Thoughts on buying rigs vs building your own.

[Ian Conrey]

This would be more geared to smaller cameras such as dslr set ups, but what are some thoughts on DIY rigs such as the silver flyer I see tutorials for all over you tube versus buying one from a company for significantly more money. From what I have seen from the silver flyer, it at least looks like it works very well. Any thoughts?

[Alan Rencher]

It depends on your needs vs. your budget. If you are taking small videography jobs here and there in your spare time to get your foot in the door, or if you are shooting a feature basically by yourself, maybe a DIY rig is the smart choice. Conversely, If you've just been hired to shoot a $3,000,000 feature, maybe you should get something more reliable. You should get the best that your budget allows for; That's my opinion.

[Sanjay Sami]

I started using off the shelf rigs 20 years ago, and quickly realised that none of them were really that great. All my rigging gear has been made by me. I can also vouch for many other Grips who make a lot of their rigging gear themselves..

It is more expensive than buying over the counter, but you have a very personal setup then.

 

This is an example of some of the rigging gear I make. My wesite hasnt been updated in many years, so it doesnt have a lot of the newer stuff Ive done in the last 6 years, but to give you an idea of what you can do DIY ...

 

http://www.thegripworks.com/rigging.html

[Jason Comparetto]

I agree with Sanjay. Making your own gear can be more expensive than over-the-counter. In fact, if you value your time at all, then its definitely less expensive to buy over-the-counter. However, if you are very particular about your work, and enjoy challenging yourself, making your own rig will be right up your alley.