My thoughts on the Shrigg Jig and cage

marks

It was like Christmas here last week. Cinematics matte box showed up and about an hour later the cage and rods from indie system. Cage is well built.....nice and solid. Lots of places to mount stuff. Perfect size for the GH2 I think. The cage and rods had a small bag with 2 allen wrenches and the top bolt. Nothing else. Turns out there should have been more in it, at the very least a bolt to attach the camera. No big deal....I picked one up at the local hardware store....(hell....I've mailed out a dvd to a customer and forgot to burn the video file on the disc!!)
You have to take the cage off of the rods to mount(or un-mount) the camera. Again not a major deal.....and I don't know if you would have to do so with other rod systems.
First thing I noticed when I mounted the camera is that without any type of soft material...ie cork or something....the camera will spin on the cage if pushed even gently on either side (red arrows). I tightened the bolt as much as I dared to without breaking anything and it still spins fairly easy. This is a big problem initially....though I plan to find something to put between the camera and cage to stop this. Second thing....and even more alarming was that as I put on and tightened the top bolt (green arrow)

I actually saw the top of the camera start to stretch up.....the top of the camera was moving up while the bottom stayed nice and tight on the cage. If I had not been going slow and paying attention I'll bet I would have pulled the camera apart or broken something. I'll need to go back to the hardware store and find some kind of spacer to fit in here. Someone asked about a stack of washers on the bolt in a picture on the original Shrigg Jig post. Something in here is a MUST!!
Last is just a pet peeve of mine. The way the mount to the tripod is set up makes it impossible to balance on the tripod with a big lens and mattebox without hanging the whole thing way off the back of the tripod. In the side view

you can see just how far back it is and it still needs to go back some more to balance. Shrigg mentioned that indiesystems makes a long plate so you can achieve balance....but you would still have to hang it off the back.
So with a few minor mods.....I think the cage is a winner overall. I think I'm going to try a different rod system as I've noticed there are some that the mount is more forward than this one which should make balancing better.

bubba

Try it with a cam caddie by schneider. Less than $100.

marks

@brianluce Yeah....I put a piece of thin cork under the cam as a test and it stopped the spin. Since then I put some stuff on the cage that is made for coating tool handles....some kind of rubber coating I got from Lowes a while back. Works a champ.

brianluce

@marks
Tim didn't send the PDF :(

I still don't know how we're supposed to secure the hotshoe mount to the cage. I guess I'll remind Tim about the PDF.

I still think this product is really good, not perfect, but carbon fiber rails, mount, and cage for $149? That's a steal. And you're buying American. Yeah, Tim isn't too good with emails, just call the guy! He usually picks up.

It's simple to improvise a good HDMI clamp, maybe not as robust and TRustMT's, but still good. I just used a small metal bracket bolted to the side then wrapped it with a velcro tie to the HDMI. I would trust it to record to a Ninja. Monitor and Tascam also are rock solid when mounted.

One tip, good idea to buy some rubber strips to put between the cam and cage and other places to get a snug fit. Something similar to tire inner tube rubber. My hardware store sells 5"x5" strip for $3.

Anyone know an affordable handle solution? I think that's all it needs now.

marks

@brianluce Brian...when you get that pdf can you share?? I also did not receive all the hardware needed to mount the camera to the cage, Had to go to the local hardware store....and it was difficult finding something that was the right length and would fit inside the recess for the bolt.
I wonder if Tim means a QR on the bottom of the cage. Sounds like you are talking inside??
nevermind....just read that you put it on the bottom....
Mark

shrigg

I leave my cage on all the time too, I really like the handling and protection it offers. Detaching the rods/riser makes the caged GH2 about the same size as a 7D, not bulky at all really

brianluce

I ended up putting the Cullmann quick release between the cage and the riser. I like the idea of keeping the cage on one of my GH2's permanently. And it still fits in my lowellpro fastpack 250 with no problem.
It took a lot tinkering and a trip to the hardware store to get the Shrigg to adapt to camera, riser, rails, and tripod.

stoney

I see. That's good.

Rambo

@stonebat should be ok with the flash mount attached on top as well, can't move then or move vertically:-)

stoney

I have the quick release... but I wouldn't use it to secure my GH2 body...

Rambo

This is it on top of the macro slider. One knob to remove the other stops spinning.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Quick-Release-Plate-4-Nikon-Canon-Pentax-Sony-QR-02-K8L-/140447313701?pt=AU_TripodsMonopods&hash=item20b34fef25#ht_3321wt_1046

Rambo

There is a tiny circular quick release which may work inside the cage, they are on eBay. I have one I use on a macro slider. The release comes with the slider kit but is available separate . I'm just looking for a pic. Back soon.

brianluce

@stonebat
I don't know about that, the Shrigg is quite compact. I just use the Cokin matte kit. Shrigg keeps the form factor small, however if you can't break it down in a reasonable amount of time, it puts a major damper on the the situation. I like to have the versatility of running the GH2 in a variety of configurations, fully pimped to Spartan. But it has to break down to do that.

Today at the local camera store (Samy's) they had nothing in the way of a kwik release that'd work inside the cage.

stoney

Once you go with a cage route, say good bye to small factor.

Say hello to big lens, big matte box, big mic, big monitor, big handles, and the small engine. ;)

brianluce

I just got the Shrigg and riser, $150. It's a good deal and it's well made. I haven't noticed any flexing in the rods as V has reported. They're a legit operation and Tim is nice and he picks about abut 90% of the time I called. Email not so much.
I think my kit might have some missing hardware because so far I see no way to mount the camera to the cage and then to the riser. Unless you use a long screw that goes through the riser,through the Shrigg, and into the GH2. That would be very awkward and cumbersome. I called Tim and he's going to send an exploded view pdf. Also, the cage is too small to mount a Cullmann quick release plate. Perhaps another brand would work? Anyone know? There must be a brand because Tim said the threaded screwhole on the bottom of the Shrigg is there to mount quick release plates. Cullmann is too big though. A system like this really needs quick release, keeping the GH2 permanently in the cage isn't viable unless you're using Pelican cases. But if you're using Pelicans with a GH2, I think you're going against the grain and canceling some of the GH2's virtues: Portability and compact ergos.

Until I get is mounted properly, I won't know, but at the moment it looks like there should be a way to improvise an hdmi clamp to the cage or perhaps use the TrustMT clamp that you can get for $50.
So at the moment, quality is there, but at least with the hardware I got, it's not plug and play as you'd expect from something ostensibly so basic as a cage.

Rambo

The GH1/GH2 spins because the tripod mount thread under the camera is not flush with the body, it protrudes about 1mm and prevents the body making firm contact with the cage base.

shrigg

The metal skin sounds neat but I doubt it will ever happen. Wouldn't really protect the fragile controls either. I have dropped my GH2 on the floor and the cage took the hit very well. No problems at all with the camera.

B3Guy

Someone with 3D printer must scan GH2 body, isolate body shell in computer software, and print metal shells for them (either an actual replacement body, or a shell for over the existing . . .).

Or just a form-fit silicone skin would be semi-protective.

marks

@Vitaliy_Kiselev OK.....you had mentioned cage as being poor design....I just wasn't as hard in my assessment. I totally agree with you on the rods.

@PixCanFly It's that high to center the lens in the matte box, and also because of the design of the "block" that holds the rods and mounts under the cage to the QR. I agree about it being front heavy. That's because the rail mount is directly under the cage with no way to move it. It's spinning (only if you give it a push) because it's smooth camera plastic on smooth aluminum cage. If you look at the side pic you can see some cork pieces sticking up from the dovetail. I took those and placed them between the camera and cage and now no more spinning. I wasn't going to use the top bolt at first....but when I noticed the spinning problem I put it on thinking it would help....it didn't. I now have it off since putting the cork under the camera.

Vitaliy_Kiselev

>Why not start new TrustMT cage topic?

Because this is about IndieSystems parts and this cage.

stoney

Why keep pouncing on Shrigg Jig topic? Why not start new TrustMT cage topic?

Vitaliy_Kiselev

>I use the Indi rods, didn't notice them being flexy but I use one of those Wieldy lens supports which helps stabilize everything.

They are fucking flexy.
As realized it as soon as I start using good Chinese handles (same as in rig deal, but clamps on my are separate).
I got Weifeng carbon rods recently and they are much much better.

shrigg

I use a Gini DSLR riser with my Shrigg cage and I do like the quality of it. The rods/riser come off quicker and are adjustable with no tools. I use the Indi rods, didn't notice them being flexy but I use one of those Wieldy lens supports which helps stabilize everything. Also I use the Jinfinance follow focus which amazingly has no play. My DSLR rig (probably like most) is always in a state of upgrade, I enjoy looking for the next way to make it better.

B3Guy

yes, but I found the FF to be especially depressing ;-)

Vitaliy_Kiselev

>Prices are reasonable and they are getting very good at building this stuff for real.

You don't realise how fast these guys are at fixing flaws and adding improvements, both in design and in manufacturing. Having many different plants who are able to work in high volume and adapt in days is extremely big advantage :-)

>The only thing I would say to anyone considering the IndiSystem stuff is: the FF is not very good.

I can say it other way.
If you get any part of UltraCompact it is not very good by itself, and you wish to replace it in new rig.
From handles that weight a ton, to rods (flexy as hell) and C bracket (flexy and strangely made) and concluding by shoulder pad (in last versions it is better).

B3Guy

@Vitaliy_Kiselev yes, I also have an UltraCompact and can confirm that it is decent for the price. I have also had hands on Zacuto, etc. and IMO NONE of the high-tootin' companies' gear is worth the crazy price tags.

I have used knock-off Zacuto etc. stuff from China, and this stuff is most exciting. Prices are reasonable and they are getting very good at building this stuff for real.

Indisystem I think will still have a niche in the market for a bit. the only kit I own is the UltraCompact because its what I could afford. Until I get some jobs with my kit, and rake in some money, it will serve its purpose fairly well. The only thing I would say to anyone considering the IndiSystem stuff is: the FF is not very good. If you're like me, and you can deal with a little slop, fine. If for whatever reason, you really need a good FF, expect to buy a replacement. that is the first piece I'll swap out on my rig.

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