GH3 Best Hand Held Small Camera Stabilizer

I just purchased a very lightly used (736 shutter actuations) Olympus OMD E-M5 body with it's 5 axis Image Stabilization for this purpose. Mainly for use only when I have to have the camera handheld or in motion. Initial tests are very encouraging, don't know if being 75 I'd be able to master the "duckwalk" to keep steps from causing "movement" but it is amazing at handling "handheld jitters".

No balancing "act" needed and it uses the same lenses the GH3 takes.
 
I based my decision on the videos I watched using the Blackbird. My second choice would have been the Glidecam 4000 HD.
What are some reasons why you might choose the Blackbird over a Steadicam Merlin[SUP]®[/SUP] or Glidecam HD 1000/2000/4000[SUP]®[/SUP]?
  1. Blackbird has higher ratios of moment of inertia to weight in any axis.
  2. Blackbird has the best engineered camera stage for easy horizontal plane adjustment.
  3. Blackbird has SmoothTouch friction adjustment in the roll and tilt axes to reduce roll and tilt pendulum motion.
  4. Blackbird on-axis handle design does not produce the wrist torque fatigue associated with the off- axis handle design of the Glidecam® models. Note: Off- axis handle designs do not reduce vertical bobbing.
  5. Blackbird stability with small cameras (0.5 to 1.5 lbs) is much better than the Merlin® while only adding about 0.5 lb to the total rig weight. For cameras weighing more than 4 lb the Blackbird weighs about the same as the Merlin® but has significantly larger moments of inertia in all three axes.
 
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I got the Blackbird and tried to balance a Sony NEX7 it was a pain in the butt. I returned it. I tried to other stabilizers. I'm waiting for the 3 Axis motorized stabilizers to come down in price.
 
Blackbird is the one.

But these things might make a difference..
Merlin - packs smaller.
Glidecam - more robust - can use as a monopod or suchlike

The linked cheesycam one obviously does not spread the mass in a manner to create any useful rotational inertia.

S
 
7DDude said:
I got the Blackbird and tried to balance a Sony NEX7 it was a pain in the butt. I returned it. I tried to other stabilizers. I'm waiting for the 3 Axis motorized stabilizers to come down in price.
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If you can't balance a blackbird you are lazy and not putting in the time to learn your craft; typical of dudes who own 7d s.

A 3 axis brushless gimbal is far harder to balance than a blackbird as is needs balancing in X,Y and Z axes, not just Y and Z

S
 
morgan_moore said:
If you can't balance a blackbird you are lazy and not putting in the time to learn your craft; typical of dudes who own 7d s.

A 3 axis brushless gimbal is far harder to balance than a blackbird as is needs balancing in X,Y and Z axes, not just Y and Z

S
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Listen UK Boy! Theirs no reason to get personal here! NONE! Don't own a 7d any more and that's an immature statement to make. I understand that a 3 axis stabilizer MAY be Harder to balance, but that is changing as I speak, the technology on these devices is only going to get better and cheaper, and way easier to operate, compared to using the mechanical stabilizers. Don't want to learn the duck walk, don't want to retrain myself to use a mechanical stabilizer every time I use it. Would like to have a one hand operation also. What you call lazy, and learning your craft is being replaced by a number of very well known factors, that are used to qualify products that will sell in a particular market place, (Simplicity, Ease of use, and Quality.) There is nothing wrong with that! Why do you think these new 3 Axis Stabilizers are the rage in the video tools market right now? It's because there are Many, Many people who do not like the mechanical stabilizers, and see the many benefits of these newer ones coming to market. And as far as set up goes, You will see that soon there will be multiple camera and lens profiles that will be stored in memory for quick balancing. Not as of yet but It will be here sooner than you think.
 
pulling your leg :)

Seriously the blackbird is easy to balance due to the inverted T design, unlike the merlin which you need to be a wizard to set up with the baffling array of mass distribution and adjustment.

im not aware of a 3axis with a nice stage yet, let alone electrified and programmable - indeed interesting and possible.

But a steadicam op will be the person who can trouble shoot it.

As for walking like a duck, well a 3axis doesnt offer and up/down stabilisation so to keep your footsteps from showing in your shot and maintain good headroom you are doing to need to.. walk like a duck, all while your second op commands the direction of a camera I assume you have someone who is psychic enough to know exactly where you want to point the camera.

Yep 3axis is super interesting but most uses of them at the moment could be better done with a mechanical stabiliser.. at a fraction of the cost if you are charging for that second op.

S
 
If you want your Blackbird stabilizer to be easy to balance buy the kit, it has with it a universal docking bracket and table clamp to support it while your balancing it. Also I use a Manfrotto 577 Rapid connection adapter and Manfrotto 323 RC2 quick release adapter combined on the Blackbird so that I can take the camera off and put it back on without re-balancing.

The camera I'm using mine with right now is a Panasonic GH3 and with the quick release set up changing batteries is never a problem, I'll probably also use it with a BMCC or BMPCC down the road.

Using a mic on the camera should not be a problem but keep in mind the more weight you put on the stabilizer the harder it will be to use it for extended periods of time.
 
Thanks and I have a GH3 which I'd put on the Blackbird.
Vardalos said:
If you want your Blackbird stabilizer to be easy to balance buy the kit, it has with it a universal docking bracket and table clamp to support it while your balancing it. Also I use a Manfrotto 577 Rapid connection adapter and Manfrotto 323 RC2 quick release adapter combined on the Blackbird so that I can take the camera off and put it back on without re-balancing.

The camera I'm using mine with right now is a Panasonic GH3 and with the quick release set up changing batteries is never a problem, I'll probably also use it with a BMCC or BMPCC down the road.

Using a mic on the camera should not be a problem but keep in mind the more weight you put on the stabilizer the harder it will be to use it for extended periods of time.
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Watch Devin's Videos, you'll see he is using a Glidecam Stabilizer. I think you should weigh your camera set-up, then based in the weight of your camera decide which system would work best. I picked the Blackbird because it would work well with my camera set-up and others that I might use.
 
Based on this thread, I bought the Blackbird. It arrived on Saturday. I will give it a shot this month since it is my slower period.
I'm wondering what the best lens would be to use with the GH3? I know wider is better, but how wide? I assume a lens with image stabilization and auto focus is the best. I also plan to use this a bit indoors, so I'll looking for a decent f-stop. I have the 7-14, but it only gets to f/4.
I'm wonder if the 12-35mm would be the second best option or just stick with a prime like the 17mm Olympus I have.
 
For interiors your Panasonic 7-14mm would be perfect except for the fact it's an f4 and may be too slow. I'm planing on using my Blackbird for Steady Cam Real-Estate walk throughs. I think this combination may work for me.

A Metabones Nikon G to Micro Four Thirds Speed Booster combined with a Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 Lens.The Metabones will make that lens quite a bit wider and faster. If anyone has used this combination their comments will be appreciated.
 
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