The Best Sony a7S II Cage / a7R II Cage – 8 Cages Reviewed

December 18^th, 201594

The Best Sony a7S II Cage / a7R II Cage - 8 Cages Reviewed

by Sebastian WöberDecember 18^th, 2015

Skier LiteCage for Sony A7RII / A7SII

We reviewed the Skier LiteCage for the original a7S in our cage review session. We had some concerns about their initial cage, but the new model seems to have addressed those nicely. Let’s look at the Skier Cage for the a7S II.

Ease of Assembly and Disassembly

It is very easy to mount the camera inside the Skier Cage. Only a single slotted screw at the bottom needs to be tightened.

How Securely is the Camera Attached to the Cage?

The camera then sits very securely inside the cage. No concerns here.

HDMI Cable Protector Design

We also like the new HDMI protector. The design of the original a7S protector was also good, but this one is even better. With a wingscrew, the whole cable protector can be moved to the side. Two small hex screws lock the HDMI and USB cables in place.

Do we Have Access to Other Outputs on the Side?

Yes.

Is it Possible to use the Sony XLR-K2M Audio Module?

Yes. Even when the handle is attached.

Can we Easily Access the Lens Release Button?

Yes. Unlike their cage for the original a7S, nothing is blocking the lens release button on this cage.

 How Well Can we Attach a Tripod Plate?

There are two 1/4″ and one 3/8″ threads on the base of the cage to attach a tripod plate securely.

How Good is the Included Rod Support?

We didn’t receive this cage with a rod support, but they offer their traditional 15mm rod support (L) as an optional accessory. That’s why we review this rod support without giving a rating. The rating would have been a red light. This is the same rod support they shipped with the first a7S cage.

The big issue here is that the height is not correct for a standard Mattebox, so if your Mattebox isn’t height adjustable it will not fit the lens centre.

Another problem is that the rod support has to be installed with two hex screws from the inside of the cage, so the camera has to be detached from the cage in order to install the rod support but then the camera can only be attached to the cage with a long and thin slotted screw driver and only while there is no tripod plate attached underneath. A design flaw. We recommend using a rod support by a different manufacturer.

Metabones Mount Quality

This cage has no Metabones Mount option.

The Top-handle Design

We critisized the top-handle design on Skier’s first a7S cage as the handle would easily fall off and offered no security. This new handle is secured with a thumbscrew, addressing that concern. Furthermore it works together with the Sony XLR-K2M in a very nice way. On the downside this top-handle reaches quite far to the front.

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Overall Ergonomics

There are a few very nice touches the Skier a7S II Cage has to offer. Overall build quality is good, there are many mounting points on the large top plate (albeit only a single coldshoe) and overall stability and ease of use is excellent.

The single slotted screw that mounts the camera to the cage cannot fall out of the cage, which is something we would have liked to see on all other cages as well. As a whole this cage is simple and effective. Only the weight of the cage could have been improved.

Cage weight without top-handle: 341g
Cage weight with top-handle: 465g

Conclusion

Skier offers a very good cage with the LiteCage for a7RII and a7SII. It received 9 green lights and it ticks all the boxes on most points. The only thing missing is a properly designed rod support which most other cages now offer and a Metabones Mount would be nice as well. This cage is very affordable, quick and easy to use and offers the best overall usability for run-and-gun shooters. This cage made #2 on our list of favourite cages for the Sony a7S II & a7R II.

Price: $299

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