Is it time for @rodemic @ulanzi and @SmallRigGlobal to be ... *very* afraid?
The CrapYard Labs CardBoard SmartPhone Cage is ready to roll with this first prototype beeing a proof of concept.
Wanna support me in creating more videos? You can do so through Buy Me A Coffee to keep that energy level up :)
buymeacoffee.com/andresjoberg
My problem was having my USB C port being occupied by my microphone cable, making it impossible to charge while filming, or having to charge first and film later, but none of the big companies like Røde, SmallRig or Ulanzi have yet made a cage with magsafe charging built in, so I solved it by building my own ultimate cage! Now you can follow along and build your own as well.
Finding the right smartphone cage or case for filmmaking isn't easy, and there always seem to be on thing or another missing in terms of features doesn't it. Should you use a case with mounting points, or a big cage with a clamp? Or do you trust MagSafe to be strong enough to hold your phone while filming?
For me there has always been one thing missing with the type of smartphone cage I want, and that's built in charging. I primarily film in one location, and having a cage connected on my tripod at all times, with the Røde VideoMic Go 2 and the Dji Mic 2 receiver permanently connected, as well as a fill light and maybe a SSD-drive as well would be GREAT.
Since the microphones I'm using is connected to the smartphone via USB C it means I can't film and charge at the same time, which when filming for longer times causes problems and unwanted breaks.
What I wanted was a cage to be able to easily attach and detach my phone when needing to film, with charging easily available while filming, and enough attachment points for my two mics and one or two lights, and a SSD down the line. But none of the manufacturers have made that yet, so I built my own out of cardboard and glue. It even has a quick release plate for use with my Manfrotto Tripod in the studio!