2026From a Facebook group: The Steadicam Group
Quick 90-degree monitor rotation for portrait-format social media shots (9:16) on stabilizers
What the thread found
- Portrait-mode operation is becoming more common on travel and commercial jobs, requiring cameras to be rotated between landscape and portrait orientation while maintaining monitoring.
- Monitors with a central threaded mounting point, such as the Transvideo Starlite, can be rotated simply by unscrewing and rotating around the mounting stud.
- The SmallHD 503 can potentially be rotated using the threaded holes on its rear panel as an alternative mounting point.
- Several operators have successfully improvised swivel brackets using existing monitor arms and plates to enable quick portrait rotation without removing or remounting equipment.
- Custom solutions include mounting a cheese plate with a central threaded hole to the monitor's rear panel (produced by 3D printing or machining) to create a proper rotation axis.
Depends on
- Feasibility depends on monitor design and available mounting points.
- Camera weight and monitor position affect balance during portrait-mode operation.
- The Blackmagic Video Assist 5 12G may have different mounting constraints than other models.