Wooden Camera Panasonic LUMIX BGH1 Camera Cages & Accessories

Wooden Camera has introduced a full range of custom kits and accessories for the Panasonic LUMIX BGH1. The BGH1 is certainly a camera that requires a cage if you want to use it for a lot of applications.

The kits feature a compact, low-profile, Panasonic BGH1 Camera Cage and a new Mini Top Handle (3/8″-16) and LW 15mm Baseplate. Options include three new universal utility pieces that can be used on any rig: a new and improved bolt-on ARRI Rosette (3/8″-16), a compact Tilt Monitor Hinge (3/8″-16) and the Mini Top Handle (3/8″-16).

Accessories in the collection can be purchased individually or in one of three bundled kit tiers:

Pro tiers feature a new camera-specific Micro Battery Slide Pro that is available in two mounting configurations, allowing both micro and full-sized batteries to be added to the camera rig.

The nucleus of each kit is the Panasonic LUMIX BGH1 Camera Cage, which features a wrap-around design that provides added support and an array of 3/8″-16 and 1/4″-20 side-mounting points. Markings along the sides indicate the camera’s focal plane, and there is an ARCA Swiss Top Plate that allows for mounting handles and other accessories. Also included is the LW 15mm Baseplate, featuring an upgraded safety-release system for the top ARCA Swiss dovetail, 3/8″-16 and 1/4″-20 mounting points, and two 15mm LW rod openings at the correct distance from the center of the lens.

It also features a dual quick-release system, with the ARCA Swiss dovetail slot on top and the ARRI-standard dovetail slot underneath.

The Base Kit includes the Panasonic BGH1 Camera Cage, Mini Top Handle (3/8″-16) and LW 15mm Baseplate (Panasonic BGH1). The Mini Top Handle (3/8″-16) mounts directly to the top of the cage via an upgraded captive 3/8″-16 bolt-on mechanism with safety pins. This new mechanism appears on several of the new attachments and can be tightened with either a flathead screwdriver, 5/32” Allen or 4mm Allen Key. The Top Handle (3/8″-16) features a lightweight metal design, as well as 1/4″-20 and 3/8″-16 mounting points. At only 112mm long and 18mm wide, it is Wooden Camera’s most compact top handle.

The Advanced Kit adds an 8” Safety Dovetail and a pair of 9” 15mm rods.

The Pro Kit adds the Micro Battery Slide (Panasonic BGH1) in either V-Mount or Gold Mount, as well as two 12” 15mm rods and a 12” Safety Dovetail.

The Panasonic LUMIX BGH1 Accessory Collection from Wooden Camera features two battery plates, each with two different mounting options, available in both V-Mount and Gold Mount. The Micro Battery Slide is a power plate that attaches directly onto the Panasonic BGH1 Camera Cage. The Micro Battery Slide Pro mounts to a 15mm LW rod system. Both plates feature 2x D-Taps at 5.8 amps for accessory power. Should the set current for accessories be exceeded, only the accessory outputs are disabled, leaving the camera running normally. Once the current load has been reduced (either by removing or reconfiguring accessories), a simple press of the reset button restores accessory power.

Price & Availability

The Wooden camera Kits are available for the following prices:

The individual component prices are as follows:

A10002 Bolt-On ARRI Rosette (3/8″-16) $50.00 USD
A10004 Tilt Monitor Hinge (3/8″-16) $85.00 USD
A10007 Mini Top Handle (3/8″-16) $95.00 USD
A10005 LW 15mm Baseplate (Panasonic BGH1) $350.00 USD
A10006 Panasonic BGH1 Camera Cage $315.00 USD
A10008 Micro Gold Mount Battery Slide (Panasonic BGH1) $399.00 USD
A10009 Micro V-Mount Battery Slide (Panasonic BGH1) $399.00 USD
A10013 Micro V-Mount Battery Slide Pro (Panasonic BGH1) $399.00 USD
A10014 Micro Gold Mount Battery Slide Pro (Panasonic BGH1) $399.00 USD

Competition

There are already quite a few cages on the market for the Panasonic BGH1. Options include:

By Matthew Allard ACS

Matthew Allard is a multi-award-winning, ACS accredited freelance Director of Photography with over 30 years' of experience working in more than 50 countries around the world.

He is the Editor of Newsshooter.com and has been writing on the site since 2010.

Matthew has won 49 ACS Awards, including five prestigious Golden Tripods. In 2016 he won the Award for Best Cinematography at the 21st Asian Television Awards.

Matthew is available to hire as a DP in Japan or for work anywhere else in the world.