Today we are taking a look at a camera cage from the Chinese manufacturer Nitze which specializes in these types of solutions and the one that we have been testing was designed for the Sony A7S III.
A few words about NItze
Nitze is based in Hong Kong and manufactures camera and monitor rigging accessories, like camera and monitor cages, mounts, holders, rods, clamps, and other support.
What’s in the box
In the box of our cage kit, we got the cage, pre-assembled and ready to go. Depending on your kit, the handle and some of the other components might be different, so make sure you know what you’re ordering. We received what Nitze calls the Stinger handle. You also get a removable NATO rail and a removable cold shoe. As a bonus, Nitze also sent us a nice t-shaped Allen key as well.
The components we used for our Nitze Cage setup as shown in the video
The cage
The cage is well-thought-out. There are plenty of 1/4″ 20 and 3/8 mounting points. Some of its prominent features are the integrated cold shoe mount, the NATO rail on the left side, the rubber padding on the base plate, and the strap slots on both sides. The cage weighs just over 200 grams, it’s got a nice matte finish with an engraved logo on the top part and the model marking on the bottom.
The cage was designed for the A7S III, but as it happens, it also fits our A7R IV nicely. Nitze includes a small tool that is kept in place by magnets. It’s a nice touch, and it’ll come in handy in a pinch, but we prefer our PB screwdriver #7 (see our recent review). The cage is a nice fit on the camera, you can reach all the buttons with no problems, and the camera door cutouts let you easily access both the battery and the SD cards.
The Nitze Cage for Sony aS7III and Stinger Handle
The stinger handle
The stinger handle is impressive from the very first look. It’s beefy and is substantially larger than other simpler handles. It’s got plenty of integrated features, like 3/8’’ and 1/4’’ threads on all sides, Arri locating pin-holes, and the NATO rail quick release mount. The anti-rotation pin holes are on all sides of the handle, allowing for a secure rig setup.
The stinger handle
The Stinger handle is an all-metal construction, feels very hefty, and adds quite a bit of stabilization to your rig with over 250 grams of weight. The removable cold shoe comes with attached screws, so you don’t have to worry about misplacing those. There is actually plenty of space for a cold shoe mount on the handle, we’re not sure why Nitze didn’t just add it in this space behind the NATO rail. The quick-release mechanism feels very sturdy. Once you unlock the red lever and press down the fail-safe button, you can take the handle off.
The removable NATO rail attaches to the cage with included screws, but those aren’t attached to the piece, so be careful not to lose them. Once the handle is locked in place, it feels very secure. Depending on how you rig your gear, the handle can be attached facing forward or backward.
The ergonomic stinger handle
Using the cage
The Nitze cage and handle provide plenty of mounting options to put lots of gear on your rig. With a few extra accessories, like a rod, an arm, cables, and cable clamps, we put together a substantial rig with power options for the monitor and a follow focus, an extra side handle, and a small tripod. For cable management, we also used little cable holders called Sprig (which we also mentioned in our previous video).
The Nitze Cage for Sony aS7III and Stinger Handle – also fits the A7R IV
Pricing
As for pricing, the Nitze a7Siii cage sells for $42 and the Stinger handle sells for $80 (there is also a Nitze Mini Stinger Handle with no NATO top rail that sells for $60).
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