Video tip - check out this $14 homemade steadicam!

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  • SilentKnight
    Megan Fox's fluffer
    • Oct 2005
    • 24818

    #1

    Video tip - check out this $14 homemade steadicam!

    Check out this cheap 'n easy homemade steadycam.

    $14 bucks in material and 20 mins. to build.
  • jact
    Confirmed User
    • Sep 2002
    • 9134

    #2
    I have one of those in my closet that I don't use.. want it?

    Edit: One of the ones in the link, I built it when I found that a few years back.
    Free agent

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    • tony299
      lurker
      • Aug 2002
      • 57021

      #3
      still cool stuff

      Comment

      • stickyfingerz
        Doin fine
        • Oct 2005
        • 24984

        #4
        I love mine, made it out of a bunch of old mic stands I had laying around works fucking awesome, but planning on buying a merlin soon.

        http://www.steadicam.com/handheldmerlin.html

        check out the demo of it in action. Thing is brilliant.

        http://www.tiffen.com/userimages/ste...n_demo_med.mov

        Comment

        • GoNe
          Confirmed User
          • Jan 2003
          • 2892

          #5
          Originally posted by stickyfingerz
          I love mine, made it out of a bunch of old mic stands I had laying around works fucking awesome, but planning on buying a merlin soon.

          http://www.steadicam.com/handheldmerlin.html

          check out the demo of it in action. Thing is brilliant.

          http://www.tiffen.com/userimages/ste...n_demo_med.mov
          Awesome! I just sent an email to my local dealer for price info.
          buying domains 1 year or more in age. Adult related only. Email me at webmaster @ crazyvids.com

          Comment

          • stickyfingerz
            Doin fine
            • Oct 2005
            • 24984

            #6
            Originally posted by GoNe
            Awesome! I just sent an email to my local dealer for price info.
            Roughly 800 clams USD

            Comment

            • candyflip
              Carpe Visio
              • Jul 2002
              • 43069

              #7
              I want a Merlin too, and like everyone else in the thread...I built the one in the tutorial too.

              I think it cost me $19 for the parts to build 2 of 'em. I really did make some difference.

              Spend you some brain.
              Email Me

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              • gAmE-MaStEr
                Confirmed User
                • Mar 2007
                • 896

                #8
                still cool stuff

                Comment

                • stickyfingerz
                  Doin fine
                  • Oct 2005
                  • 24984

                  #9
                  Originally posted by candyflip
                  I want a Merlin too, and like everyone else in the thread...I built the one in the tutorial too.

                  I think it cost me $19 for the parts to build 2 of 'em. I really did make some difference.
                  Im going to attempt to make one out of gray pvc threaded pipe this weekend. I want something I can unscrew and pack in my suitcase. Mine I made was out of mic stands I had with a 8" mic stand base on the bottom and a folding arm on the side with the head off a small tripod. Its very versatile, and can be folded and adjusted for many different angles. Its a bit to tall to take around in public though, or try and get in my suitcase without them thinking Im doing something odd lol.

                  Our canon hv-10s are way too small to not have a steadicam or tripod. Handheld you would have to be a robot to keep it smooth. I want to walk around with it in PHX and do some interviews and dont want jiggily shots lol.

                  Comment

                  • Pinacolada
                    Confirmed User
                    • Jan 2007
                    • 1300

                    #10
                    nice offer

                    Comment

                    • RawAlex
                      So Fucking Banned
                      • Oct 2003
                      • 9465

                      #11
                      What do you use for a gimble?

                      Comment

                      • candyflip
                        Carpe Visio
                        • Jul 2002
                        • 43069

                        #12
                        Originally posted by stickyfingerz
                        Im going to attempt to make one out of gray pvc threaded pipe this weekend. I want something I can unscrew and pack in my suitcase. Mine I made was out of mic stands I had with a 8" mic stand base on the bottom and a folding arm on the side with the head off a small tripod. Its very versatile, and can be folded and adjusted for many different angles. Its a bit to tall to take around in public though, or try and get in my suitcase without them thinking Im doing something odd lol.

                        Our canon hv-10s are way too small to not have a steadicam or tripod. Handheld you would have to be a robot to keep it smooth. I want to walk around with it in PHX and do some interviews and dont want jiggily shots lol.
                        I've got the newest Sony model HDV cam, and that's probably not much bigger than yours. Same deal basically, I shake even when I'm 100% still.

                        Let me know how it goes with the PVC. The steel piping is a bit heavy, and I don't know how much the weight figures into it.

                        Spend you some brain.
                        Email Me

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                        • vidvicious
                          Confirmed User
                          • Oct 2002
                          • 4765

                          #13
                          Originally posted by SilentKnight
                          Check out this cheap 'n easy homemade steadycam.

                          $14 bucks in material and 20 mins. to build.
                          There is nothing about that home made gaget that makes it a steadicam .. you'd have the same affect as a mono pod ...

                          A steadicam system is pretty simple in design .. seprate The centers of Gravity and allow for your own seprate xy axis.

                          I sold and operated Glidecam and steadicam in the 90's. From a V20 to an Ultra.
                          3D-VR live webcams
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                          • vidvicious
                            Confirmed User
                            • Oct 2002
                            • 4765

                            #14
                            Originally posted by stickyfingerz
                            I love mine, made it out of a bunch of old mic stands I had laying around works fucking awesome, but planning on buying a merlin soon.

                            http://www.steadicam.com/handheldmerlin.html

                            check out the demo of it in action. Thing is brilliant.

                            http://www.tiffen.com/userimages/ste...n_demo_med.mov
                            One of my clients has one .. Never used ...still in it's box. If you're serious I could find out how much he wants
                            3D-VR live webcams
                            Facebook profile

                            "I take pics for the "Casual Encounters" section of Craigslist."

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                            • candyflip
                              Carpe Visio
                              • Jul 2002
                              • 43069

                              #15
                              Originally posted by vidvicious
                              One of my clients has one .. Never used ...still in it's box. If you're serious I could find out how much he wants
                              I didn't think that they were available yet. If you could, please find out exactly what model it is and how much he wants. I'm interested.

                              This one in the tutorial doesn't work fundamentally like your normal steadi, but for someone who's cheap or the average person who wants to steady up their shots...it DOES do a decent job doing what he claims it will do with regards to moving shots. I was impressed with the $20 and two that I was able to build. I gave one to my brother in law to play around with and he's impressed as well. It is by no means a real too for the professional.

                              Spend you some brain.
                              Email Me

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                              • Naughty Pyne
                                Confirmed User
                                • May 2005
                                • 755

                                #16
                                Originally posted by RawAlex
                                What do you use for a gimble?
                                Gimbal Assembly

                                http://www.steadicam.com/images/cont...List_11807.pdf
                                ICQ #232450865
                                Sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken!

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                                • vidvicious
                                  Confirmed User
                                  • Oct 2002
                                  • 4765

                                  #17
                                  Originally posted by candyflip
                                  I didn't think that they were available yet. If you could, please find out exactly what model it is and how much he wants. I'm interested.

                                  This one in the tutorial doesn't work fundamentally like your normal steadi, but for someone who's cheap or the average person who wants to steady up their shots...it DOES do a decent job doing what he claims it will do with regards to moving shots. I was impressed with the $20 and two that I was able to build. I gave one to my brother in law to play around with and he's impressed as well. It is by no means a real too for the professional.
                                  Sure thing ... Tell ya the truth I'm not sure which model ...

                                  My First camera Stabilizer
                                  3D-VR live webcams
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                                  "I take pics for the "Casual Encounters" section of Craigslist."

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                                  • stickyfingerz
                                    Doin fine
                                    • Oct 2005
                                    • 24984

                                    #18
                                    Originally posted by vidvicious
                                    There is nothing about that home made gaget that makes it a steadicam .. you'd have the same affect as a mono pod ...

                                    A steadicam system is pretty simple in design .. seprate The centers of Gravity and allow for your own seprate xy axis.

                                    I sold and operated Glidecam and steadicam in the 90's. From a V20 to an Ultra.
                                    You are right, they use the Steadicam name as a generic catch all in this case. You can essentially get similar results even with a small tripod that you keep the legs closed on. What the 14.00 deally does basically is increase the weight of the camera. Its harder to make a bowling ball shake, than it is to make a pencil shake. With the smaller cameras they do make a heck of a difference. The first shoot we did with our HV-10 the video looked like I was a parkinsons victim with a crack addiction lol. Ok not that bad, but compared to how the shoots come out with the "steadicam" I made its night and day.

                                    Oh and find out how much he wants for that Merlin. From the videos I saw of it, its pretty awesome.

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