Sony’s FX5 was announced only yesterday, and SmallRig has already followed it out of the gate with a full range of Modular Cage Kits for the new Cinema Line camera. That speed is no accident: the FX5 is a compact body that most owners will immediately want to build out with monitors, audio, follow focus and power, and SmallRig has clearly been working to the launch date. You can see the range on the official SmallRig FX5 cage page.
Rather than a single cage, SmallRig has split the range into five kits pitched at different workflows. The Advanced Rod Support Kit adds a professional rod system for follow focus and lens support; the Pro Handheld Kit focuses on an ergonomic grip for smooth handheld motion; and the Essential Handheld Kit keeps things lightweight and compact for run-and-gun. There’s also an Extension Kit for XLR, which form-fits Sony’s new XLR handle to add length and extra mounting ports, and a Handheld V-Mount Kit for all-day power.
That XLR extension is the neatest bit of thinking here. Sony’s XLR Handle Unit is a headline accessory for the FX5 — it’s what unlocks 96kHz, 32-bit float audio — and SmallRig’s extension turns it into a fuller, stronger handle with somewhere to actually hang accessories, rather than leaving you to work around it. It’s the sort of gap-filling that has made SmallRig a default on so many sets.
Across the range, the cages use multi-point locking to hold the camera securely without twisting, and SmallRig’s HawkLock quick-release system covering both a NATO rail and an Arca-Swiss plate, so rigs slide on and self-lock with no drift. Mounting is comprehensive, with 1/4in-20 threaded holes, ARRI 3/8in-16 locating holes, cold shoes, NATO rails and QD sockets for handles, microphones, lights and monitors, plus a dedicated HDMI cable clamp to protect the port and keep the signal stable. HawkLock compatibility also means the kits work with SmallRig’s existing ecosystem accessories, such as its side handles, magic arms and Arca-Swiss clamps.
For a camera pitched squarely at owner-operators and small crews, having a well-thought-out rigging ecosystem available on day one is genuinely useful — and it saves FX5 buyers the usual wait for third-party support to catch up. We’d want to check how much bulk the fuller kits add to what is otherwise a pleasingly compact body, but as a launch-day companion to the FX5 this looks a strong, sensibly segmented range.
SmallRig Modular Cage Kits for Sony FX5: Specifications
Kit options: Advanced Rod Support Kit (rod system for follow focus and lens support); Pro Handheld Kit (ergonomic grip); Essential Handheld Kit (lightweight and compact); Extension Kit for XLR (form-fits Sony’s XLR handle, adds length and mounting ports); Handheld V-Mount Kit (extended power supply).
Security: multi-point locking to prevent twisting.
Quick release: HawkLock system covering NATO rail and Arca-Swiss plate, compatible with SmallRig HawkLock accessories.
Mounting: 1/4in-20 threaded holes, ARRI 3/8in-16 locating holes, cold shoe mounts, NATO rails, QD sockets.
Other: dedicated HDMI cable clamp for stable signal transmission; hand strap included on handheld kits.
Compatibility: Sony FX5, including with the Sony XLR Handle Unit.
SmallRig Modular Cage Kits for Sony FX5: Price and availability
SmallRig has announced the range alongside the FX5’s launch. UK pricing and on-sale dates for the individual kits were not confirmed in the launch materials we’ve seen — check the SmallRig product page for current pricing, and we’ll update this story once UK details are available.
