Shoulderpod R2 Pocket Rig Review and More

With thousands of vloggers out there and tens of thousands more to come, not everyone can comfortably afford the price associated with of a 4-figure DSLR or Micro 4/3 camera, so they turn to a device that they already have–their mobile phone. To meet the needs of these people comes Shoulderpod with an inexpensive and modular solution for mounting your phone along with a few essential accessories. Without further delay, let’s take a closer look in this Shoulderpod R2 Pocket Rig review, and at the product line as a whole.

Should you be heading to NY this month for the upcoming NAB NY or PhotoPlus expos, then you’ll be among those who see the latest Shoulderpod products in person. At PhotoPlus Expo, you can see the collection in Hall 3, Booth 855.

Shoulderpod’s Lineup and Modular Accessories for Fall 2017

We at Beantown are fans and users of Manfrotto’s products. Whenever we’re filming with our mobile phones, no matter what the subject, we use a flexible tripod with the Manfrotto TwistGrip clamp. With that said, we continue to look at other solutions, and Shoulderpod offers a compelling one.

With regards to Shoulderpod, you can take the mobile phone you already have, and for under a $120, you’ve now got a handled grip or one of two accessorized rigs. If you look at their solutions from a price, weight, or size perspective, it’s a hard proposition to turn down.

Shoulderpod G1 Pro Grip

The beautiful thing about a modular ecosystem is that your setup can grow along with your needs. The foundation of this system is the G1 grip. If you already have a tripod or rig, you can stop right there. This professional clamp will hold your mobile phone nice and snug. With those glass-edged phones, you may need to use a protective case, so be mindful. And whatever you do, don’t tighten the G1 grip too much or you risk damaging your phone.

Essentially this is the solution we utilize, but as I mentioned earlier, we use a sister product in the Manfrotto TwistGrip.

Shoulderpod S2 Hand Grip

Take the G1 grip, add the wooden H1 handle, and you’ve just built the S2 handle grip, Of course, you can purchase it as a completed unit and save $5.

Shoulderpod R2 Pocket Rig Review

Now let’s say you want to accessorize. Maybe you want to mount a shotgun microphone or an LED light. You can take the S2 grip, add the U1 upgrade kit, and build yourself a lovely pocket rig, or you can purchase the pre-assembled R2 pocket rig. Whether you want to use the W1 wrist strap or not is your call. Regardless, you’ve now added a Z1 cold shoe, two K1 knobs, and a P2 short plate.

Whether you’re walking, jogging, or even skateboarding, this is an ideal solution for your video creation needs.

Shoulderpod X1 Pro Rig

And now you’ve decided to go whole hog with both a microphone and an LED light. Welcome to the X1 pro rig. The short plate that was on the R2 pocket rig has been replaced with the P1 long plate. Should you wish to mount this to a standing tripod, feel free to remove the handles and attach under the center knob.

Pricing for the Shoulderpod grips and rigs is as follows:

Shoulderpod Accessories

Per the press release “Shoulderpod accessories provide the advantage of modularity – a key feature when traveling, as it enables you to select only the parts needed before every trip to avoid carrying a heavy backpack full of unnecessary gear.”

We’ve already covered most of the accessories shown above. What’s remaining is the G1 rubber pads and the H1 & K1 rubber pads.

Pricing for the Shoulderpod accessories is as follows:

Final Thoughts

At a price range of $4.99-$39.99, Shoulderpod accessories are affordable and reasonably priced to build that professional rig you want. At $24.99-$119.99, you can skip the build and get a readily made grip or rig solution. Either way, you’re looking at exceptional products under the Manfrotto umbrella. Don’t hesitate to head over to the Manfrotto website to see everything they’ve got.

What do you think of the Shoulderpod handheld grip and rig systems? Let us know in the comment section below or via social media. We’re eager to hear your thoughts.

Shoulderpod grips, rigs, and accessories come with a 2-year standard limited warranty against defects.

All photographs are courtesy of and the copyrighted property of VitecGroup Italia Spa (Manfrotto.)