Easyrig Vario 5 with Cinema 3 Vest and Standard Arm

This is great for a cinema style camera build. I fly a Arri Amira with zoom lenses, FIZ and teradek, so something in the 25lb range. This system allows for me to go hand held all day with minimal effort. I'm a large guy, 220lbs and 6' tall, and the cinema 3 vest fits me just fine with plenty of room for larger guys. These things are built like tanks, you can zip tie the bag shut and check it on airlines no problem. Easyrigs are basically career extenders that save your back.

After years of renting Easy Rigs, dealing w/ the uneasy feeling knowing that other people probably sweat in them as much as I do and not knowing how good the rental houses clean these things, I finally got around to investing in one of these. Perfect for low mode where it can hold the camera weight chest height or lower, or static shoulder shots to give the shoulder a break. I've used this countless times over the years and finally got one. Should have done it sooner. Now I gotta save up for the Stabil arm

Good Lord I waited too long to buy this. It's a hefty purchase (for me), but I've been spending too much money renting this same Easyrig since this particular nonsense came out. The first week I had it I was strapped to an Arri Amira and some cinema zoom lenses that would've otherwise not been possible for me to operate handheld for as long as we were shooting. Had zero issues adjusting back to my much lighter RED DSMC2 and prime lens package. I went with the Vario 5 because I knew I'd be using this Easyrig with multiple camera packages and weights. The 5 Extended Arm option was great for me because it allows me to reposition for different camera builds, center of gravities, and easily switch between shooting a balanced shoulder mount or from the hip. I chose the Cinema 3 Vest over the Gimbalrig because I like the smaller profile and it fits me better. I'm about 5'8, 160lbs, and I'm a 30-31 waist size.

Have used now on four shoots, two all-day hand held, two Movi. At 45, I have back pain on almost any shoot where I have to go handheld for over 15 minutes with my large camera package. I had tried other rigs for the Movi, but never fully evading the 'end of the day discomfort' that was sure to show up. This package changed all of that. Of all the gear I've bought over the years, this has to be my best purchase. The impact was immediate... walked away from two 14 hour days with zero pain or stiffness. Next shoot, Stabil arm worked so well with my Movi walk-and-talk, again.. no back pain. The quality and build of this rig is top notch. Nothing overlooked, no expense spared with build quality. And to top it off... takes seconds to 'rig up' with the help of the easy lock waist belt. If I was hot, I'd easily take it off between setups. I could rig-up as late as talent walking to set which is something I could never do before with the movi and other setups. Bottom line, this rig is an investment in your future as a DP if you suffer from any kind of back pain. Wish I had purchased 10 years ago.

Unless you're doing gimbal work, this is the best EasyRig for most setups. The Vario gives the user the ability to adjust tension for a wide range of camera sizes and weights. The gimbal vest is great for waist support, much preferred over the original vest in my opinion. The 5 arm is the perfect size to get the camera off your shoulder but not be obtrusive in your environment. Only wish I bought this sooner.

Unless you're renting in LA or , it's nearly impossible to find a Vario 5 with a small operator vest. I'm 5'6, medium build (34 waist), and still need to tightly strap up on this rig. That tells me it'll fit someone taller and bigger than me. This rig is perfect for larger/heavier camera rigs and a Movi Pro. Fitted correctly, you don't feel any of the weight and I can see it working well with female operators as well. One thing Easyrig doesn't really make clear and immensely valuable to me is: The rig can quickly be raised and lowered about 5-6 inches. That might not seem like a lot but I'm short at 5'6 and the increased arm height allows me to raise the camera/Movi to film taller people without having to shoot up at them. It's just 4 screws that can be quickly adjusted within 2 minutes. Finding a proper hard case to fly with this rig is not easy/cheap. BUT the vest can be easily separated from the arm in order to make the entire rig smaller and portable. Just takes adjusting the same 4 screws. Also helpful if you want to throw on a standard/larger vest for other operators. The Serene Arm is amazing. Paired with a Movi/Ronin, proper handling, and rolling your steps, you can get some amazingly smooth footage. Remember to adjust the tension of your Serene Arm so it's parallel to the ground. Also remember to loosen the Serene Arm while traveling so you can safely bend it and make your rig smaller for packing.