19Oct Lockport 7 & Lockport 5 HDMI port protector, HDMI lock
Sure you could spend $125 on the Zacuto HDMI cable lock, but for $25 less Lockport actually includes an HDMI brake out right angle adapter. Right now the Lockport 5 is designed for the Canon 5d mark II and the Lockport 7 is designed for the Canon 7d, but it looks like they’re also working on a universal adapter for t2i and 60d owners.
$99 is still a little more then I would expect to pay for a metal plate with an HDMI adapter attached to it, but if you consider how much it would cost to replace the HDMI port on your camera, the lock port suddenly starts to look more tempting. Now I’d like to see one designed to work with a battery grip attached.
The current version of the Lockport works with a Redrock Micro base plate which will set you back about $100, well the Zacuto HDMI lock requires a Zacuto Gorilla Plate which runs about $70. By the time you spend the extra on the adapter there doesn’t seem to be much of a price difference. It does look like the Lockport could be adapted to work with a regular quick release plate, so you could probably skip the extra Redrock part.
One thing to think about, is that the Zacuto HDMI lock holds the Cable to the camera, the Lockport still allows the hdmi cable to come loose. If you catch the cable on something I would probably rather it pop out of the adapter with out damaging the HDMI port, then snag the camera and send the rig falling to the ground.
October 19th, 2011 at 1:04 pm
Like you, I’m thinking I should invest in some sort of HDMI lock for my camera rather than having to replace the port later. Do you think this one is better than Zacuto’s Pincher?
October 19th, 2011 at 1:29 pm
The Zacuto Cable Pincher requires you to use your own cable and a Zacuto Gorilla Plate which cost another $70. But it holds your cable steady. The Lockport gives you a right angle adapter and protects your DSLR’s hdmi port, but you could still pull the cable out of the adapter. It also was designed around the redrock micro base plate which is even more expensive, but it looks as though you could adapt the base plate to something else. I think it might depend on what kind of gear you already have.
October 19th, 2011 at 1:45 pm
Thanks for your comment. Yeah I already have a gorilla plate, and I don’t have a redrock base plate, so I’m thinking of going for the Zacuto.
October 19th, 2011 at 1:55 pm
That probably makes more sense.
January 11th, 2012 at 12:03 pm
Hello guys !
Does it exist for the usb port ?
I would like to shoot untethered with a 5d Mark II.
Thank’s
August 13th, 2013 at 5:22 pm
There are also a few that you put in an L bracket that is held there in place. But I don’t get these. I get that it’s protecting the camera’s port, but you can still yank the HDMI cable out of the L adapter during shooting.
December 28th, 2013 at 9:27 am
SmalHD is finally looking at the HDMI lock for the 5DM3! They’re funding it through Kickstarter and, as of today, have 10 days left to finish their funding. I pledged at $50, which I think is still a value. Check it out at http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/smallhd/canon-5d-mark-iii-hdmi-usb-port-protector
December 30th, 2013 at 3:02 pm
There are only a handful of HDMI lock solutions out there and sadly none are great. I pledged to this Kickstarter but the fact that you have to remove the camera strap means I probably won’t use it.