SHAPE HSMDV – ARRI Dovetail Shoulder Mount with Hand15 Handles Now Available

Accessory News

by Francesco AndreolaSeptember 30^th, 2022

SHAPE has recently come up with a new shoulder mount support accessory, called HSMDV. It includes a comfy shoulder pad, an ARRI-style Dovetail plate, and two articulating arms with rubber handgrips. The whole system retails for $889.

Canadian manufacturer SHAPE is well-known for producing high-quality camera accessories and rigs. Earlier this year, the company introduced a new lightweight single filter tray matte box, the LWAKS, and is now back with a shoulder rig, called HSMDV, that is built with lightness and speed in mind.

This shoulder-mount support seems ideal for large camera packages, such as the Sony VENICE 1 and 2, ARRI’s new ALEXA 35, or RED’s flagship V-RAPTOR. Let’s take a closer look at it!

SHAPE HSMDV: ARRI Dovetail Shoulder Mount System

The new SHAPE HSMDV shoulder rig consists of an ARRI-style Dovetail plate, a shoulder pad, and a set of two articulating arms with rubber handles. Most parts are built out of CNC-machined aluminum and weigh 1.8kg in total.

The Dovetail plate sits on top of an anti-slip shoulder pad, whose position is adjustable by simply opening and locking a lever on the right-hand side of the rig. The top side of the Dovetail plate can accommodate standard ARRI-style bridge plates, including 15mm LWS, 15mm Studio, and 19mm Studio configurations.

The Dovetail plate is quite long (approximately 31.7cm/12.5”), thus allowing the top bridge plate to travel for a considerable distance (up to 26.7cm/10.5”). A lever mechanism allows users to release the top bridge plate, while safety spring-loaded stoppers at the front and back of the Dovetail plate prevent the camera package from accidentally falling off your shoulder.

Overall, the system seems to provide a high degree of flexibility, allowing camera operators to perfectly balance the camera package on their shoulder, while also speeding up transitions from shoulder-style to handheld or tripod configurations.

Quick-release handgrips with push-button design

Two articulating arms with rubber handles screw to the front of the Dovetail plate via a dual ARRI Rosette attachment. One of the major selling points of the HSMDV is the ability to adjust the orientation of the arms and handles with the push of a button. Once you release the button, the arm or handle automatically locks in place.

Furthermore, if you need to attach additional accessories close to the handles, you can do so by using the dual 1/4”-20 and 3/8”-16 mounting points on each arm. Both types of threads come with anti-rotation locating holes that prevent the mounted accessory from getting loose.

Finally, if you’re looking for an extremely compact handheld camera setup, you can bypass the Dovetail plate and shoulder pad, and attach the arms directly to your camera cage. Some cameras, such as the new RED V-RAPTOR XL, integrate ARRI Rosette mounts directly on the camera body.

Price and availability

The new SHAPE HSMDV ARRI Dovetail Shoulder Mount with Hand15 Handles is now available to purchase from B&H and CVP. Its official retail price is set at $889.

Lastly, the ARRI Dovetail plate and Shoulder Pad combo (product name: DOVSM) and quick-release handle module (product name: HAND15) are also available to purchase separately for $389 and $699 respectively.

For more information, please visit SHAPE’s website here.

Do you like operating your camera in a shoulder-style configuration? What do you think of the new SHAPE HSMDV shoulder rig? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!