By site editor Dan Chung:
Ray Thomas and his company Kinogrip are perhaps best known for his beautifully crafted wooden handgrips. Ever since the launch of the Sony a7S, users have been looking for better ways to trigger the camera when on a shoulder rig. Now Ray has a wired solution which allows his Kinogrips to trigger the tiny Sony. It consists of a cable with a small box in-line that can easily be tucked away on a standard lightweight support for 15mm rods (see pic below). His previous solution relied on infra-red but it seems many users wanted a wired option instead.
Inside the box is a control board that acts as an interface between the Sony multi-connector and the Kinogrip. The standard cable is 18-20” long, but custom lengths are available at no extra charge. Sadly, the price of such craftsmanship doesn’t come cheap. Existing triggered Kinogrip owners can buy the box for $160; otherwise the box and grip be bought as a package for $549. Both are available now.
He’s also launched the new Kinohandle. Unlike the Kinogrip wooden handles, this is a more conventional grip, finished in either hardwood or brown leather, that attaches to 15mm rods. It can be bought with or without start/stop trigger options. It is compatible with Kinogrip’s camera control cables and has a start/stop trigger option. The triggered version starts at $299 and includes the handle, standard control cable, and trigger box. With the a7S adapter the grip will cost $359 and the non-triggered version is $149. It should be available from this weekend.
You can find out more on the Kinogrip website.
