Turn your iPhone into a professional film-making setup with this modular phone-rig
What they fail to tell you is that the “Shot on iPhone” series includes more than just an iPhone. The phone’s camera is supplemented by lights, rigs, stabilizers or tripods, probably a bunch of studio equipment, and lastly, post-production software. Sure, it’s shot on an iPhone, but ‘with a little help from its friends…’ Friends like the SmallRig 3611.
The SmallRig 3611 is a modular ‘phone cage’ that lets you turn your iPhone into a professional-grade videography setup. Designed to work with iPhones 6-13 (and even a few Android models), the SmallRig 3611 gives you a stable rig to mount your phone onto, eliminating jitter. External handles can be attached to the cage for a more secure grip during filming. This goes a long way in physically stabilizing your footage (especially since you’re gripping the phone with two hands), so that your iPhone camera’s digital stabilization algorithm does its charm, resulting in incredibly cinematic footage. Along with holding your phone in place, the 3611 also lets you mount a wide variety of other accessories, from lights and microphones to even an extra battery pack for your smartphone and other gadgets.
Designer: SmallRig
Known for making accessories for phones, DSLRs, Mirrorless cameras, and even film cameras, SmallRig’s catalog spans everything from rigs to mounts, tripods, softboxes, lights, and even lens adapters. The 3611 is a relatively compact phone cage made from aluminum alloy, designed to work broadly with the iPhone and with the Samsung Galaxy series, and even the Pixel series. The rig comes equipped with multiple 1/4”-20 threaded holes and cold shoes to match the SmallRig accessory ecosystem. The rig comes with a clamp that safely and securely holds onto your phone, and can be adjusted/slid around to make sure it grabs your device without blocking the camera or accidentally pressing any buttons.
Once you’re phone’s locked and ready to film, the SmallRig lets you attach either one or two handles at any point on the cage, giving you the flexibility to maneuver your phone however you deem comfortable, and even letting you work in landscape or portrait modes. Additionally, the 3611 rig even sports a tripod mount, for static video capture, and lets you mount a host of other accessories, from professional-grade microphones to lights. There’s even space for an additional battery-pack on the front, letting you film for longer hours, as well as a multiport dongle that lets you connect the battery pack to your phone as well as other accessories.
