My poor man's steadicam

[kadzbiz]

I just built my steadicam the other day and gave it a first workout. Here's the video of it on youtube. Has anyone tried making their own version of the steadicam merlin? I'd like to find a cheap way to construct one of them if I could.

[mattias]

very nice. good work. looks like a simple enough design. if you want it to perform like a steadicam you should look into balancing it around all axises. you're not supposed to be able to tilt the camera at all, as it is now it just tilts slower. you're supposed to be able to start walking or come to a full stop without the camera moving. don't get me wrong, i use a design similar to yours, it's just that i think people simplify a bit when they start calling monopods steadicams. :-)

/matt

[kadzbiz]

very nice. good work. looks like a simple enough design. if you want it to perform like a steadicam you should look into balancing it around all axises. you're not supposed to be able to tilt the camera at all, as it is now it just tilts slower. you're supposed to be able to start walking or come to a full stop without the camera moving. don't get me wrong, i use a design similar to yours, it's just that i think people simplify a bit when they start calling monopods steadicams. :-)

/matt

I only called it a poor man's steadicam from the reference that I took it from originally here on the forum. A monopod suggests that it's planted on the ground, no? I hear what you say about all axis, but unless one goes to the merlin look, I would need a third hand for the other axis. I might look at making a merlin one day, when I have time and extra cash.

[tcindie]

A lot of the functionality comes with practice.. and a big part of smooth shots is how you walk... even with the big expensive articulated arm rigs, you have to walk correctly or your footage will still have some bounce -- albeit a lot more fluid and easier on the eyes than just a straight hand-held camera.

[tgiffilms]

looks a lot better than it would just hand held. How much did the whole rig cost you?

[Little-Big Sound]

Nicely done! My only suggestion if your in a situation where you want to be able to go handheld quickly (or back to the PMS after a handheld shot) would be to add a quick release adapter. The quick release feature means you don't have to physically screw the PMS mounting screw into the bottom of your camera - I'm a little paranoid that I'm going to screw into the bottom of the camera :-(

I'm glad I added it to mine. My $.02

Again, nice work - thanks for the video tutorial too!

[kadzbiz]

A lot of the functionality comes with practice.. and a big part of smooth shots is how you walk......

Ah yes, the ol' groucho heal-toe walk eh?

looks a lot better than it would just hand held. How much did the whole rig cost you?

Less than $50. I have now added a little handle (i'll update youtube movie soon) that is attached on the opposite side of the crossbar, which incidently happens to be the balance point. This helps reducing the pitching action. Not only that, you can carry it by this handle nicely. If I work out some sort of drop down leg system like on machine guns, then I could easily just rest it down.

.....add a quick release adapter......

That's a good point, but I'm not rely sure how to go about this. Need to see a picture of how it would join onto the pole. And can you just buy these quick released adapters in a photo shop?

[harkangelproductions]

That's a good point, but I'm not rely sure how to go about this. Need to see a picture of how it would join onto the pole. And can you just buy these quick released adapters in a photo shop?

I just received a quick-release through eBay earlier today and this is how it looks on my PMS. It was about $15 USD and will prevent some potential catastrophe with the screw. Sorry for the blurry photo, but it's late and I've had a few pints.

[mattias]

you can balance it without the merlin design. look at the glidecam. you need a baseplate where you can attatch weights in all four corners, or a sliding weight that you can move around but that's harder to implement.

so a monopod seizes to be a monopod when you lift it off the ground? :-) actually my own steadyrig is a lightweight tripod. i extend the center pole and let the folded legs be the counterweight. works well.

/matt

[kadzbiz]

you can balance it without the merlin design. look at the glidecam. you need a baseplate where you can attatch weights in all four corners, or a sliding weight that you can move around but that's harder to implement.

so a monopod seizes to be a monopod when you lift it off the ground? :-) actually my own steadyrig is a lightweight tripod. i extend the center pole and let the folded legs be the counterweight. works well.

/matt

I've used my tripod also. Works well too. Just need more practice.

[Little-Big Sound]

That's the one (the quick release adapter in HarkAngelProduction's post). I bought the same one off Ebay and am very pleased with how it intefaces with my PMS as well as my camera.

[ESTEBEVERDE]

Great Job!

Great Video!

A++

[kadzbiz]

Here's the next part here.

[harkangelproductions]

Here's the next part here.

Dan, thanks for sharing that second part! I think the PMS looks better in performance and appearance. Are you using any sort of wide angle lens? The ending was very good, too. Beer is always a great reward. Cheers!

[kadzbiz]

Dan, thanks for sharing that second part! I think the PMS looks better in performance and appearance. Are you using any sort of wide angle lens? The ending was very good, too. Beer is always a great reward. Cheers!

Thanks and yes, I am using a wide angle lens. Just a cheapie I bought on eBay that came with a telephoto lens also, but I haven't used that yet.

[ESTEBEVERDE]

Nice!

[nzo]

Brilliant Dan. Thanks for the video.