SmallRig “Black Mamba” Cage and Kit for Panasonic LUMIX S5II Launched

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by Francesco AndreolaJanuary 9^th, 2023

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SmallRig has just introduced a new variant of their “Black Mamba” camera cage, this time for the newly-announced Panasonic LUMIX S5II. It features a sleek matte design and offers many 1/4”-20 and 3/8”-16 mounting points, NATO rail, dual cold shoe mount, a built-in Arca-Swiss plate, and strap holes. A top handle kit is also available. Pricing starts at $99.

Panasonic has just pulled two new full-frame mirrorless cameras out of the oven, the classically-styled LUMIX S5II and its matte black S5IIX sibling. As always when a new camera is released, the race for developing dedicated cages and accessories starts.

SmallRig is usually one of the first companies to show up to the party, although this time they are faced with a new competitor. Indeed, SIRUI has just announced their entrance to the accessory industry by designing a new camera cage precisely for the new LUMIX S5II. So let’s take a closer look at SmallRig’s answer!

SmallRig “Black Mamba” cage for Panasonic LUMIX S5II: overview

Usually, SmallRig’s “Black Mamba” camera cages are well thought-out. I personally used the Canon EOS R5 C variant in the past and I must admit that I appreciated the overall design and build quality, which feels far superior compared to their standard cages.

The “Black Mamba” cage for Panasonic LUMIX S5II (product code: 4023) features a lightweight construction (157g), made of aluminum. The accessory nicely wraps around the camera via three points of contact, including a 1/4”-20 screw at the bottom and two side locks. This, along with the internal rubber pads, prevents the camera body from twisting inside the cage.

Numerous 1/4”-20 and 3/8”-16 threaded mounting points enable users to rig their cameras with additional accessories and so does the built-in left-side NATO rail. Additionally, an integrated Arca-Swiss bottom quick-release plate allows for quick moving between handheld, tripod, and gimbal setups, for example when using the latest DJI RS series stabilizers.

The cage also comes with a cold shoe mount at the top, holes to attach a wrist strap, a front thread to mount a lens rod, as well as a magnetic storage slot for the included dual-head wrench key. Overall, the cage seems to leave all fundamental camera controls and slots easily accessible.

Finally, the company offers a full kit version (product code: 4024) that includes an HDMI and USB-C cable clamp and a top handle. The latter attaches to the top of the cage via a 3/8”-16 interface with locating pins and provides additional cold shoe, 1/4”, and 3/8” mounting points.

Price and availability

The new SmallRig “Black Mamba” Cage and Kit for Panasonic LUMIX S5II are now available to preorder from the manufacturer’s website. They retail for $99 and $169 respectively, but the company is currently offering a 15% discount on both products. 

Lastly, SmallRig also has a more affordable, “standard” version of the LUMIX S5II cage and kit that are also available to preorder for $69 and $119.

For more information, please visit SmallRig’s website here.

What do you think of the new SmallRig “Black Mamba” camera cage and kits for Panasonic LUMIX S5II? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!