Best Steadycam for under $50

F

ffonsok

Active member
No, I don't want to make my own
I just want the best for the cheapest!

I mostly film action footage- downhill mountain bike.

Can you direct me to the right link?

Thanks
 
No chance. A Steadicam (or similar) stabilization system will cost you much more than this.

$50 is barly enough to get a bracket to hold your camera safly - especially if you are biking with it.

What sort of shots are you looking to get?

- Mikko
 
no, not something that mounts to my bike
just a suitible steady cam

I am mostly doing long wide panning shots
an example is me down in a ravine filming up as riders ride along the side of the ravine.
 
There's Stedicam as in the stuff that stabilize your shot as you move and then there are stabilizer like the Spiderbrace ($70) that merely takes the weight of the camera off your hand for long hand-held work. For $50 there's simply no option for Stedicam; add at least another zero to that amount.
 
For under $50 I would suggest a large bag of navy beans, better yet get two and duct tape them side to side. Use it as a pillow to wedge your camera into. That woud be the best and the cheapest option that fits your criteria. If you can spring for a little more, definitely consider getting a tripod.
 
I saw this a long time ago. I didn't get it though, so I can't comment on it.

$14 Steadycam

For someone on a tight budget it may be better than nothing. I stress the may, because if something happens to your cam it will have been better to have nothing.
 
Use your tripod. Extend the neck as long as possible, attach the camera, and find the center balance point. Grab that point and you have a "useable" steadicam. It's not the best, but it's better than nothing.
 
Actually, normally nothing is better than that $14 disaster.

And in this case, the $14 unit, nor the (simpler, cheaper) monopod/tripod trick won't work because it's a bike mounted shot.

ffonsok;
.. so you are looking for a simple cheap way to mount your camera to your bike's handlebars - that you can still pan & tilt with?
And to confirm, you have a DVX, right?

- Mikko
 
Oh, a bike mounted cam. Why not get a bike built for two and turn the back seat around 180 degrees so you can handhold as the other biker(s) ride twoards you. Not a particularly safe option, but if you are really adventurous (as the person driving the two man bike must also be) this could possibly work.
 
Ok, on another re-read of this thread. I think I understnad now. - The camera itself will NOT be bike mounted?

So you just want to get shots of bikers riding their bikes.


Why won't a tripod work?

- Mikko
 
Correct, it is NOT bike mounted
My tripod works just fine alot of the time, but sometimes I am filming on an uneven surface and it's hard to keep the tripod steady.
 
What tripod do you have?



And perhaps a Monopod would be the tool for the job? - It'll do much better than any stabilizer or handheld mount that you can get cheaply.

- Mikko
 
it won't let me edit my post... :(

My current tripod is some crappy 20 year old one that was cheap to begin with.
 
I picked up one of those a few months ago... They're well built but the mounting system isn't exactly "quick"... You have to take out the bolts that hold the mounting plate on, attach the cam and then bolt it back together... Since that's my only complaint, I give it the "ok"... I use it as an alternative to a tabletop tripod for ground level shooting by remote... (never tried it as a shoulder mount)



ffonsok said:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Shoulder-suppor...3QQihZ012QQcategoryZ23780QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

What about something like that? Is that any good?

I'm going to be dropping about $200+ into a tripod soon- I'm going to the local pro store to test out some.

I posted a website where you can watch some of the videos I filmed with the DVX here: http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=100797
Click to expand...
 
Maybe do a search on "FigRig" there are a couple of DIY solutions out there (maybe someone will sell you his...) and it produces steady shots ith pans...
And you will get a big biceps from using it hehehe;0)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top