ProtoDojo Stedi-Cam for a Kodak ZI8 or FlipUltra HD.mov

I just want to say thank you to ProtoDojo.com I am relatively new to filmmaking however, I have found something that I have a great passion for and that is film. I use a Flip Ultra HD and mostly a Kodak ZI8 cameras. They both have been lens hacked and I find that using the most simplistic camera in the early stages of my filming is so important to get the basics down. There is so much I can do in editing, just using IMovie 09 it amazes me. At first glance I thought IMovie 09 had little to offer, but you soon learn it's a powerful little editing tool. I just got after effects, a green screen set up, and soon will learn Final Cut. Back to the project. A couple of tips when building ProtoDojo's rig. Order the bearing and ball joint off the link on his site http://www.protodojo.com/content/2009/01/mini-camera-stabilizer-flip-float/ My bearing fit nicely into the first flashlight i bought from homedepot. Hint #1 When you order the bearings off the website, they are so cheap order a few sizes so your not out on the hunt for the perfect flashlight. I ended up putting a little bead of super glue carefully around the outside of my bearing so it would not ever come out of the flashlight. You can't look it in to the flashlight using certain methods or the bearing won't spin so if you find a flashlight that is really close to perfect and you add the super glue your money. Most importantly, I wasn't even able to balance it in this first day I built it, but I may not really care. It creates the most amazing rig to mount your mic to and gives you such fluid shots and control when using two hands I can't begin to tell you. Amazing pans, motion, control, everything. I guess that is why I am so excited it is going to change my filming. I also bought a couple of sticks of aluminum bent them and created two rigs one to shoot real low to the ground and high up which took 5 min each to make and take cool shots.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• kodak zi8
• flip ultra HD
• Kodak ZI8 stedi cam
• Kodak zi8 steady cam
• Diy stedicam
• diy kodak zi8 steady cam
• diy flip ultra hd stedi cam
• stedi cam
• homeade stedicam
• home made steady cam

[amphish1]

haha hesellsmystuff you made me laugh best comment to date

[hesellsmystuff]

you sir are a moron

[amphish1]

@hesellsmystuff hahaha looking back on this video today I am not only a moron but a complete idiot for thinking this rig was anything. Furthermore a dork I guess this shows just how enthusiastic I was at the time about my little $100 camera and its crappy bent metal rig. Hhahahah Enjoy!

[scarfacevalverdeecua]

how do you make a adaptive lenses please!!!

[amphish1]

@scarfacevalverdeecua Search on youtube for flip ultra lens hack and it will show you how to do it. You can go to bestbuy and they sell sunpak lenses there for like 25 each and they come with the adaptive ring that you super glue onto the camera it works great!

[amphish1]

The key to balancing any rig is take whatever your using wether it is a sinlge pole, or whatever and find it balancing point. Do so by turning the pole horizontally and see at what point on the pole you can balance it with a single finger. That is where you want to hol it from when it is vertical and attach your steady cam setup to. After that it is a lot easier to weight. YOu can even use a reg tri pod find its balancing point and hold it from there and you will get steadier shots.

[Master59682]

TROL YOUR SHOTGUN MIC IS FACING THE GROUND :D YOU MUST HEAR A LOT OF SOUD COMING FROM ANTS

[BerxVideo]

THUMPS UP IF U NEED A PRO CAMERA BUT DON'T HAVE THE F***NG MONEY TO BUY IT!!!

[jaysjob]

Hey don't let the neg. comment get you down. I think for proof of concept this is great. I like the rode mic idea (which I got from you) and I am going to incorporate it into my design. I want to make it so I can balance with or without the mic so I'm still in the planning stage. Thanks for posting!

[pgFrancisco]

your awesome

[kdubau]

The music is too loud, But thanks for the info.