Rhino Camera Gear has closed down. Rhino Camera Gear made motorized camera sliders and camera dollies. The Seattle-based company has been around for more than a decade.
It was started by Kyle Hart who was a working professional in the industry. Like a lot of people at the time, he was frustrated with the lack of affordable options available, so he decided to build his own.
Below you can see the statement that is posted on the Rhino Camera Gear website.
Rhino Camera Gear is now closed. If you have an existing repair, we will process it within 2-4 weeks. If you need support with your product, please reach out to your local Rhino Dealer. Our online store, email, and phone have been disconnected. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Rhino Camera Gear’s first product was the EZ-Steady- iPhone, DSLR, GoPro Camera Stabilizer that was launched on Kickstarter way back in 2011.
Their most successful product was arguably the Rhino Slider EVO – Motorized Camera Slider that was very popular with aspiring filmmakers and users of smaller-sized cameras.
Two and a half years ago they came out with the Rhino Dolly which was designed to be a quick-to-set up, easy-to-use, portable dolly solution. Dollys allow you to create smooth movement from a steady platform and they are invaluable on a lot of shoots. The biggest caveat with dollys is that they are usually difficult to transport and they can be time-consuming to set up.
The design philosophy behind the Rhino Dolly was to create an entire system that fits into a single transportable hard case. This meant that Rhino needed to create a product that featured a decent-sized carriage (with a 100mm bowl), end plates, rails, support legs, and the ability to add an optional motion control system all while making sure it didn’t end up in multiple hard cases.
Despite the closure of the company, some of its products are still available through online retailers.
Its sad to see companies such as Rhino Camera Gear closing down. They made good products, but like a lot of American companies, they have faced very stiff competition from more affordable products coming out of Asia.
