Zero-cost Steadicam!

Build a crude and simple 'steadicam' with no equipment at all. You just need the concept: a camera with a counterweight. Then simply grasp it at the balance point. (No, it's not QUITE as good as an expensive professional version. Heh.)

Also: turn the tripod's pan handle sideways and grab it for more horizontal stability.

This vid is a reply to "$14 steady cam" at http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~johnny/steadycam/
See all my "stupid steadicam tricks" videos at http://amasci.com/amateur/videos.html

Note: Trolls & spammers blocked immediately. Zero tolerance.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• camera
• tricks
• video
• cameraman
• steadicam
• steadycam
• steady
• cam
• amasci

[hydrote]

Don't you just love youtube captions?

Real words: "they say it's not gyroscopes..."

Youtube Captions: "they say it's not terrorist groups..."

Hmm....

[wbeaty]

@hydrote I thought state champ was sexually based on gyroscopes!

I think a lot of people make that mistake...

[CTFxC]

this is SO helpful! thanks!

-charlestrippy

[wbeaty]

@CTFxC yeah, I bought an mpeg cam for shipboard trip, and realized I could BE MY OWN CAMERA CREW. A trick useful to all weirdo loners making odd youtube vids.

Check out the video responses, one guy put his camera on a fishing pole, aimed back towards him. Hold it so nobody sees the pole. A flying eye follows him as he walks under streetlights.

Also: hold tripod upside down with camera 2" off the ground. High speed cockroach ground cam for Army of Darkness.

[asderso]

i tried it exactly the way you told me, still the tilting and moving continues, no smoothness like you do, please help !

[wbeaty]

@asderso go see this one: New Zero Cost Steady-cam theory

It's just a tool that lets you hold it steady yourself. You have to practice to hold it steady. (It still swings side to side though.) My idea just makes it easier to learn when you compare it to handheld cam.

And the $14 DIY steadicam project works much better than mine. And a real steadicam works much better than the $14 one.

[erichhaubrich]

@hydrote 2:46 "of racism in the end he recruits" - Scene shows cute little kid. Funny stuff.

[theEEvans004]

The thing about the steady cam is that it has ball bearings located at the handle that take away any of the shakiness from walking or moving. If you want a true smooth shot you need to ball bearings plus the counter weight to keep it from tilting. It takes your limbs completely out of the equation.

[rawnhansen]

Works, but only when walking.

[babbleintooblivion]

If you attach any camera to something with a steady floor-centered base and wheels, you can get perfect steadicam i.e a shopping trolley/cart

[mygoodstuffreviewed]

That's a pretty good idea. I'm going to try that out, but it seems to me that it you have a very heavy camera on the top you could weight the tripod legs somehow to give even better steadiness.

[marianneoberle]

You are a brilliant man.

[SonyVegasVids]

Thanks man finally i can film smooth video

[xcode394]

@wbeaty hey man i like your video. but just curious, what if my camcorder already has a steady-shot capability built in, would i still need a steadycam?

[musickbastard]

great tip man, i was saving money for a steadicam but i HAVE TO TRY this soon... thanks