Stabilizer: Fabricate, Purchase or take up knitting?

andy mace

andy mace

Well-known member
So here's my delima. I can fabricate. I have tools to make almost anything I want, I can weld, have access to a mill, etc. but I need to have a stabilizer in my hands in a week or less. I only have $1500 to spend so my choices are limited. My camera with accessories weighs close to 9 lbs and I'm thinking I want something that combines the Varizoom DV Sportster and a glidecam 4000. At my price point will it make sense to purchase something off the shelf or spend $100 and chance to make something that is similar? I've never build this type of equipment so I'm a little hesitant to do something that may be a waste of time and money. The biggest bother is the gimbal and the belt (though I have ideas).

Oh yeah, add to this that I'm a newb and never have used a stedicam or the like. I just need some Thorazine for my jiggly arm. :D
 
I'm guessing most people could work less hours to make enough money to buy a stabilizer than it would take hours to design and build one from scratch.

I found a Hollywood Lite unit on eBay for pretty cheap that I put heavier springs in. I suppose you could buy a cheap basic stabilizer and maybe enhance it a bit.

Just a hunch...

.
 
Can you rent one? Do you need it for a day or two?

I am a machinist as well, and if you wanted to build something really slick and you had all the materials, it would be a very long week... i wouldn't recommend it, especially since you have never used one. If you were gonna make a handheld temporary version I'd say go for it.

i rented the Glidecam V8 system once ( first time ever using a stabilizer) and it takes a lot of practice to get good shots. I didn't come away with anything too useable the first day... but I saw how a decent stabilizer was made, and if so inclined, could've copied the design and built my own, but I ended up getting the smooth shooter instead.

If you only need it for a few shots, just build the handheld type, (no vest or arm) cause you'll probably get about the same quality of shot anyway.
 
I'm going to have to learn to use it so I don't think rental is a good way out for this job. Building one is probably not good either. I've found the HIB web site so I'm going to spend a little time looking at that. I'll probably go with the varizoom dv if nothing else.
 
Rent one, get used to it and then build your own. If you have a mill/lathe and all it´s not rocket science.

Frank
 
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