Nikon’s newly launched MC-N10 handgrip is likely to be the accent you want, even should you didn’t know you wanted it.
Once I purchased my Nikon Z9 a bit over a yr in the past, it was largely as a alternative for my D850. Maybe I shouldn’t say alternative. The D850 nonetheless stays the best DSLR I ever owned. And parting with it wasn’t a lot a want to maneuver on because it was being dragged begrudgingly into a brand new mirrorless course by a digital camera, the Z9, that was too good to disclaim. For years, the D850 had been my nonetheless pictures workhorse. I felt invincible with that factor in my hand. Something I might dream, I might create. Nicely, within the nonetheless pictures world, at the very least. Whereas the D850 had very succesful video options, it was decidedly restricted in that enviornment as in comparison with newer mirrorless know-how. So, I plunked down the large bucks and took my place in line for the Z9.
I anticipated the digital camera to be good. What I didn’t anticipate was for it to be that good. And after over a yr with it in my bag, the much more stunning revelation is not only that the video capabilities exceed my D850, that was to be anticipated, however that, objectively talking, I’ve used the Z9 as a video digital camera simply as a lot (if no more) than I’ve used it for stills.
Now, primarily, that is because of the sort of labor that I do. With the ratio of filmmaking to pictures steadily shifting in recent times, I believe it’s secure to say that my title has modified from being a photographer who additionally does movement to a director/cinematographer who additionally does stills. I used to be a filmmaker earlier than I used to be a nonetheless photographer, so this shift is hardly dramatic. Extra like a slight rotation on a really huge dial. However it does imply that I want various things from my gear now than I might need after I first bought the D850 in 2017.
Together with new digital camera applied sciences come new equipment. And, opposite to what influencers may let you know, not each accent is a must have for each artist. There are instruments that assist me do my job that might sit in your gear closet and acquire mud. And vice versa. There are merchandise that get me excited that go underneath the radar of the fixed suggestions loop we name the web.
One such accent is the Nikon MC-N10 Remote Grip. It was introduced late final yr with out a substantial amount of fanfare. I believe many Nikon nonetheless shooters regarded on the machine as some form of oddity with out a clear thought of how it will be used within the area. In spite of everything, in form, it basically mimics the present handgrip on the Z9. Why would one want two handgrips for a similar digital camera? However for video shooters, particularly these whose rigs often spend complete years mounted to our shoulders, the MC-N10 was a sight for sore eyes.
If you happen to’ve ever hung out with a cinema digital camera mounted in your shoulder, you’ll discover a few issues. One, you’ll desire a first rate shoulder pad because the rig can get heavy. And two, the ergonomics of holding a rig excessive in your shoulder presents sure challenges. Primarily, how do you attain the buttons?
Bigger cinema digital camera our bodies remedy this by often having our bodies which can be longer than they’re huge, the alternative of a nonetheless digital camera orientation, and putting the vast majority of the important thing buttons on the left aspect of the digital camera physique. Or, in some instances, on the precise aspect if it’s a digital camera meant to be operated by a number of folks. The explanation for placing all these operate buttons on the aspect of the digital camera is that the operator can nonetheless change digital camera settings along with his/her left hand with out having to take the digital camera down from their shoulder.
Nonetheless cameras, then again, are often wider than they’re lengthy, and logically put a heavy emphasis in placing all the important thing operate buttons excessive and to the precise the place they are going to be of best use for handheld eye-level nonetheless shoots. Mirrorless our bodies are basically nonetheless our bodies with extra video options, however the kind issue stays optimized for stills. They might have all of the superior codecs and file codecs desired for filmmaking. However the ergonomics usually depart so much to be desired if video is your main concern.
Merely put, it may be exhausting to achieve the buttons on a mirrorless digital camera in lots of video capturing situations, particularly when your digital camera is shoulder-mounted, as this locations the digital camera not solely excessive in your shoulder but additionally locations the buttons on the digital camera even increased and to the precise out of view. So, how does the MC-N10 tackle this? Easy. It relocates these key operate buttons to a extra usable place. Within the case of a shoulder mount, it serves to exchange one of many ahead handgrips, permitting you to manage your digital camera utterly with out ever needing to achieve excessive above your head.
Equally, the device would supply the identical benefit for these capturing with gimbals or different units the place making bodily contact with the digital camera just isn’t advantageous. Even nonetheless shooters who might need a motive for not wanting to the touch their digital camera throughout publicity, particularly those that do lengthy exposures and may in any other case go for a cable launch, might see a profit from detaching the digital camera physique from the act of urgent the shutter.
The machine itself doesn’t want a lot description. Consider the handgrip of your Z9 (or Z 6II/Z 7II) with out the remainder of the physique. It connects to your setup by way of a regular Arri Rosette. The buttons are customizable in the identical means as these on the digital camera physique, permitting you to assign issues like Excessive-Res Zoom to the grip for faster operation. For the video shooter, the command dials are clickless to offer smoother transitions when altering settings mid-take. Just about, what you are able to do together with your digital camera’s grip, you are able to do with the MC-N10. Simply from a much more comfy physique place.
The Distant Grip connects to the digital camera by way of a USB-C cable. That is my solely minor gripe with the setup. I do want there was a solution to join the grip by way of Bluetooth. Whereas a Bluetooth connection is likely to be much less steady than a hardwired answer, the quantity of cabling already dangling precariously from my video rigs does depart me with an innate want for a cable free society. As is, the straightforward logistics of this being designed for mirrorless cameras does result in one unavoidable con. The grip is designed for right-hand use. This is sensible because it mimics the format on the digital camera physique. However the USB-C connection on the Z9 is on the left aspect. This additionally is sensible, since you need the ports on the digital camera to be reverse the place you’d be holding it together with your hand when doing nonetheless pictures. However, as a result of the grip is on the precise and the ports are on the left, it signifies that the cable, by necessity, must run throughout the digital camera in a roundabout way to achieve the opposite aspect. There’s no actual different solution to do it that wouldn’t compromise nonetheless capturing operations, or pressure you into utilizing the grip together with your left hand. That is extra a tradeoff of utilizing a mirrorless digital camera system versus a extra devoted cinema physique with ergonomics made with video-centric ports in thoughts. So, my cable phobia will merely have to smile and bear it.
Minor unavoidable gripes apart, buying the MC-N10 was an actual no-brainer for me, as I believe it will likely be for many video professionals capturing with the Z system. Most high-end video techniques have such equipment to assist accommodate the varied methods during which video rigs are put collectively. It’s nice to see Nikon simply beginning to construct out its system. With the Z9, they’ve a physique that competes with every other product available on the market. Now, with equipment just like the MC-N10, they’re constructing out an increasing number of of the system that helps it. The digital camera itself is just half the battle. It takes a village of parts to kind an efficient filmmaking system. And this grip is only one extra step in the precise course.
