Philip Vischer started out as a Camera Assistant, Focus Puller and Camera Operator. Next he worked as a camera rental manager and head of sales. These positions surely influenced the thoughtful designs he undertook in the latest phase of his career, as ARRI PCA (Pro Camera Accessories) Product Manager for more than the past ten years.
Here is a recent Professional Camera Accessories from ARRI. Note that these accessories are camera agnostic.
BGA-2
Bicycle grips make great camera handgrips. There are enough choices to fill large catalogs and showrooms: Torkers, Thrusters, Velo leather, Ergon, Comfort, Rogue, Happy Hands, Cork, Contour, Hard, Soft, Chrome, and the list goes on.
ARRI’s Bicycle Grip Adapter BGA-2 consists of an ARRI Rosette attached to a 22 mm / 0.87″ I.D. rod that is 136 mm / 5.4″ long. Slide on your favorite bicycle grip and secure it with the screw-in end cap.
Suggestion: most bicycle mechanics have their own secret way to install a new bicycle grip, especially ones that are very tight or too loose or tend to twist.
BGA-1
ARRI’s BGA-1 adapter is slightly different. Instead of having a Hirth-Tooth Rosette on one end, it comes with a 3/8-16 screw with two anti-twist pins on one end and a 3/8-16 threaded socket with an anti-twist holes at the other end.
The BGA-1 works nicely with ARRI’s Handle Extension HEX System, discussed on the next page.
Bicycle Grips
ARRI does not sell bicycle handlebar grips at this time. So, ride on down to a well-equipped bike shop. You can spend hours trying grips out and obsessing over the proper fit.
Fortunately, bicycle manufacturers standardized more readily than the cine lens mount industry.
There are essentially two standard inside diameters for grips. Mountain, hybrid, cruiser, BMX, commuter and city bikes with horizontal handlebars accept 22.2 mm (7/8″) Inside Diameter grips.
Road bikes with drop handlebars use 23.8 mm (15/16″) I.D. grips. Do not order these for your ARRI BGA: they will be too big.
(This is a “reprint” from August 2020 FDTimes issue 104.)