Shoulderpod X1 – Rig Up Your Smartphone!

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by Fabian ChaundyMarch 21^st, 2017

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The new Shoulderpod X1 combines stylish and functional parts to form a functional and modular rig system for smartphones.

Although there has been an explosion of new products to support the emerging form of smartphone-based cinematography — from apps such as FiLMiC Pro (check out some great articles about it HERE and HERE), and countless gimbal stabilisers — one thing is still true: it’s not only about the camera, whatever you may decide to shoot on. You will usually need a number of other accessories to make your camera footage look and sound better. The X1 rig from Shoulderpod is aimed at smartphones shooters looking to step up their production value with the use of the usual accessories such as microphones or lights.

The core of the Shoulderpod X1 system is based around their G1 grip/tripod mount. This durable accessory has been designed to hold phones from 48 to 93 mm in width, covering the whole range of the latest iPhones, Galaxies, Xperias and so on. Its 1/4”-20 port at the bottom allows you to easily install a standard tripod plate to your phone.

The next link in the chain is the S2, a nice-looking handle reminiscent of the upmarket wooden handles used in more expensive cinema rigs such as those from Tilta, Vocas or Shape.

However, the X1 starts to come into its own with the addition of the horizontal plates. These expand your 1/4”-20 ports along the horizontal axis, for a total of 4 or 6 depending on the model of plate.

This allows you to really customise the rig to your use, allowing for compact setups (phone, handle and external microphone, for example), to full-fledged two-handed rigs.

Since all pieces feature an additional 1/4”-20 at the bottom, the whole rig can be tripod-mounted for a quick transition between sticks and handheld.

Shoulderpod also offer various other accessories, such as a wriststrap, cold shoe mounts and 1/4”-20 screws, for fastening even more accessories.

One missing accessory that I think would be quite useful is a compact beltclip/rifle stock-style attachment à la Edelkrone Pocket Rig. This would provide a third point of contact and increase stability, especially if you need to take a hand off one of the handles to adjust the settings on your device while shooting.

All in all, it seems like a very neat and elegant solution for taking your smartphone videography up a notch, and could prove particularly useful for journalists who use their devices for video capture regularly.

Find out more at shoulderpod.com

Does the Shoulderpod X1 seem like the kind of device you would use as a smartphone shooter? Let us know in the comments below!