Homemade Steadicam Tutorial (DIY)

[OTIVrecords]

Can I see the version where the kid in the blue hoodie doesn't have his tongue out the whole time? It'd be a huge help. Thanks!

[monstertunes]

Props to you guys!

I'm going to try this tomorrow!

[BigTman299]

Do you know the complete cost of this stabilizer of being made?

Like, all the part's price combined.

Thanks for the video! I am sure It will help me, and Great shots.

[pieterschout]

Whats the best way to attach my 7D to this steadicam?

[dmonte012]

Would have been better if you actually showed how to use it.

[Archer4111]

first off you don't walk down the stairs your on a escalader

[Ben1257sb]

@Archer4111

thank you for the thought provoking observation Archer but we also walked down the escalator fyi.

[Archer4111]

@Ben1257sb ah okay well it was smooth enough it didnt look like it

[Utube6762]

You misspelled Stablizer in your opening sequence. Now if there was a way to mount that on a bicycle you'd have a moneymaker.

[rhavenjhel]

thanks for the big help :)

[TheturtlethatisTerry]

You hold it at the T pipe to everyone wanting to know :D

[Ben1257sb]

@TheturtlethatisTerry

I want to give you the biggest hug in the world right now. I didn't think it would be that difficult to figure out.

[sk8infreek]

I just made this almost exactly how you did except I just have a cap on the top and my go pro is adhered to it. But when i record and run or walk, it seems to sway side to side, the bottom weights swing a bit. Is there any way to fix that? and also where is a good spot to hold it? Thanks

[414Media]

@sk8infreek your go pros to light

[Mrburton35]

1:31 that looks like a tripod to me....

[Filmmaker117]

the snowboarding one looks so professional. i like it

[gyghost]

Where do u hold it tho?

[Bowfinger6383]

Nice video & tutorial, well made!-Kudos.

for those wondering about the song: it's 'Sprite' by freezepop,about a drink acutally.

/watch?v=gCCVpFTYMKQ

[Ben1257sb]

@Bowfinger6383

Kudos to being the first person since we posted this 2 years ago for naming the song!!!

I knew it wouldn't last forever haha sober kudos Bowfinger

[jonahiew]

Great video!! where do you actually grip and hold the whole thing?

[misraices1]

@Ben1257sb. Thank you for the great tutorial. I bought the pvc pipe (3/4 inch) and assembled all the pieces. I haven't been able to find cheap bike pegs. They wanted $15 at the bike store and they were 3/16 (didn't fit tight on the pipe. Also, where can I find the base plate? Thanks.

[jonmanilenio]

hey, i took inspiration from your work and copied the dimension of the pvc pipes, except i used 0.5" instead of 1" pipe. and we don't have 45 angle elbow connectors here (go figure) so i had to melt the pipes to approximate it. it's pretty stable, but there's a bit of a side to side sway. can you advise me how to correct it? thanks!

[Skatrav]

Tape measure - Check!

Hand saw - Check!

Pipe glue - Check!

Common sense - It should be around here somewhere...

A brain - Brain, brain... hmmm...

[jetkrazee]

I have a canon 5DMKII. Do you think the extra weight of the larger camera would make a grave difference in performance? Thanks, jetkrazee

[peewack]

@jetkrazee the force involved it' s torque (the thing that you do to doors to move it against angular momentum), so try to add a little weight or longer pipes

[somedudehuh1]

Awsome, i whatched this video about 2 yeasrs ago, i still have it and glad i ttook the time to make it :D

[alexrahman]

Dude, Awesome footage, and I love the animation of the project. How did you do the animations? What program? Great work man!

[Ben1257sb]

@alexrahman

blender 3d.

Thanks for the comment!

[alexrahman]

@Ben1257sb , Your welcome, and I meant it. The snowboarding was out of hand.. LOL exciting POV. work. But how did you do those animations of the tubes? Really great. I would like to try and do some stuff like that too.- Thanks

[alanbstard4]

well done

[GEYmoments]

what camera did you use for this?

[SvetozarIvanov]

hey man do you have dimensions that will work with canon 5D Mk 2 DSLR

Best

[Ben1257sb]

@SvetozarIvanov

best recommendation is to build it and tweak the blue pvc bars in a way to ballace the rig. as long as its ballanced your good to go!

[thegamemuseum]

Congratulations on having the most popular DIY steadicam on YouTube! This rig really helped me on the new short-film that i am currently filming, which was originally going to be all hand-held. I loved the music in the video by the way. Have a great rest of the summer!

[IamKanJones]

i like your design also

[IamKanJones]

so how do the pegs attach to the pvc?

[akamarutv]

That is awesome! BEST CHEAP STEADYCAM EVER

[vanhakaveri]

waht does "DIY" mean?

[Ben1257sb]

@vanhakaveri

do it yourself.

Thank you google.

[Ben1257sb]

@AlkimyDeal

Cool story bro.



[xcode394]

@AlkimyDeal nah dude to be honest, i saw test footages of that thing and this one is actualy better. there was a part when he was following a dog with a side shot and it looked shakey while in this video, even snowboarding looks smooth.

[AlkimyDeal]

@xcode394 You also have to use the Cam Caddie right allowing it to rest on an eased hand, some people want to grip it tightly and this can cause awkward or bumpy movement. I've been able to master the art of proportionate balance thus giving me unbeatable shots especially for what I paid to get one.

[hybridnysten]

Does it mather how heavy the weights are?

And in Belgium we only have 3cm pipes in the local store. That's a little bit more than 1". Will this effect the stability or not?

[RoySukro09]

the easiest way to make a steadicam

[thegamemuseum]

What is that song? Please tell me!

[kptwitko1939]

@thegamemuseum

Freezepop - Sprite

[thegamemuseum]

@kptwitko1939 Thank you.

[porche3r]

where do you get your brains 0¿0

[Royyboyy09]

I must know the name of this song NOW! please? :/

[VinGraceFTW]

@Royyboyy09 no

[Royyboyy09]

@VinGraceFTW found it! hahaha ;)

[henrywsnow]

Where can I get that song?

[saeth8008]

You guys are hella legit. so what mountain is that, Coming from colorado that looks nice! CHEERS FOR SNOWBOARDING AND SMOKING BOWLZ IN DA TREES

[KeithSwanger]

How did you connect the bike pegs?

[Ben1257sb]

@KeithSwanger

duct tape

[AshleyNReed]

@Ben1257sb , I swear I'm not illiterate. It's my friggin' horrible keyboard lol.

[AshleyNReed]

@Ben1257sb what is the most affectiver way to hold the stabilizer? You can't really see that in your video.

[Ben1257sb]

@AshleyNReed

dear lord haha your grammar use made me die laughing.

Anyway, the most effective way to hold it is on the yellow connecters. click on the annotation in my video to learn more.

[Mugre300]

@Ben127sb i have a sony Handycam that weights 1.183 g / 3 lbs, so what should be the weight on the lower part of the steadicam, should it be equal?

[Ben1257sb]

@Mugre300

more weight = more steady. simply physics

[Mugre300]

@Ben1257sb xD Thanks Man. (Y)

[Theawesomezachman]

Whats the name of the song?

[MrAw3som333]

How do you make the base?????

[TophaLopha1215]

@MrAw3som333 Base cant be too hard. i'm thinking i'll take a quick release plate from a tripod and make in mountable to my stabilizer

[arfurlife]

brilliant video. You guys are to be praised highly with total sincerity. we owe you big time. thanks a thousand times for this.

[EmilLoveFingerboard]

Skip the ads : 2:30

[414Media]

@EmilLoveFingerboard hahahaaa

[TNT24sexy]

what is the song playing during the video

[macadameane]

@Ben1257sb I think you meant to reply to kameshita

[macadameane]

I put on PVC screw joints and glued the rest. It made the legs slightly longer and I can stick weight inside (and change the weight for different lenses).

[TheJaiWasHere]

where can i buy the common sense and brain?

[Mr3ibss]

does this work for a DSLr camera?

[invisibleTricker]

@Mr3ibss Yes

[UnipsychleProduction]

Ignore this post. It is for me to remember where the dimensions I need are in the video.

3:30

[TheUnihopper]

What diameter of pipe did you use? Thanks,

[daliceinchains]

you f ing kids are brilliant.

[piterXdT]

Good Work



[dennisonearth]

Hi, what application did you use for the animation of the pipes?

Thanks, D

[Ben1257sb]

@dennisonearth

blender

[dennisonearth]

@Ben1257sb Thanks a lot!

[Ben1257sb]

@dennisonearth

I think 1/4 inch

click on the annotation in my vid

[MrMiniSwag]

How are you supossed to hold it and would it be the same for a Go Pro?

[Ben1257sb]

@MrMiniSwag

watch the video again and click on the annotation

[MrMiniSwag]

@Ben1257sb I understand you want people to click on the annotation for help but it doesn't ever show how you are meant to hold it in that video. Also it doesn't mention anything about the Go Pro. Seeing as you are the original makers of this steadycam I thought you could help me. If you can then please do. Thanks.

[Ben1257sb]

@MrMiniSwag

I have a go pro myself and I don't see anything different about using it. Maybe use smaller measurements since the go pro is smaller. and as far as holding, it doesn't matter. the actual rig stabilizes the camera so however you want to hold it is up to you. preferably right under the camera

[stratfirstlove]

what are you guys using for a baseplate? And did you glue a pipe adapter to it so you could just screw it into the T connector or what?

[Ben1257sb]

@stratfirstlove

click on my annotation in the video. it will tell you everything you need to know

[stratfirstlove]

@Ben  I'm going to the store to buy the supplies now. I'm using a HD GoPro. It's VERY VERY light, 0.37 pounds. Do you think I'm going to need to buy something to make a heavier base plate? Great vid, great editing, gret explanation guys!! Thanks and appreciate any input in advance.

[yhwhxxx]

fake, the shadow in 1:27 FAKE

[Ben1257sb]

@yhwhxxx

idiot

[mud2skipper]

Bike pegs? Is that the correct terminology? Where on a bike is it located? I can't place the part. The overall tutorial is clear and you did a good job. Just remember that we read English from left to right so the directions should do the same, otherwise it is confusing at first. It just seems odd to have it done in the opposite direction.

[Ben1257sb]

@mud2skipper

did you see the annotation link throughout the entire video? why don't you click on that.

[stratfirstlove]

@mud2skipper: who doesn't know what bike pegs are??

[mud2skipper]

@stratfirstlove I don't know what bike pegs are that's why I was asking if that was the correct terminology. By the way, if you think my question is stupid, eventually someone may think a question you are asking is stupid. So I'm sorry to waste your time. I thought you were open to questions when you posted a video on You Tube.

[HansKJohnson]

Hey thanks guys! I just made it today and the results were fantastic! I made one for my T2i and it works great. It cost me about $7 and I still had 5ft of extra PVC so I'm going to make one for a friend. I'll be posting the results of my steadicam in a few.

Hans

[Ben1257sb]

@HansKJohnson

post a video response!

[HansKJohnson]

@Ben1257sb done :)

[rgsauve]

Thanks for the inspiration guys.

youtube.com/watch?v=mA-t8SaJ3V­U

Credited you guys for the inspiration behind mine.

[Chinook249]

Thanks!  Cost me $7.49.

[OttoBelden]

Cool design, doesn't look too ergonomic but the results are great, good job! - Otto

[sonicrox20]

2 questions: (plz answer)

1. will a small panasonic camera fall off the base plate?

2. What program did u make the 3D animations with?

[Ben1257sb]

@sonicrox20

fasten it to the base plate

blender

[sonicrox20]

@Ben1257sb i hate to b pushy but how do u fasten it?

[Ben1257sb]

@sonicrox20

fasten it to the base plate via screw/bolt, duct tape, super glue, magnets... whatever works best for you.

[lp22hot]

you freaking rick dude!!!!

[iwillforgetthisname2]

i dont get it, why all the video and the 3D animation but never once showing the steadicam??

[Ben1257sb]

@iwillforgetthisname2

sorry. 3d is the easiest way to show you how to make it. If you watch the entire video, there is an annotation link to someone who built it and actually has video of it.

[KeTeVemCovers]

@Finladico at the top

[webmotion87]

that is boss...

[CharlieJamesReader]

I used this tutorial to build a steadicam that I used in a short film, shot in London. I used a baseplate on the top of the T junction, attached a square piece of wood to that, and drilled a hole in the middle of the wood where I put a screw from an old tripod in order to attach the camera.

For the weights, I cut a dumbell bar in half, slipped each half into both ends of pipe, and screwed weight plates on.

Click on my name to check out the film, 'Brief Encounter' that I made using it.

[kivspage]

the first half of the video i focused on that song and when i zoned back in i was like wtf am i hearing. pretty trippy song.

[Oehtaicrag]

What camera you got?

[BMDLP]

awesome job guys!

[DIYfilmaker]

@BMDLP try to view my stabilzer.. DIY glidecam type.. tnx

[MrAntotonio]

sorry ...how and where you take the steadicam?

[omaraty009]

AWESOME!

[mswickel]

I love this!



[bizzarrogeorge]

Awesome job, I clicked the annotation to see how it's put together, and the kid in the video used a bunch of duct-tape to secure the baseplate to the rig. I have a feeling you guys had a much better way of doing that, that didn't involve duct-tape. Could you please let me know how you guys solved this? Thanks again, have a good one.

[Ben1257sb]

@bizzarrogeorge

we used the baseplate (aka floor flange) and mounted it to the rig via pvc connections. The base plate should have several holes around the rim. We took a nut and a bolt and secured it to the camera through one of those holes.

[bizzarrogeorge]

@Ben1257sb Good deal. Thanks for the info.

[ASPCAfan]

@Ben1257sb did you use a 1/4in screw after putting in the nut and bolt to put on the camera? I'm a little confused as to how the camera is mounted but after I find out I am going to build it :) thanks!

[DIYfilmaker]

@bizzarrogeorge try to view my stabilizer, it's like a glidecam design.. all the gimbals are made of ball bearings.. the x,y,z axis..

[baloneyjazz]

If I make the stabilizer, will that music play all the time when I'm filming?

[TophaLopha1215]

@baloneyjazz LOL. this is awesome

[backspinking]

@baloneyjazz LMAO! I sure do hope not

[Finlandico]

How do u hold the steadycam????? :D

[KeTeVemCovers]

@Finlandic at the top

[Ben1257sb]

@Finlandico

right under the camera. most logical positioning

[Risteman]

Where do you hold the steadicam?

[xmedic9]

Wicked video... What did you use for the 3D animation?

[dbzgt545]

Alrighty guys that are watching this video it works. i built 3 for under 40 bucks check out my video on my page. Works great got a little diff design for the camera mount that works for pocket cameras and small camcorders. And diff with the way i set up my wieghts but all works the same. PEACE OUT.

THANKS BEN. rock on

[lolish1234]

why do i have a feeling this is the real steadicam??^^

[poppacooter]

awesome snowboard footage and i dont even snow board, awesome

[mariafferrnanda]

denver?

[Ben1257sb]

@mariafferrnanda

yep

[AlecsRandomVideos]

0:10 boy aint gonna touch my ass. you too white.

[TacticalCrayons]

as far as the weights go, it doesn't matter what you use just so long as the weight is distributed evenly, while the overall weight changes the stability, so if you use 2 two pound weights compared to using 2 five pound weights, it will be lighter yet it will be less steady (supposing holding 10 pounds doesn't make your arm buckle). so if you use pegs make sure they came together or atleast the weight is the same.

[javieralza]

legit

[StirtonProductions]

wow

[ryandipinto]

what song is this

[sprattoo]

You got some great video with this simple stabilizer! I am guessing you shoot from the hand? or are you carrying / boarding with the rig over your shoulder?

[catascouts]

I never saw this design until now. Looks interesting though.

[xuavi]

Dude they removed your orther video. ?v=FhPga_OwITM

Why?

[StormHawkFilmsMexico]

i got a question for the base plate where do i get it

[dman5595]

where do you hold it from?

[hanz79wvu]

There's so many question left unanswered with this video. I want to make this but there's a ton of detail missing.

Here what I would like to know:

What did you use as a base plate and how did you attach it?

What size and weight pegs did you use and how did you attach them?

Do the weight of the pegs depend on the size of the camera?

How did you attach the camera to the base plate?

What does the real steadycam look like?

[Ben1257sb]

@hanz79wvu

there's an annotation in the video you should click on. thats will help you out

[ChuicyProductions]

song? :)

[X15Studios]

Is the kid in the video named andy?

[easycheezy85]

sweet video man! Was Blender 3d hard to learn?

[HeyItsSteve93]

Going to Lowe's right now.

Can't wait to finish this!

[gizmoguyar]

Hey, what slope where you guys snowboarding on? It looks like a good one, I'll have to check it out.

[bmxbum111]

@gizmoguyar thats copper mountain in Colorado

[Weaponfreak]

the video isn't working

[2020ErA]

banana? and nice nose press.

[52size]

hi, that video on annotation was deleted

[Ben1257sb]

@52size

no it works

[52size]

@Ben1257sb it says that video was deleted. i can't watch it

[HauntKettle]

Loving the Skate Banana BTX! :)

[Ben1257sb]

@HauntKettle

bananas ftw!

[JuggahFilms]

Where would one go about finding a base plate?

[MECZAFilms]

woow man the test footage looks great..but could you upload a vid showing how to use it best??thanks

[Ben1257sb]

@MECZAFilms

click on the annotation in my video

[youwiko]

very good

see also:

Youtupe or Google Video

B5FMTjcF2Ng

or

KOSyOxP0FE4

or

oAYRvOst7LQ

or

T97353qAd5U

[jairdl]

is this copper mtn? :D

[somedudehuh1]

heheh i read the discription and i thought it was actually designed by cottton candy hehe

[Ben1257sb]

you betcha!

[somedudehuh1]

cool but the music was suicidal

[mateusz767300]

haha the begining XD