The top 8 cheap shoulder stabilizers. Which one is best?

J

jordy2324

Well-known member
First off, I don't want to spend like $900 on a shoulder rig. I'd much rather buy some nice glass. As far as weight is concerned.....right now I mainly shoot a 17-55 f/2.8 with a shotgun. Although in the future I'll probably be getting some video lights and a monitor.

For those of us on a budget, what's the best shoulder stabilizer system?

Here's some cheaper options I've found so far. Please weigh in if you've had experience with these:

IndiRailsPro XV -- This is the most expensive of this bunch at $269. I like the fact that this doubles as a slider.

Gliders Shoulder Support System -- This is $125, but can be had for $99 on eBay. Looks pretty sturdy. Not sure how a HDSLR would stack up on this.

GLIDERS Shoulder mount/shoulder support for DSLR camera -- Could only find this on eBay for about $120. This LOOKS like a steal. It appears sturdy and you can mount video lights/external monitors to it.

DSLR Camera Shoulder Support Stabilizer Mount Brace -- Another I could only find on Ebay. Looks pretty basic. $129

Smooth Cam -- Looks pretty nice. I think the maker of this might be on this forum. Appears sturdy enough to hold a pretty big rig. $99.

CB-105 -- At $69, it's hard to beat the price. They also sell counter-weights. Not sure how this stacks up against the rest.

Video Innovators S-800 -- Sold on B&H. $80. Looks fairly flimsy. I could be wrong.

Easy Brace -- At $50, this is the cheapest on the list. It's just PVC pipes and padding, but it could do the trick.

I know there are better shoulder stabilizers out there. But again, this is just a list of sub-$300 models that a quick Google/eBay search brought up.

So please.... weigh in on these models for a 7D. If there are any others in this price range, please throw them in the ring.

Ready......... fight!
 
I've gotten other stuff from that vendor in India, it's all been surprisingly sturdy.

I personally use a Spiderbrace and love it. It's super lightweight, cheap, and I strapped one of those ankle weights to the area behind my shoulder and it works well as a counterweight.

http://www.spiderbrace.com/
 
Anything with a counterweight. That is if your camera is not of a shoulder mount configuration already. With cameras such as the HVX200 you need that counterweight that hangs over the back of your shoulder. Anything like the spiderbrace and others will just wear you out pretty quick and that will effect the steadiness of your shots. Used 'em, hate 'em.

I actually prefer the bare camera to anything without a counterwieght. Push the viewfinder eyecup against your face and you have a pretty sturdy base right there.
 
I use the Stedi-Stock for $25. It's made for hunters, hence the name. But does a decent job until I upgrade my rig.
 
I saw a nice hands free shoulder support on ebay,its roughly around $45.00
have'nt used it myself but heard good things about it.I believe its sold at Adorama as well.
 
I've been using a Cavision shoulder brace slipped on to the back of my 15mm rods.
Here it is at B&H: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/335973-REG/Cavision_RS15SP3.html

Cavision's designs are pretty bad. The adjustments can get loose if not checked regularly. There are two mounting points for the arm that attaches to the shoulder mount. One of them is not threaded, so the long screw can be pulled tight by the plastic wingnut. The lower mounting hole IS threaded and would not tighten properly until I drilled the threads out.

Likewise, the Cavision rod systems (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/335222-REG/Cavision_RS_15IIM_RS_15IIM_Rod_Support_System.html) have a horrible design flaw that renders them dangerous to your camera. The plate that the camera mounts to is held on by a SINGLE allen bolt. What's worse, a nearby hole for a tripod screw directly intersects the hole for this one allen screw. ARE THEY NUTS?!! It leaves a EIGHTH-INCH of functional threads keeping that one allen screw in place. When it breaks, (it WILL break) I hope you catch your camera before it hits the floor.

Anyway, there is a point to this rant! To fix the allen bolt issue, I put a wafer of lead into the big tripod screw hole so it's lying on the exposed threads of the all-important screw. Then I put a set screw from the hardware store into the tripod mount hole and tighten down so that it's pressing the soft lead against the screw threads. Much more solid now!

If anyone has this abhorrent piece of equipment (Cavision RS 15IIM), drop me a line and I will send pics of this quick fix which I HIGHLY recommend as a preventative measure.

Whew~! Still with me?
Ok, the payoff: A properly configured shoulder mount is AWESOME to have. For me, the magic triumvirate for most shoots is: tripod, shoulder mount, and occasional steadicam.

Final note: COUNTERBALANCE weigh is essential. Without it, you're still supporting the camera's weight with the same hands that need to MOVE around to operate the controls. (See the inherent conflict there?)
I put a chunky Bescor 12v battery on the back of my shoulder brace and now the rig is HEAVY but i have LESS back strain and my arms are way more relaxed when operating. I highly recommend batteries as counterbalance weight. I can now use all that extra power to run my on-camera light, an external LCD, or the camera itself. Sweet!

Whoa. I'm off on a tangent here. Hope that helps. Buy Cavision only if you're crafty enough to customize it...
 
Just a side comment on Jag35. I was one of the first adopters of thier products because they were inexpensive and well built. I find thier stuff now to be priced as high or even higher than the outrageously high priced competitors. VERY dissapointed.
 
Here is my addition to the shoulder support I listed:
shoulder 021.jpg

I really can't stress enough the great deal this support is...it is the best bang for buck of ANY camera equipment I have purchased so far. What isn't pictured is the strap that clips on to this and goes around your body for even more support. it's really increadible and it is a MUST HAVE!!!!
 
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