DIY steadicam Merlin like

A virtual presentation/ interpretation of the design of this man:
http://www.yb2normal.com/DIYsteadicam3.html

I finaly made one myself. I hope to upload a test video soon. Hard part was to balans the whole thing before shooting.
Anny tips or commands....??

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• animation
• DIY
• Filmmaker
• steadicam
• steadycam

[LorenScott69]

What did you use to make (or where did you get) the gimbal? That is the part that is giving me grief now. Thanks!

[okkieworld]

@LorenScott69 Hoi Loren. I used a tripod for a camera

but read the comments from others. isegoria talks about a heim joint . what ever that maybe.

[isegoria1]

Neat animation. Number one problem with your design = Too complicated. Stop limiting yourself on the materials you know how to work with and you will make a breakthrough.

It seems to have function over form well enough, but really would you buy a car with the same function over form?

Here is a hint - ditch the mini tripod and use a heim joint. Much smoother and gives gimbal like movement.

[okkieworld]

thnx for the tips.

first of all. What kind of materials would you recommend?

Yeah function comes first for me, maybe with good materials I could enhance the form and hold on to the function.

I have tried to find a heim joint but not found one, so got any Ideas where?

[torawfordiz]

wat software did u use to make this vid

[okkieworld]

Hi there.

I made it in 3d studio max.

Complex but very nice program.

[secretvid]

The best advice I've seen on what material to use was from yb2normal who said "First understand the physics of why the stabilizer works, then use locally available materials to satisfy the physics". So, almost anything could work I guess.

[abejadeluz]

great

[thoughtgrenades]

Steadicam Plans, the real stuff. Check my vids for the plans

[mclmatty]

@LorenScott69 you can use one of these mini tripods, if you live in uk then you can get them in poundland, and they work quite well for a pound

[MushuhaYinsh]

No bad little documantation maybe the the piece of wood at the mid is a problem.

[isegoria1]

I have a road trip planned for tomorrow so I will get to shoot a little something and show case the unit.

We will see how well it plans out, I'll send you the vid when it is posted.

[isegoria1]

Sand does work but it must be compacted in the tube and both ends welded shut for it to work. At least that is the only way I have seen it done with sand.

We are all concentrating on making the body a tube when it could be a flat section of fiberglass of carbon fiber and have hinge points like the one in the video.

[secretvid]

I like your ice idea to prevent collapse during the bend.... do you think sand would also work? Or would it be too compressible or flow too easily.

[secretvid]

No worries. I like seeing what everyone comes up with in the homemade designs. Regarding good subject matter, I think for experiments like this the subject is the steadicam, and how well it works, so even a video of a tree near your house would be fine! :)