Arri Introduces Master Grips
Expanding its range of Electronic Control System accessories, Arri has announced four new Master Grip handgrips, which offer fingertip control of Arri and third-party cameras and lenses when shooting handheld.
Increasingly, the previously separate worlds of cine and documentary equipment are merging; additionally, small cameras like the Alexa Mini feature a reduced user interface, requiring external camera controls. Responding to these trends, Arri’s Master Grips combine effective camera stabilization with comprehensive lens and camera control. Lightweight and built to Arri’s quality standards, the Master Grips are available in four versions: right-side and left-side grips, with either a rocker for super-smooth zooming or a thumb wheel for iris or focus adjustments.
Based on the classic Arriflex handgrips, the Master Grips follow a proven ergonomic design. With controls that are easy to reach but still protected from accidental triggering, they allow for prolonged handheld operating without discomfort or strain. Constructed around a lightweight magnesium cast housing, the Master Grips are solid, rugged and reliable.
The Master Grips provide full control of focus, iris and zoom settings on cine lenses, including adjustable motor speed, zoom response and motor limits. They also offer a comfortable way to control the integrated servomotors of ENG and EF lenses (from Alexa Mini/Amira SUP 5.0 — initially, only iris support is available for EF lenses). Mounted on tripod pan arms or studio pedestal heads, the Master Grips can be used as focus and zoom controls for multi-camera setups, such as when using the Amira in Multicam mode. Camera control functionality includes user-button access and record start/stop for Arri and third-party cameras; the latter requires the LCUBE CUB-1 accessory, updated with CUB-1 SUP 2.0.
With an intuitive user interface, the Master Grips are easy to set up either via the integrated touch screen or physical buttons. The controls are fully configurable, and a status readout boosts user confidence, with the multilingual display allowing menus and status to be read in English, Chinese, Spanish or German.
Available accessories include the LCUBE CUB-2, a miniature signal converter that integrates the 12-pin Hirose ENG protocol into the LBUS ecosystem; it provides two options for iris control: auto-iris from the camera or manual iris from a Master Grip. Handgrip extensions are available in three lengths — 80mm, 160mm and 240mm — and feature a lightweight 15mm tube design, a solid-steel Arri rosette, and cable clips. Pan-arm clamp adapters of various sizes allow Arri Master Grips to be used on all common pan arms, including Sachtler, OConnor and Vinten. The Rod Mounting Bracket RMB-4 attaches to the top-right of the Amira body and holds a standard 15mm or 19mm rod; it provides a solid mount for lens motors while retaining free back-and-forth movement of the sliding shoulder pad, viewfinder and handle for optimized shoulder balance.
Also available is a sturdy, compact and purpose-designed case that can safely hold a set of two Master Grips, three motors, handgrip extensions, LCUBE converters and cables. A new set of cables, in dedicated lengths and with angled connectors, provides optimized cabling solutions for the Master Grips.
For additional information, visit arri.com.
