dslr stabilizer

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cinevate (1 of 4)

Cinevate has been one of those companies constantly surprising everyone with new innovation around DSLR accessories. Their line of Linear Rails a.k.a. 'Camera Sliders', 'Pegasus Carbon table Dolly', and 'Cyclops View Finder', are just a few of those examples.

cinevate (4 of 4)

Building a DSLR rig traditionally starts with a foundation of rods, but the guys over at Cinevate.com are working on something a bit different. Opening up to the more budget conscious audience, a new concept is based around a specially designed "base plate(slash)quick release(slash)cheese plate". Stabilizer handles, articulating arms, positionable clamps, and more will directly attach to this 'basequickcheese' plate using threaded mounts acting as a foundation for a custom fit rig.

cinevate (3 of 4)

Not sure what it's all going to be labeled as, but for further expansion the base plate combines with rails to support items like a follow focus system or matte box. Threaded rotating ball clamps and multi-length clamp rods can be mixed and matched for different purposes.

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Lots of new stuff in the pipeline and more will be posted about these things soon. Not sure if any of this is available, or if these ideas will make it out to the storefront, but you might be able to grab some info over at Cinevate.com.

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Please ask all questions to the seller should you consider this auction. I do not have any more information other than what's listed in the details of the auction. Posted today on eBay - a complete Genus Camera Shoulder Rig with handles, shoulder pad, counter weight, LCD View Finder, and Follow Focus system. Everything you need for a solid shoulder rig and then some. It's all Genus products so it's worth a bit more change than cheaper gear, but might be something to consider for those of you who are familiar with Genus. I looked over all the products and added things up, and the complete kit on eBay has been listed today for about 50% off total retail price.

Here's the direct links to the B&H Photo Video catalog to the products combined together in this single auction (I believe these are the ‘exact’ same products, please contact the seller for any questions).
Genus Camera Shoulder Mount System
Genus GENUS LOUPE LCD VIEWFINDER
Genus Superior Follow Focus System for DSLR Cameras

Auction found here:

genus-dslr-kitgenus-superior-follow-focusgenus-view-finder
find-price-button Genus DSLR Rig, Counter weights, Handles, Shoulder Pad, View Finder, with Follow Focus

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The $24.00 dollar shoulder support with Rod mounts are getting a few questions as well as the recent Quick Release adapter posted on this blog. Here's a look at how i'm using these recently purchased items with my gear.

First a quick look at the cheap Quick Release adapter. It's not a standard QR adapter with a 1/4x20 thread already tapped in. Instead I run a beveled screw through the top of the adapter and place a bolt underneath. To keep the quick release adapter from shifting around I also used thin double sided tape between the adapter and the stage of the flycam nano. To prevent the nut from coming loose, I also have a washer + lock washer.

Flycam QR (1)Flycam QR (2)
Flycam QR (3)Flycam QR (4)

Second common question i've been getting is how to mount rods to the cheap $24 dollar shoulder support. To get the basic foundation setup, you'll need an adapter plate. This type of plate is commonly used under a rod rig so that it can be placed on top of a Tripod of Fluid head. When purchasing a basic set of rods or any rig, find out if one will be provided. If not you can buy one separately here: https://express35.com/tripod-mount/1054/

Gini-Rods (2)Gini-Rods (4)

After mounting the adapter plate to the shoulder support, I can then position any set of handles, build up an offset stage, have support for a follow focus, matte box, etc. You can also find a basic set of rails with DSLR base plate, and Tripod plate here: https://express35.com/rail-system/295/

Gini-Rods (5)Gini-Rods (1)
Gini Rig on $24 Shoulder Support w/ Varavon ViewFinder

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opteka-shoulder-video-stabilizer

I've seen a few cheap DSLR related items spin off into some success. Here's another new stabilizer on the market that I think is going to have a good future. It's coming in at $99 bucks available on Amazon and $99 on eBay with Free Shipping. Although the price is going to help make it popular, it helps to be designed fairly similar to another rig that goes for more than $250 dollars. Designed with aluminum and stainless steel, it can adjust your camera forward/back, left/right for an offset, up/down, and also can be modified for left or right shoulder shooting. A good 1" thick foam shoulder pad with metal shoulder support, i'm thinking it would be a great platform for drilling in accessory mounts. The handle can also be removed for going uber-simple.

single-handle

The description claims a 'hands free' solution, but i'm curious if it really has that ability. If it does, then it's going to give the cheap plastic $24.00 dollar shoulder support a good run for the money. I should have my hands on one soon to be used with my new Sony A55. Looks like it will be an excellent light weight camera stabilizer for other cameras like the Panasonic GH1/GH2, Canon T2i, or Nikon D3100, but it does claim to be able to support up to 20lbs of weight.

opteka-shoulder-stabilizer
find-price-button $99 Video Shoulder Stabilizer Support

Also available via eBay + Free Shipping

find-price-button $99 dollar shoulder support video stabilizer

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express35-shoulder-rig-lite
visit-button Express35.com DSLR Shoulder Rigs, Follow Focus, and other Accessories

For anyone who's ever asked me about a good inexpensive starter DSLR rig taken right off the shelf and ready-to-go, I would have to say my first response was 'Express35.com'. Today news dropped in about Express35's new DSLR Shoulder Rig Lite. Ideal for small camera setups like the Canon T2i, Panasonic GH1, GH2 + follow focus. It's a simple combination of important features with high quality parts that make this an excellent rig for light weight camera work. Of course this is also a good starter foundation for later upgrading and adding additional parts - should your gear list grow. Earlier Lite Rig versions from Express35 did not include the more expensive HD Handles (which i'm a big fan of) but is now available in this setup. Check it out here: https://express35.com/category/rigs/.

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Above is the only example I know of showcasing a Hollywood Lite Camera Stabilizer. When I first mentioned the stabilizer on this blog, the auction sold lighting fast from this article: http://cheesycam.com/hollywood-lite-video-camera-stabilizer/. This is a discontinued type of stabilizer that is designed to support cameras up to 4 lbs. I can't imagine it was very useful in the old days of heavy cameras, but with all the new lightweight Canon T2i's, Sony Alphas, and Panasonic GH2's coming around, it's seems to be relevant once again. Now i'm not saying it will fly a 7D, but for those GoPro Video makers, or iPhone Video junkies this might be an inexpensive solution. Cody left a comment and wanted to share that another thought to be extinct Hollywood Lite stabilizer shows up online again. On auction now and up for another day.

hollywood-lite-vs1
find-price-button Hollywood Lite VS1 Video Camera Stabilizer

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Big thanks to Mark H. for taking time out to make this video. Here Mark is showing us his DIY arm brace for his Flycam Nano stabilizer. The Flycam Nano is proving to be a very popular small stabilizer, but one thing to note is that even the handle comes in small. If you're not practicing some type of Shaolin Tiger Claw Death Grip (like myself), you might want to look into swapping the handle out with something a bit larger, or better yet work with an arm brace. If you don't know, the handle to the Flycam Nano is hollow and resembles the Glidecam stabilizers. With it's hollow designed handle, it can accept the same arm brace that is used with the Glidecam stabilizers. Of course that original brace (if you're lucky to find one) retails for about $150 dollars.

Mark takes a simple medical use wrist brace found in any local pharmacy and adds a custom DIY bracket to transfer most of the weight away from the wrist, allowing you to fly a bit longer, and possibly a bit steadier. For those with Steadicam Merlin's or Steadicam Jr's this idea will also work for transferring that weight over from your wrist. Mark also makes a good point to talk about how handy an arm brace is to have when you can't travel with a vest. As an owner of a vest myself, I can attest that it's a huge pain to travel with. It's also not very quick to get in an out of and is sometimes a bit dangerous when you're surrounded by fast moving kids. This would be the ideal situation in which you could take advantage of a solid arm brace.

[Thanks Mark]

For something like this, you'll probably want to go with the wrist braces that have a 'splint' like Mark's to attach a bracket.
wrist-brace-splint
Wrist Brace with Splint


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After my recent posts on the Flycam Nano, there's been quite a lot of interest in budget stabilizers. Of course they aren't built as well as the Glidecam stabilizers, nor can they carry the amount of weight. If you've got a big camera, the Glidecam HD stabilizers are well worth the bucks. For those who are on a budget and want something larger than the Flycam Nano, you can always find some good deals on some used Glidecam Pro systems. There is usually 2000's and even 4000 Pro models available and sure does beat paying full price.


glidecam-ebay
find-price-button eBay Auctions on Glidecam Stabilizers

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You think you've got it tough when balancing your Glidecam at home? Well, you might be thinking differently after seeing this next video. Having just received the Glidecam HD1000 without testing things out, Adam was out in Africa and needed a bit more help getting things fine tuned. Talk about DIY and ingenuity, these guys took their time to make something look OEM, instead of just duct taping some random weights. Very cool video from Vimeo member Adam, thanks for sharing.