By technical editor Matt Allard:
These camera rigs from Cool-Lux look to be an interesting solution for shooters with any type of camera. According to the company, the rig allows the user to quickly and easily transition between tripod and shoulder shooting modes while also providing extra chest support to help stabilize the camera. By pressing a button, the spring-loaded ‘Quick-Shift’ plate transforms from tripod mode to shoulder mode. Cool-Lux says that unlike other camera rigs, there’s no extra time spent configuring the rig between tripod and shoulder setups and no extra parts are needed to make the plate compatible with any tripod mount. You can mount a tripod wedge plate to the ¼ 20 and ⅜ 16 taps on the bottom of the Shift baseplate.
The SHIFT Baseplate includes a soft and durable, form-fitting shoulder pad. At the top of the plate, a sliding dovetail with nearly five inches of slide travel can accept a wide range of cameras and allows precise balance and positioning adjustments with an integrated locking lever. Height adjustable rod ports at the front and rear of the plate facilitate accurate positioning of the included 4” and 8” carbon fiber iris rod sets: these will allow you to line up accessories like a matte box, follow focus, hand grips and battery plates or counterweights. The resting position of the flip out Quick-Shift Plate is also adjustable so it can be positioned for different body types.
The SHIFT Baseplate is included in all four versions of Cool-Lux’s new camera rigs. The FS7 Cool-Rigs feature a rosette mount for the Sony FS7 handle, ENG Cool-Rigs feature a single telescoping handgrip, Cine Cool-Rigs feature dual telescoping grips and Classic Cool-Rigs feature a deluxe, solid walnut handgrip on a rosette. The SHIFT baseplate is made from precision milled aluminum and stainless steel construction and comes with a lifetime warranty. All Cool-Lux products are made in the USA.
This from Cool-Lux:
NOTE: Certain DSLR cameras or other small cameras where the lens sits very close to the bottom surface of the camera will require the use of a spacer or quick release plate to get the support rods to the industry standard 85mm relation to the lens center. If you are not planning on running a matte box or you have a matte box that is adjustable, this may not be an issue. When using a small DSLR type of camera, we recommend the use of a quick release plate such as those made by: Arca Swiss, Really Right Stuff, Kessler, Peak Design, etc.
Cool-Lux will have a lot of competition as there are a lot of well established camera rig solutions out there on the market. It will be interesting to see how heavy the support rigs are and what the build quality is like.
Cool-Lux are currently running a 30% Off Pre-Order Special on all of their new Camera Rigs and Accessories. Prices range from $455 US up to $945 US depending on the configuration.
