While the internals of a smartphone continually become more filmmaking friendly, the externals and ergonomics still hew toward strict minimalism and compactness. Because of that, most creatives find there are at least a few additional accessories they need to add to their phone for it to be capable of robust video streaming or capture. SmallRig is attempting to kit all of the necessary components together and make them as universal as possible with the new All-in-One Thermal Live Streaming & Filming Handheld Phone Cage Kit.
The kit consists of a cage with a built-in cooling system, a USB-C hub, two rotating side handles (one with wireless camera control), and a power bank clamp. I gave all of the elements a spin, and am ready to report back with my findings.
The Cooling Cage
The star of the show here is the cooling system. While there have been countless clamp-on fan units available to combat smartphone overheating, SmallRig’s new approach is a robust “High-Efficiency Cooling System” that has a 7-blade fan, an aluminum alloy heat sink and cold plate, and a 15W thermoelectric Peltier chip. With three levels of power, the system does an insanely efficient job at quickly cooling down your phone, though there is a slight fan noise that increases and decreases alongside the power level, and it does require constant USB-supplied power. What’s a bit confusing for me is choosing which of the three power levels I need. I’d assume middle or low for continuous use and the highest if the phone overheats and needs to be quickly cooled, but I wish SmallRig had provided more guidance. The rest of the cage is solid, with a clamp-in system that fits 2.5 to 3.1” wide phones, and an outside ring with plenty of NATO rails and cold shoe slots.
The USB Hub
Even if you’re only recording in lower bit rates, the single-port nature of smartphones will likely become a barrier once you contend with battery drain. For that, SmallRig has included a “4-in-1” USB-C hub that plugs into your phone’s USB-C and then has four input/outputs for power banks, SSDs, microphones, the cooling system, and other accessories. One of the ports is designated “PD” for power delivery, and that’s the one you’ll want to use to get simultaneous charging and data. One of the other inputs is 3.1-rated, ideal for recording to SSDs, while the other two are 2.0-rated, suitable for microphones and headphones. The hub has a cold shoe clamp on the back to slot it into the cage, but even with that, it’s hard to avoid creating a mess of cables if you’re utilizing all four ports, especially if you need adapters to USB-A or 3.5mm-based devices. Compared to other USB hubs, SmallRig’s is commendably compact and utilitarian, even if it also serves to highlight the struggles of rigging a phone.
The Side Handles and Clamp
The side handles can snap into place in locations on all four sides of the cage, with two retractable locking pins aiding the connections. They can fully rotate, as well as slide up and down their posts. Both hold hidden hex wrenches, and one comes with a Bluetooth shutter button to take photos or videos. The shutter is a cool idea, but I had mixed results triggering recordings, sometimes needing to click it multiple times or re-pair it in my Bluetooth settings. The side handles are good, nothing revolutionary, and it’s the same with the power bank clamp, which locks into a cold shoe and features the same retractable design we’ve seen for years. I wish SmallRig would’ve gone further with the wireless control and added an exposure or zoom dial. The cooling system and hub seem top-of-the-line, so it’s surprising the wireless system is very bare bones.
Overall, the kit solves a ton of headaches that video shooters inevitably encounter if they use smartphones for demanding jobs. The cooling system is incredible, holding special appeal for streamers, and it’s great that the USB-C hub can allow power and data passthrough in a thumb-sized package. But the other elements feel like checked boxes rather than true innovation, and I worry many filmmakers will crave full wireless control, greater support for lens adapters, and truly unique ways to rig out their smartphone setup.
For more information about the SmallRig Thermal Phone Cage Kit, including features, specs, and highlights, be sure to check out the detailed product page.
