A 3-minute quiz created by documentary DP Vanessa Carr:Answer a few quick questions about your camera, shooting style, and preferences. In minutes, you’ll get a personalized rig recommendation—plus expert tips on balance, comfort, and control.
DSLR/Mirrorless (eg Sony FX3/A7SIII/FX30, Canon R5)
B.
Small cube cinema camera (eg Canon C70/80, BlackMagic Pocket)
C.
Small rectangle cinema camera (eg Sony FX6)
D.
Medium cube cinema camera (eg C300/400/500)
E.
Medium rectangle cinema camera (eg Sony FX9/Burano)
F.
Large cube cinema camera (eg Arri Alexa Mini)
G.
Large rectangle cinema camera (eg Sony Venice, Arri AMIRA)
H.
iPhone
3.
What kind of lenses do you mostly shoot?
A.
Photo lenses
B.
Compact cinema primes (no lens support)
C.
Heavy cinema primes or zooms (require lens support)
D.
It depends - whatever the job requires
4.
Do you work (or aspire) to work professionally as a DP?
A.
Yes — I’m building a career as a working cinematographer
B.
No — I mostly shoot my own projects
C.
Sort of — I want to be able to take paid gigs occasionally
5.
How much do you value a small, low-profile setup?
A.
I prefer my camera as stripped down as possible
B.
I need to be nimble but I'm not a minimalist
C.
I'll do whatever it takes for comfort & stability
6.
How do you move most when handheld shooting?
A.
Long handheld days, following action of all kinds
B.
Constant repositioning, short takes
C.
Mostly seated (handheld interviews, table top conversations)
7.
Does handheld shooting cause you pain?
A.
Nope, none
B.
Barely noticeable
C.
Annoying but manageable
D.
Moderate — limits my performance
E.
Severe — I’ve had to stop shooting or take days off
8.
Do you use an external monitor on your camera?
A.
Yes
B.
Not yet, but I'm open to investing
C.
No, and I'd prefer not to right now
9.
How important are steady handheld walking shots (following action) to your work?
A.
Essential — a top priority above comfort/weight relief
B.
Important — but I'd optimize for comfort/weight relief
C.
Nice to have — but not essential
D.
Not that important (or I use a gimbal for walking)
10.
How do you feel shooting from the shoulder?
A.
I like it... my set up just needs some tweaks
B.
I like it... I just need a better way for waist level shots
C.
It's too heavy and I need more support
D.
Shooting from my shoulder is not an option
11.
How eager are you to reduce weight bearing?
A.
I am really struggling with how heavy my set up feels
B.
My issue is stability more than weight
C.
Weight is my friend - for smooth walking shots
12.
How dynamic is the shooting you're typically doing
A.
Very dynamic handheld - I am constantly following unfolding action
B.
Less dynamic handheld - I shoot a lot of dialogue scenes where people are seated/standing for a long time,
C.
I am mostly shooting from a tripod and only occasionally shoot handheld
13.
What’s your rig or accessory budget right now?
A.
💸 Under $300
B.
💰 $300–$800
C.
💎 $1,000+
D.
Basically zero: DIY hacks only please
14.
Does shooting from a shoulder rig appeal to you?
A.
Yes
B.
No
15.
Does a monopod appeal to you?
A.
Yes, I love the idea of rock steady without weight... I'm ok picking it up and moving it or adjusting height as needed
B.
No, I'd rather have something more nimble
16.
How long have you been shooting?
A.
I am just starting to learn
B.
1-3 years
C.
4-6 years
D.
7-9 years
E.
10+ years
17.
Great! To personalize your results and save them, enter your email to continue.
A.
Answer A
B.
Answer B
Quiz Outcomes
1.
Shoulder Rig
A full page of description, pics, tips.Will mention hipshot/waistpack and Cinesaddle as support additions
2.
Monopod
A full page of description, pics, tips.For iPhone, a gorilla pod will be metioned
3.
Cinesaddle / Bean Bag
A full page of description, pics, tips.Will mention hipshot/waistpack as alternative and what the differences are
4.
EasyRig or ErgoRig
A full page of description, pics, tips.Will describe use cases for EasRig vs ErgoRig
5.
Hipshot / Waistpack
A full page of description, pics, tips.Will mention Cinesaddle as alternative, and what is required to make a waist level option work (includes going on shoulder)
