For any videographer, getting your equipment setup just right is key to achieving smoother workflows and better-quality shots. Recently, I upgraded my gimbal setup with a few accessories that have made a significant impact on both my shooting experience and footage quality. Looking back, I wish I had invested in these upgrades much sooner.
Dual Handgrips
On longer shoots, or even just when you need the smoothest moves, getting a good grip on your gimbal is essential. That’s where these dual hand grips come in.
My RS3 gimbal is already pretty comfortable to hold, but getting both hands on makes a big difference. I’m sure there’s some biomechanical advantage to support this, but it really is just as simple as picking it up and feeling the difference. It’s easier to pick up, move, and point. Less effort definitely equals smoother shots too, as it feels much tougher to hit that “strain” spot in your range of motion.
This dual handgrip includes multiple mounting points, such as cold shoes and 1/4"-20 and ARRI 3/8"-16 threads, for attaching accessories like microphones or lights. Its horizontal adjustability feature allows for more dynamic shooting angles, and the dual NATO rails facilitate quick release and attachment, even in inverted shooting modes.
You can easily mount one or both grips, along with adding or removing accessories like a monitor. The grips themselves are very comfortable, with high-quality, soft-touch rubber and color accents. The repositionable grips also enable horizontal adjustability and inverted mode, allowing for more dynamic, creative angles.
A Quick Release Plate
While many newer gimbals support QR plates out of the box, some other models of gimbal do not. If yours doesn’t, make the upgrade to a quick release compatible plate! Gimbals can already be awkward enough to balance and mount, so adding a QR plate really makes a big difference in ease of use. The SmallRig QR plate I picked up for my older gimbal has a pretty expansive compatibility list, covering the RS 2, RSC 2, RS3, RS3 Pro, RS4 and RS4 Pro.
The Arca-Swiss compatible plate makes use of that industry standard, which is likely already on the bottom of your camera. It also sits a bit lower than the standard setup, coming in at just 9.5 mm above the arm. This lower height gives you a wider range of adjustment when balancing the gimbal, and that lower center of gravity could help when pushing your gimbal’s motors to the edge.
If you’re frequently switching between handheld and tripod shots, a QR compatible plate can make a big difference in your workflow. I’ve been partial to SmallRig’s mounting products, and I really like the quality of the plate included in this setup, but a variety of models are offered by various brands for compatibility with the range of gimbal manufacturers.
Gimbal-Compatible Cages
On the topic of making workflow changes easier, consider what cage you’re using on your camera. Older-style cages with screw-in accessories can make it cumbersome to swap between other setups and the gimbal. For instance, if you have a screw-in monitor arm or top handle, removing it to keep your gimbal balanced can require getting out a screwdriver and sitting there unscrewing things. Instead, consider adding a cage that includes quick-release features.
I picked up the SmallRig HawkLock Quick Release Cage Kit as part of this broader video kit upgrade. The HawkLock part refers to SmallRig’s QR ecosystem, which uses a push-button mechanism to mount or remove accessories. That translates to sliding on a handle or monitor arm with just a click, instead of busting out the screwdriver.
Mounting those accessories quickly doesn’t mean they aren’t held securely, however. The system uses detents and a broad plate to ensure your equipment is held in place.
The rest of the cage is also very competently designed. It features a dedicated HDMI cable clamp to ensure stable signal transmission and secure attachment while on the gimbal, with good cable cross-section compatibility. As you’d expect from SmallRig, the cage features the full complement of mounting points and accessories, including a built-in wrench, a variety of threaded holes for hard-mounting accessories, locating holes, a cold shoe perfect for a mic receiver, and more.
Compared to their non-quick release compatible model, it’s a little more expensive. However, if you don’t need a full-wrap cage, the half-cage model is one of the best values around, offering many of the same features.
A few pictures that aren't close ups would help show what you are talking about.