fps. The camera incorporates a built-in 10x F/2.8 – F/5.6 zoom lens. It’s an excellent camera if you are often shooting concerts, live events, or anything else that requires long-time recording capabilities. Indeed, there is no time record limit on the Canon XC10. Buy link: Canon XC10 Was: $1499.00 Now: $999.00 (Savings: $500) B&H: SmallHD 5.5″ FOCUS OLED Monitor – $240 Discount The SmallHD FOCUS monitor is a 1080P daylight-viewable OLED monitor with a touchscreen display that offers a lot of features – especially for that price – including a Waveform Monitor/False Color/Vectorscope, and you can also load 3D LUTs.This deal is currently available on the HDMI version only, but it has the ability to power select DSLR and mirrorless cameras Buy link: SmallHD FOCUS OLED Monitor Was: $539.10 Now: $299.00 (Savings: $240.10) B&H: WD 2TB My Passport External Drive – $11 Discount Filmmakers never have enough storage. There is a deal on a 2TB WD My Passport external drive that could be the perfect “client drive.” Indeed, it’s not the fastest drive out there, but it features large storage capacity for a reasonable price. Also, you can password-protect it thanks to the built-in 256-bit AES hardware encryption. Buy link: WD 2TB My Passport External Drive Was: $69.99 Now: $58.45 (Savings: $11.54) B&H: Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5 Bundle – $702 Discount The Panasonic GH5 was released almost three years ago, but it is still one of the best camera bodies with a micro four-thirds sensor for filmmakers. The GH5 can record both compressed and intraframe codecs up to 4K 60fps and in 10-bit up to 4K 30fps. All of that with the 20Mpx stabilized sensor in a weather-sealed body with flip out touchscreen display. Additionally, with this kit, you get free SanDisk 64GB extreme UHS-I SDXC memory card, a Ruggard camera bag, a Zeiss Lens Care Kit, and a spare GH5 battery pack from Watson. Buy link: Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5 Bundle Was: $1999.99 Now: $1297.99 (Savings: $702.00) B&H: Rokinon Cine Lens Bundle – $350 Discount This standard Cine Lens kit consists of the Rokinon 24mm, 35mm, and 85mm, all at T/1.5. This set of fully manual standard focal lengths features 180° de-clicked apertures, with gears for the aperture and focus rings and the same optics as the far more expensive XEEN line of cine lenses. The kit is available in Canon EF, Sony E, Nikon F, and MFT lens mounts. Buy link: Rokinon Cine Lens Bundle Was: $1447.00 Now: $1097.00 (Savings: $350.00) CVP: FUJIFILM X-T3 – €125 Discount The FUJIFILM X-T3 is our 2019 mirrorless camera of the year, and you definitely can’t go wrong with this offer. The X-T3 is the current top-of-the-line APS-C body from FUJIFILM, and it is overall a competent filmmaking device. Buy link: FUJIFILM X-T3 Was: €1,332.81 Now: €1207.82 (Savings: €124.99) CVP: Canon 50mm F/1.8 STM – €20 Discount Canon’s affordable plastic 50mm f/1.8 STM lens is on sale at CVP. The new version of this full-frame EF Mount lens features a 7-blade circular aperture, STM focusing motor, and improved optical design. Buy link: Canon 50mm F/1.8 STM Was: €117.37 Now: €97.81 (Savings: €19.56) CVP: Shape EVA1 Handle EVF Mount – €186 Discount If you are a Panasonic EVA1 owner, this offer could be a great deal for you! This kit includes the Shape top plate, top handle, and EVF mount for the EVA1. This setup allows you to quickly adjust the position of your camera’s LCD with one push of a button. Buy link: Shape EVA1 Handle EVF Mount Was: €542.34 Now: €355.64 (Savings: €186.70) CVP: Aputure Barndoors for LightStorm Lights – €10 Discount The Aputure Barndoors are compatible with every Bowens-mount fixtures, including Aputure’s COB 120D/300D. If you want to control and precisely shape the beam of light coming out of these powerful LED lights, these barndoors are an excellent first step. Buy link: Aputure Barndoors Was: €67.17 Now: €56.89 (Savings: €10.28) CVP: Zacuto Nucleus Dual Trigger Grips – €158 Discount Last but not least, there is a discount on the Zacuto Nucleus dual trigger grips. This accessory relocates the Nucleus M FIZ handgrips to the perfect position for should rigs operation. They are compatible with 15mm rails and are infinitely adjustable. As always with Zacuto products, the quality is top-notch, and there is a lifetime guarantee. Buy link: Zacuto Nucleus Dual Trigger Grips Was: €990.95 Now: €832.07 (Savings: €158.88) What do you think of this week’s selection? Share with us if you know and like any of these products in the comment section below!

The core of the Sony FX9 SHAPE rig is the camera cage with a side pillar. It connects the top plate with a top handle with a rear insert plate. On top, SHAPE offers two types of baseplates. Both viewfinder mount and the remote extension arm include SHAPE’s patented push-button system for quick position adjustments. All SHAPE FX9 accessories are available for pre-order now. SHAPE Rig for Sony FX9. Source: SHAPE The new full-frame cinema camera Sony FX9 is shipping now and many third-party manufacturers are starting to present their rigs and accessories for this camera. Few days ago, we informed you about the Zacuto Recoil Rig and Accessories for the Sony FX9. Another company that presented their solution to improving ergonomy of the FX9 is SHAPE, the camera accessories manufacturer based in Canada. What exactly do they offer? Sony FX9 SHAPE Rig SHAPE’s solution for the Sony FX9 consists of several pieces of accessories. Some of those can function standalone and some only in connection with others. Not all of the accessories in this article are of course specially designed for this camera – SHAPE has many universal accessories, which function with wide variety of cameras. The complete SHAPE Shoulder Rig includes a shoulder mount baseplate with 15mm rod system, a form-fitting side plate with ARRI rosette, a top plate, a rear insert plate, a rosette handle with black push-button, a viewfinder rod clamp with 25mm push-button, a modular top handle, a 4 x 5.6″ matte box, and a follow focus pro. Sony FX9 V-lock Quick Release Baseplate and Lightweight Baseplate SHAPE actually offers two models of the baseplate. Both of them are designed to match the Sony FX9 optical center. SHAPE V-Lock Baseplate for Sony FX9. Source: SHAPE The FX9 V-lock (VCT) quick release baseplate includes a bracket system with a magnet which allows users to swivel the baseplate to the left for easy access to the camera screws. It is designed with 2 standard ARRI rosettes for handles or accessories mount. The quick-release adapter plate is compatible with most VCT tripod plate and there is also a protective rubber pad on top of the plate to protect the camera. Two 15 mm lightweight rod blocs can be fixed to the front and rear of the baseplate. The thick shoulder pad is made of gel padding and slip-free material. The baseplate is also designed with a sophisticated toolbox to store extra screws and Allen key. The shoulder plate is equipped with 1/4-20 and 3/8-16 threaded holes allowing extra screws to be stored and there is a magnet at the back to attach the Allen key. SHAPE Lightweight Baseplate for Sony FX9. Source: SHAPE The lightweight baseplate with 15 mm rod system features two attachment points (1/4-20 and 3/8-16) for securely mounting the Sony FX9 body. The baseplate also comes with a pair of 15 mm rods that are 12” long through the length of the baseplate. The bottom of the plate feature several 1/4″-20 and 3/8″-16 mounting holes for mounting and balancing the camera. Sony FX9 Cage With Top Plate, Top Handle, and Rear Insert Plate One of the accessories which are custom designed for the FX9 is the cage. It features a side pillar that connects the top plate and rear insert plate. There are various 1/4″-20 mounting threads with ARRI locating (anti rotating) pins and one ARRI rosette in the lower section of the side pillar. SHAPE Cage for Sony FX9. Source: SHAPE The rear insert plate is a CNC aluminum support plate that mounts to the camera body via three M4 mounting screws. The center of the plate is designed with three 3/8″-16 and three 1/4″-20 threaded holes for tripod mount. The large surface of the plate also provides necessary support when the camera is mounted to a tripod or a shoulder mount. The lightweight top plate is designed to fit around the native Sony FX9 top handle. The top plate offers an array of twelve 1/4″-20 and twelve 3/8″-16 threads with ARRI locating pins. The Sony FX9 top plate is also designed with a threaded hole to insert the FX9 sensor pin and the FX9 viewfinder cable clamp. SHAPE top handle can be used in a short version or it can be stacked to create a very long handle even with a 90° connection piece to add a rear handle. Sony FX9 Push-Button Viewfinder Mount SHAPE Viewfinder Mount for Sony FX9. Source: SHAPE The Push-Button Viewfinder Mount is designed with a 15mm rod with push-button and an L-bracket viewfinder clamp with ratchet knob. It can be used with the original Sony top handle or any top handle with a 15mm rod clamp. It features two points of articulation for horizontal, vertical, and transversal adjustment of the viewfinder. By simply pressing the SHAPE patented push-button, users are allowed a 360° rotation. Sony FX9 Remote Extension Kit SHAPE Extension Arm for Sony FX9. Source: SHAPE The Sony FX9 remote extension handle from SHAPE offers a 2″ adjustable arm extension for the side handgrip of the Sony FX9. The extendable arm is equipped with a ratchet key to easily adjust the length of the arm. It is designed with ARRI rosettes to mount on the camera or baseplate. It also features SHAPE’s patented Push-Button technology for easy angle adjustment and 360° rotation. SHAPE is well known for its patented Push-button system and many camera operators prefer it for its speed. Price and Availability All SHAPE accessories for the Sony FX9 can be pre-ordered now. Prices range from $224 for the bare camera cage till $2,244 for the complete FX9 rig with follow focus and matte box. You can find links to all the products below the article. What do you think of the Sony FX9 SHAPE rig? Do you use some products from SHAPE? How are you satisfied with their quality? Let us know in the comments underneath the article.

To say that Blackmagic’s Pocket Cinema Camera 4K has been received well would be an understatement. The online camera community is still bubbling with reviews, comparisons to other cameras and stories about accessories. (Check out our review by clicking here). One essential accessory for most people would be a cage system of some sort, to alleviate some of the rigging problems that smaller cameras inherently face. However, the solutions manufacturers choose can really differ from one another. We have reported about most other BMPCC 4K cages before – here are the ones we haven’t told you about yet. Shape Cage for the BMPCC 4K Shape’s solution for a BMPCC 4K cage is made of CNC machined aluminium and comes at a rather light 0.66 lbs / 0.3kg. This might be due to the fact that it isn’t technically a full cage – it is open on the right side, with a padded side leash securing your hold on the BPMCC 4K’s pretty comfortable grip. The top of the cage features a cold shoe mount, the top and side have numerous 1/4″ mounting points, most of them with anti-rotation pinholes. On the camera’s left side there is an integrated clamp that secures the HDMI-cable into place, but curiously enough this clamp doesn’t extend downwards enough to also secure the USB-C cable while recording to an SSD. The bottom of the cage allows access to the battery compartment and has 1/4″ and 3/8″ mounting points for tripod plates and the like. Shape’s BMPCC 4K cage is available in a barebones version, but also in kits, offering different combinations of accessories, ranging from simple top handle all the way to fully built shoulder mount solutions with a mattebox and follow focus. Notable amongst the generally high-quality Shape accessories are the trademark button rotatable handles and grips (there are two different top handles available) and the side handle for the left side of the BMPCC 4K cage. An SSD mount is also available. Wooden Camera’s Unified BMPCC 4K Cage Wooden Camera’s BMPCC 4K cage shows quite a different approach. It is no full cage, but rather consists of a top and bottom, connected by a rod on the camera’s left side. The rod itself has some 1/4″ mounting points and holds Wooden Cameras’ HDMI angle connector in place, which comes with the kit. One might wonder what will hold the actual cable in place, once it’s connected to this secured angle connector. The bottom of the cage consists of a quick release system for the integrated Manfrotto-style baseplate and a pin to secure lenses or speed boosters. The top of the cage is more or less a cheese plate with numerous 1/4″ and some 3/8″ mounting points, one of the latter also featuring holes for anti-rotation pins. The cage is available in two versions, depending on the top handle you choose. It seems like the only difference between the grips is the material, which can be rubber or wood. The top handle screws into the front of the top cheese plate and has a few mounting points as well as a cold shoe mount and a 15mm rod hole, oriented to the side. The cage comes in at  0.975 lbs / 442g. Amongst the accessories Wooden Camera is offering are a D-Tap to DC cable for the camera, a universal viewfinder mount that can be attached to the top handle’s rod attachment, a unified baseplate that supports 15mm rods and a MFT to PL mount adapter. SmallRig Half Cage and Full Cage for BMPCC 4K Like Tilta, SmallRig offers two versions of their cage, one half cage and one full cage – the main difference being five more 1/4″ and one more 3/8″ mounting points on the full cage’s right side. Both cages don’t hamper your access to the battery compartment and have two integrated NATO rails (one on top, one on  the left side) and a cold shoe mount on top. The full cage also has attachment points for a camera strap on both sides, while obviously, the half cage has this only on one side. The half cage comes in at 0.5 lbs / 228g, the full cage at 0.66 lbs / 300g. Amongst the accessories SmallRig makes for this cage specifically are a Metabones adapter support that attaches to the bottom front of the cages, an SSD mount compatible with Samsung T5 SSDs and a combined HDMI and USB-C clamp that screws into the cage’s side. Obviously, with the cages relying on the standard NATO rails for attaching handles, you can either use some of SmallRig’s own side grips and top handles, or just any manufacturers NATO handles. Of course, the cage is also compatible with SmallRig’s humongous selection of accessories, ranging from offset shoulder mounts, EVF and monitor mounts, magic arms and many others. The competition If you want to compare these cages to the others we have reported about, here are the articles relating to those: Tilta Cage system for BMPCC 4K LockCircle Cage for BMPCC 4K 8Sinn Cage for BMPCC 4K Regarding prices for the most basic version of the cage, the current landscape of BMPCC 4K cages looks like this: SmallRig cages start at $55.00 and $69.00 respectively Tilta is asking for $69.00 (half cage) or $99.00 (not yet available) Shape’s basic cage starts at $175.00 8Sinn’s offerings start at $179.00 (half cage) and $279.00 Wooden Camera’s Unified cage will set you back $350.00 LockCircle hasn’t announced pricing yet Of course we will keep you posted about other new cage systems and accessories being released for the BMPCC 4K. Which of these cages would suit you best? Do you prefer the high integration of Shape’s system or the lower price of SmallRig’s alternatives? Or are you holding out for Tilta to make their very comprehensive accessory system for the BMPCC 4K available? Let us know in the comments!

SHAPE, makers of a variety of camera support accessories, has a new line of V-mount and gold mount batteries called Full Play. We go hands on with the new bricks at Cine Gear 2018 below. SHAPE Full Play batteries The batteries are available in both V and gold mount and in 98wh, 135wh and 270wh capacities. When comparing the 98wh SHAPE battery to other brands, I found that SHAPE Full Play was the more affordable solution in general. SHAPE’s batteries also include a USB and D-tap port as well as a 4-light LED indicator showing battery charge. The company also says the batteries will charge on other brands chargers and will provide about 6-hours of battery life for cameras like Panasonic’s AU-EVA1. The batteries also sit flush to the top of cameras like the Canon C700 and RED Helium — definitely helpful for mounting ergonomics. Quad chargers and a D-Tap travel adapter for charging on the go is also available. A variety of different batteries are available in the marketplace, but the SHAPE batteries seem to provide a nice balance between price, capacity and ergonomics. 

Every once in a while we see very clever products that have the potential of making our lives on set a whole lot easier. The Wooden Camera Push Button ARRI Rosette is such a device. Adjust your handgrips? Push a button, align the grip, release the button, done. No Thumbscrews required. A set of 4 Push Button ARRi Rosettes (two left, two right). These neat guys just sit between your standard ARRI rosette and the handgrip or extension arm. Mount it once and forget it’s even there. Wooden Camera Push Button ARRI Rosette You probably have worked with a Sony FS7 before. It’s a great little camera but the one thing that really bugs me every single time is its handgrip extension. In order to move it you have to release a thumbscrew, so you’ll have to use both hands for that task, otherwise you risk dropping the camera once the extension arm is loose. A neat solution for this problem is the Shape FS7 extension handle (reviewed here). This arm can be released, aligned and refastened with the push of a button and with just one hand. The Zacuto Trigger Grip is another solution (article here). Both solutions are pretty cool but both require the purchase of a completely new arm. Wooden Camera’s approach to this problem is a little different, but just as ingenious compared to the Shape or Zacuto devices: It’s truly universal because it’s just the rosette itself. Just mount it between your camera’s ARRI rosette and your actual extension arm and you’re all set. You can still use your existing gear. Being so small, yet so helpful in so many situations (If you’ve ever worked with the stock Sony FS7 extension arm you know what I mean), makes this Wooden Camera push button ARRI rosette such a great product. Pricing and Availability The push button ARRI rosettes come in left and right variants and you can purchase them individually, in a set of two (left, right) or set of four (2 left, 2 right). One rosette is $85, the set of two is $160 and the quadruplet is $299. Delivery is scheduled for early April, but you can pre-order the ARRI rosettes now. Links: Wooden Camera What is your favorite approach of mounting handgrips? Is this handy accessory worth a try? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The Shape Revolt Push Button Arms combine a strong tool-less design with flexibility to provide solid support for a variety of uses. The push-button system from Shape has become a popular choice for handles on camera rigs because of its tool-less design. With many camera setups now including monitors, recorders and microphone accessories – which in general can be fiddly to attach and adjust – shooters will be pleased to see the Shape design has made its way to support these kind of accessories too. The Shape Revolt Push Button Arm incorporates ease of adjustment and strength into a tiny device that can rotate 360 degrees on the horizontal and vertical axis in the 2A model, or four axis in the 4A model. You can change a monitor setup from facing the camera operator to the side for a director or producer by simply pushing the lock button to release, and twisting the joint to adjust. I checked out the Shape Revolt Push Button Arm last week and, despite being small in size, it’s strong and remains locked in place unlike many cheap magic arms. It can be attached to any camera rig and accessories via the 1/4″ screw, or onto 15mm rods. The 4-axis Push Button Arm is larger, but allows for further extension and mounting possibilities for a complete custom setup that can be adjusted at the top and bottom or the arm. This would be particularly handy when working with a camera setup with lots of accessories attached to a cage for example. However, they do have a higher price tag than conventional magic arms, which may put many people off purchasing. Can the Shape Revolt Push Button Arms convert you from using magic arms for your accessories in the future? Let us know in the comments.

The Sony FS7 is a very popular camera which comes in a shoulder-mount shape and form, straight out of the box, which often isn’t the case with cameras that didn’t get the third party rigging treatment. However, the built-in shoulder pad and handle aren’t perfect. The shoulder pad can’t be moved much to adjust for different balance points depending on the type of lens you use – a movable baseplate with built-in shoulder rig is required. Many manufacturers, including Shape, have come up with great solutions. My current baseplate of choice is the Zacuto Recoil baseplate for the FS7. The handle is another story – while the shape of the grip is actually perfect for larger hands like mine, the handle itself has always felt like something that was built before the design was perfected. The two big issues: a thumbscrew to attach the angle of the handle is cumbersome to operate while you have the camera on your shoulder, and having to use a screwdriver for the adjustment of the length of the handle is a downright usability nightmare. Canadian camera accessory maker Shape discovered this problem early on (and yes, this product has already been on the market for a while, but I just found it too good not to cover!). They made a replacement part for the upper part of the handle that gives you a push-button adjustment of the handle angle plus a thumbscrew for the length adjustment. And just like that, it becomes something you don’t want to miss from your FS7 ever again. The Shape FS7 Extension Handle allows for toolless handle adjustments. Shape FS7 Extension Conclusion If you have a Sony FS7 and film from the shoulder frequently, you should get the Shape FS7 handle extension. It’s as simple as that. It makes this great camera just more usable by thinking the concept until the end, something that Sony wasn’t able to do when they released the camera.