LockCircle Robot Skin for Sony a7 III, a7r III & a9: the Answer to Clunky Cages

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by Andrew CollingsJuly 31^st, 2018

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The LockCircle Robot Skin family of cages has expanded to include the Sony a7 III, a7R III, and a9 cameras. This could be their most ergonomic hardware to date.

Every filmmaker has gripes about their camera – the battery doesn’t last long enough, the screen is too dim or doesn’t tilt the way they want, and so on. In trying to solve these problems, the first stop is usually a cage. And for Sony shooters, there options just got a little better.

While most video shooters lean on the a7 series, LockCircle hasn’t forgotten the a9

A History of Cage Design

LockCircle is no stranger to cages for Sony Alpha cameras – we reviewed their Birdcage for a7S in 2015. And while that felt good in the hand, it ultimately fell short in a few key areas. The lack of accessories and blocking of the cold shoe mount were among the most notable. Their new Robot Skin lineup remedies all of that. It is available as a half-cage or a full cage, and integrates seamlessly with their ever-expanding lineup of accessories.

The Robot Armor works with handles, rods, and every accessory you could imagine

“Asymmetrical Design Approach”

LockCircle’s Robot Skin cages take their design cues from the shape of the camera, leading to an incredibly ergonomic design that fits like a glove. Unlike many cages, the side bar is optional, letting you grip the camera easily in handheld situations an protect it fully when rigged up. This is makes the cage asymetical, to borrow their language. The right side is left open to you for operation, and the left side is designed to hold your hardware. It’s a welcome dose of flexibility in a design element most of us take for granted.

Without the sidebar, the original grip sits exposed – less safe, but much easier to operate

What else does it do?

The Robot Skin cages also provide much-needed strain relief to your camera’s lens mount and accessory ports. The cages dock seamlessly with Metabones, Novoflex, and even P+S Technik mounts, providing extra support and protecting your lens mount in the process. This is a welcome addition, as it can be difficult to fully utilize these adapters’ built-in lens supports with some bulkier cages. HDMI and USB-C cables, too, are protected. Their LockPort Flex kits, which convert your micro HDMI port into a secure full-size HDMI, are fully compatible with the Robot Skin.

If you ever need accessories, they’ve got you covered

In addition, the cage will be compatible with many of their accessories, like the RodRocket and MicroMega mounting systems. Think of that as icing on the cake that is the LockCircle Robot Skin cage.

These products will be available at the end of September. For the loyal returning customers, LockCircle are offering a trade-in program to those that already own an old BirdCage Pro/Pro-S cage for Sony A7M2 Series.

What do you look for in a cage? What accessories would you like to see from LockCircle?