A phone rig turns the phone into a small film camera with handles and mounts for a microphone, light and filters. A cage made for a specific phone fits more tightly, but a universal cage comes along when you change phones. You can add a filter adapter for ordinary round filters to the rig. Check that your phone model is named in the description.
A phone films better than most cameras did ten years ago. What lets it down is usually not the picture but everything around it: a slippery, thin object that is hard to hold still and has nowhere to put a microphone or a light. That is what a phone rig fixes.
What a phone rig does for your footage
With two handles and a bit of weight in your hands, the picture shakes less, and you notice it most in slow pans and when you walk. The phone's stabilisation does its part, but it cannot rescue a hand that trembles after five minutes at arm's length.
The rig also gives you mounts. A microphone in a cold shoe on top and a small light at the side become one unit that you pick up and film with straight away. Without a rig you often end up with the microphone in one hand and the phone in the other.
Many rigs rotate between landscape and portrait. That helps when one recording has to become both a regular video and a clip for social media.
A tip that costs nothing: film with the phone's main camera when the light is low. The other cameras usually have smaller sensors and get noisier indoors, and no rig can help with that.
A cage for your phone or a universal one
| Type | Fit | When you change phones | Filter adapter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cage for one phone | Snug, with openings exactly where buttons and cameras are | Needs replacing | Often made for that exact cage |
| Universal cage | A clamp that fits phones within a given width | Comes along if the width fits | Limited, camera positions differ between phones |
| Case with a mount | Fits like a normal phone case | Needs replacing | Filter or lens mount right on the case |
A universal cage is the right pick if you change phones often or want one rig for several phones. Check the width range, and remember a thick case has to come off before the phone goes in.
If you film a lot and want to use filters, a cage made for your phone is better. Those are mostly made for iPhone, with a few for Samsung Galaxy phones. SmallRig's FilMov series has cases and adapters that take round 67 mm filters, held by magnets in front of the phone's cameras. Which filters fit and what they do is covered under phone filters.
Kits with microphone and light
An all-in-one kit puts a cage, handles, a microphone and an LED light in one box. The parts are chosen to work together, and it is the quickest way to get going if you are starting from nothing.
If you already have a microphone or a light, buying the rig on its own can make more sense. Sound often matters more to how a video comes across than the picture does, so spend the money on a good microphone rather than more mounts.
Handles with wireless control
A side handle with a remote starts recording with your thumb, so you do not have to tap the screen and shake the shot. The remote connects to the phone wirelessly. Many handles rotate, so the grip works with the rig held high or low.
With two handles, one on each side, the rig is at its steadiest. There are also handles with a built-in enclosure for an external SSD, which saves you a mount.
Heat, power and external storage
Phones get warm during long recordings at high resolution, and some lower the quality or shut down when they overheat. A cage with active cooling has a fan that blows air on the back of the phone. It may also have USB-C for charging and audio at the same time, and room for a power bank.
Phones that can record straight to an external SSD over USB-C need somewhere to put the drive. An SSD clamp holds it on the rig, so the cable stays short and does not get yanked out.
Mounts for the gym, the desk and your body
Not every phone mount has to be a full rig. Magnetic clamps attach the phone to gym equipment so you can film your own training. Magnetic neck mounts give a chest-height view with your hands free.
On a desk, an arm with a clamp holds the phone above the table, which works for filming hands, cooking and unboxing. A phone holder with a cold shoe or 1/4" thread lets the phone sit on a normal tripod or act as an extra screen on a camera rig.
Magnetic mounts need a phone with a magnetic ring, such as MagSafe on an iPhone, or a case with a magnet. Check that before you buy.
Frequently asked questions about phone rigs
What is a phone rig?
A phone rig is a frame or cage for your phone with handles and mounts for a microphone, light and filters. It makes the phone easier to hold still and keeps the gear together as one unit. A rig can be made for one phone or be universal.
Does a universal phone cage fit every phone?
It fits phones within a given width, stated in the description. Thick cases usually have to come off. Buttons and cameras sit differently on different phones, so a filter adapter will not line up as well as on a cage made for your phone.
Can I use regular filters on my phone?
Yes, with a filter adapter on the rig or case. SmallRig's FilMov adapters take round 67 mm filters and attach magnetically in front of the phone's cameras. Each adapter is made for a specific phone or cage.
How do I film with my phone without shake?
Hold the phone with both hands, ideally in a rig with handles, and keep your elbows close to your body. Walk slowly and leave the phone's stabilisation on. For completely still shots, a mini tripod or a clamp works best.
What does a phone cage with cooling do?
It has a fan that cools the phone during long recordings. Warm phones can lower the image quality or shut down, and the cooling helps prevent that. Some of these cages also have USB-C for charging while you record.