31Dec $15 Dollar DIY Steadicam
Vimeo member Jorge shares his $15 dollar DIY steadicam build along with some test footage. Shot on a Canon T2i, with a Bower 14mm Ultra Wide Lens
Like 
Subscribe 
Follow
28 Comments
Leave a Comment
>> Continue Reading More Articles <<
December 31st, 2011 at 10:35 pm
I’m dying to see more footage of this with a faster run/sprint.
This. Is. A. Mazing.
Please post a video of a step by step.
January 1st, 2012 at 1:20 am
Nothing really amazing here. You can practically handhold a 14mm lens and really get no shake at all. I want to see him do this with an 85mm lens, then I will see if it really stabilizes or not.
January 1st, 2012 at 7:30 am
Very impressive results for a DIY. Good job.
January 1st, 2012 at 9:29 am
Pretty impressive for such a low price. Congrats, Jorge !
January 1st, 2012 at 11:05 am
For the price I’ll try making one, I just can’t justify the price of a real steadicam for how much I would use it at the moment.
January 1st, 2012 at 11:08 am
Forgot to ask though, 14mm lens, is it really worth it. For a few hundred more I could get the TOkina 11-16mm f2.8 lens which I feel like would be a better investment.
January 1st, 2012 at 1:28 pm
@austin isn’t the 14mm also a f2.8? I think it’d be worth it.
IDK though.
January 1st, 2012 at 5:25 pm
@getem really? i’d like to see you walk stairs like this guy without any help, imo the results are pretty much like the merlin, impressive!
January 1st, 2012 at 6:25 pm
Really impressive, thank you Jorge!
I’d love to see how the handle was put together in more detail.
January 1st, 2012 at 7:18 pm
I’ve seen many diy stedicams…but this one is close enough that I’d pull it out on a gig. Paint it flat black and its good to go. Also loved the opening music track. big thanks to Jorge for this and looking forward to the step-by-step. @getem- quit hatin’…its a $15 project that performs admirably.
January 1st, 2012 at 7:25 pm
I want to know how are the counter weights mounted…would this work for a 7d, the lightest lens I have is a 17-40…
January 1st, 2012 at 8:40 pm
@getem
I think you are exaggerating dude. I would love to see how you do it
January 2nd, 2012 at 2:45 am
Great to see the DIY spirit still alive and kicking on this site.
January 2nd, 2012 at 7:35 am
Also does it matter what skateboard bearing I buy?
January 2nd, 2012 at 1:51 pm
@Austin – I’d just wait for the instructional video to be made public. I know..we’re all anxious to build one….well, everyone except getem. =)
January 2nd, 2012 at 8:31 pm
Nice DIY! I like how much room there is between the handle and the weights. My flycam nano has something like 1″ clearance, and I always bump my hand while filming.
Also, how are you fine-tuning the balance at the camera? (For example, fine-tune left/right/front/back.)
January 2nd, 2012 at 9:00 pm
From my town! The Bower 14mm is the same glass as the Samyang, and others. Downer is the inability to mount an ND, which would really come in handy since the main use of a lens like this is for steadicam work, which a lot is performed outdoors. For wedding work, there’s a lot of indoor shots, so it could suffice, but it seems like the Tokina 11-16mm, as someone mentioned, would me a little more versatile with the filter threads.
January 3rd, 2012 at 3:44 am
@getem
You have some pretty “facepalm” moments here at cheesycam.
January 3rd, 2012 at 9:23 am
I think the key to success with anything like this is getting a macro rail head. The issue with these things is properly balancing the camera. The likelihood you will mount the camera perfectly balanced is unlikely. That would add to the cost but make it practical.
January 3rd, 2012 at 9:32 pm
This is a cool DIY project, but getem is right, with a lens that wide it’s hard to make the shot appear shaky. I’m also curious how this rig would perform with a longer lens… cool project, though!
January 5th, 2012 at 1:05 am
@Max W.
Not true. Try it. Especially walking or going up stairs.
January 8th, 2012 at 12:08 am
Thanks for all you guys that like my diy steadicam. Getem is a skeptic and who cares.
This thing is inexpensive and it works. BTW, I mounted the Tamron 17-50mm 2.8f and all I had to do is add a bit more weight at the bottom…and still pretty impressive.
I made a generic tutorial so check it out and hope it helps you guys. Thanks!
January 22nd, 2012 at 6:45 pm
awesome job! could we get a step by step tutorial of how this was put together?
February 14th, 2012 at 3:21 pm
How is this a $15 steadicam if you have to purchase a $50 manfrotto quick release plate? Can you use another mounting plate? How is the plate attached to the tubing?
February 14th, 2012 at 8:04 pm
@Peggy – A quick release is just for convenience, it’s not required, and yes you can use other ones as well.
February 16th, 2012 at 5:17 am
NOT $15 Dollars like he said it was. Its over $15 just for the hard wear parts at home depot. For the Traxxas 1561 and also the quick release plate those together is another 40+ dollars. Still a great idea and I might still complete the build but dollar amount is incorrect and it is ridiculously hard to find all the parts with the labels he has.
The bent piping is in electrical and its called EMT elbow 3/4” 90Degree
The bag is EMT setscrew coupling 3/4” steel package of 5
Took me nearly 2 hours with the home depot guys (had three of them) trying to help me find all the stuff…
May 19th, 2012 at 9:35 am
casey: lucky you to be able to find those stuff, i have been searching the city upside down for more than 3 days already and i can’t seem to find the Pipe, Setscrew and traxxas.
September 10th, 2012 at 10:50 am
Casey, he does mention that the Manfrotto does raise his cost to $60. I found the Traxxas 1561 for $7