Wooden Camera Shoulder Rig V3 – First Look

by Jeff LochMay 2^nd, 2019

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During NAB 2019, the Wooden Camera Shoulder Rig V3 has been introduced, which is lighter and more affordable than the previous Shoulder Rig V2. Available in two flavors – Base and Pro versions – let’s take a look at this new shoulder rig!

Wooden Camera Shoulder Rig V3 Upgrade

The Wooden Camera Shoulder Rig system is built around an ARRI compatible dovetail. Then, the camera and all the accessories attach to that dovetail.

Thanks to a new dovetail design, the Shoulder Rig V3 is 18% lighter than the previous version in its Base model, and 10% lighter in its Pro one. Also, the shoulder pad is now thicker and more comfortable. The foam pad is held in place via velcro, so it is easy to remove if you need to wash it. Finally, the shoulder pad now includes two little bumpers at the bottom if you need to put your rig on the ground.

Base and Pro Versions

On the front of the dovetail, there is a NATO rail to attach and adjust the left/right position of the handles. The main difference between the Base version and the Pro version is here. The Pro version features arms that you can extend from 11.5cm to 17cm and that you can also rotate to increase or decrease the spacing of the handles.

Everything in the Shoulder Rig V3 is standard, from the ARRI standard dovetail and rosettes to the NATO standard crossbar.
While the quality of every Wooden Camera product is top-notch, the Shoulder Rig V2 is a bit over-priced to me. The V3 is more fair, at nearly half the price of the previous version. I’m not a massive fan of the ARRI dovetail system that I usually found too big and cumbersome for 90% of my jobs. But, if you have a large rig with tons of accessories, it can be a pretty solid choice.

Both the Base and Pro version are available with brown leather, or black rubber grips handle grips. The Shoulder Rig V3 should start shipping this week.

What do you think of this new Wooden Camera Shoulder Rig V3? Do you use the ARRI dovetail system? Let us know in the comments down below!