DIY Photography

Hacking Photography - one Picture at a time

  • News
  • Inspiration
  • Reviews
  • Tutorials
  • DIY
  • Gear
Search

Submit A Story

Zacuto scales down their Recoil Rigs with new “ACT” line for DSLRs and mirrorless cameras

Mar 3, 2020 by John Aldred Leave a Comment

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

Zacuto believes that DSLRs and mirrorless cameras still have a big place in video, and have now announced a new line of ACT Recoil Rigs designed specifically for use with them. Claiming they can handle everything from the teeny tiny Sigma fp up to a giant Canon 1DX Mark III. They come ready-to-shoot right out of the box, and come in a variety of different kits for various specific camera models, and there’s a universal option to cover the rest.

The Zacuto ACT Recoil Rigs allow you to quickly adapter to different shooting scenarios, saying that their focus is on balance and configurability. The rigs themselves can transform from shoulder mount to handheld with smooth natural motion in either mode, and Arca Swiss compatibility means you can easily stick them on top of a tripod when needed, too.

Most of the ACT rigs are built from a handful of components. There’s a cage, a baseplate, a “tactical handle” that goes on top, a trigger group, an EVF mount and the EVF itself. When on your shoulder the camera sits right on top, allowing you to more easily balance the load and save your arms. A bracket then brings the EVF up to the front for you to look into while filming.

That EVF is a 3.5″ backlit LED with a flip-up eyepiece which contains “anti-fog optics” and a form-fitting eyecup. It accepts an HDMI signal from the camera, but also has HDMI passthrough, so you can pass the signal along to an external recorder or HDMI transmitter. It also has its own power source, taking advantage of Canon LP-E6 batteries, and features some basic assist modes like focus peaking.

Ultimately, the ACT Recoil Rigs are designed for run and gun shooting, where you need to adapt quickly to the situation. So, you’re not going to be sticking huge cameras like the Sony FS7 on there. These are scaled down for the smaller form factors of DSLR and mirrorless cameras.

The cost hasn’t scaled down much, though. But it’s Zacuto, so you can expect to pay a premium. The ACT Recoil Rig range starts at $850 for the Basic Recoil Rig. An extra $200 gets you the Cageless Recoil Rig (which is essentially the Basic with an EVF).

Once you add the cage into the mix, you’re looking at $1,450 for the whole setup. Caged rigs are available for a variety of systems including the Blackmagic Pocket 4K/6K, Fujifilm X-T3, Nikon Z6/Z7, Panasonic S1 series, Sony A7R IV and a universal cage.

They’re a bit rich for my blood (and shooting requirements), but if you’re interested in finding o ut more, check out the Zacuto website.

FIND THIS INTERESTING? SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS!

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

Related posts:

Godox scales things down with their new Godox MF12 wireless macro ring flash GodoxPhoto mobile app offers flash control for your DSLRs & Mirrorless cameras Lensbaby has launched the new Velvet 28 lens for DSLRs and mirrorless cameras Zacuto Gratical HD Review

Filed Under: Gear Tagged With: filmmaking, Gear Announcement, Shoulder Rig, zacuto

About John Aldred

John Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

« Granny dressed in bubblewrap and clothes pegs trolled London Fashion Week photographers
Hear how the sound of Fujifilm’s camera shutters has changed over the years »

Submit A Story

Get our FREE Lighting Book

DIYP lighting book cover

* download requires newsletter signup
DIYPhotography

Recent Comments

Free Resources

Advanced lighting book

Recent Posts

  • Kolari introduces Atlas – The lightest matte box in the industry
  • This epic timelapse shows the glory of the “blood moon” lunar eclipse
  • This is how your camera’s sensor sees the world
  • Create a beauty-light portrait with nothing but speed lights
  • Utah law now requires minors to ask parents consent for social media

Alex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe

Dave Williams is an accomplished travel photographer, writer, and best-selling author from the UK. He is also a photography educator and published Aurora expert. Dave has traveled extensively in recent years, capturing stunning images from around the world in a modified van. His work has been featured in various publications and he has worked with notable brands such as Skoda, EE, Boeing, Huawei, Microsoft, BMW, Conde Nast, Electronic Arts, Discovery, BBC, The Guardian, ESPN, NBC, and many others.

John Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.

Copyright © DIYPhotography 2006 - 2023 | About | Contact | Advertise | Write for DIYP | Full Disclosure | Privacy Policy