STUDIO RATING: SOLID
Well-designed and built to last but missing a few standard essentials.
Price: $9,995
SPECS
For Camera Weights: 10 - 25 lbs.
Features:
telescoping post
knob-access arm docking socket
L7-PRO LCD monitor
What's Cool
The low-friction Gimbal handle and the novel design of the arm docking socket, which is easy to use.
What's Missing
Batteries and C-Stand aren’t included; it was also a challenge to
buckle when cinched tighter to balance a lower-weight camera. www.glidecam.com
_____________________________
Sachtler Artemis DV Pro
STUDIO RATING: HOT
This updated version was my favorite of all three models tested. Price: $8,990
Specs
Camera Weight Range: 6 - 24 lbs.
Dual isolation arm
Gas canister movement (no springs)
Ergonomic back-mounted brace
What's Cool
This rig is easy to set up, has a comfortable vest and will work with a range of cameras.
What's Missing
The arm and vest are fairly heavy and the arm coupling is awkward to operate. www.artemis-hd.com
_____________________________
The Shaft
STUDIO RATING: HOT
Though not a body-mounted rig or stabilizer, this handy gizmo needs a person to stabilize the shot.
What's Missing
Your arms will get tired, so shot length will be curtailed. Try some
practice runs first, with rest between them, before trying a long shot
in one smooth take. www.earblaster.com
_____________________________
Stability in a Shaky World: Best Small Camera Stabilizers
Will Holloway
February 1, 2007 Source: Studio Monthly
Decades ago, the motion picture industry was rocked, or maybe I should
say un-rocked, by the brilliant invention of the "Steadicam" camera
stabilization rig. Garrett Brown’s gadget created endless possibilities
for shooters who wanted to reposition their cameras and tracking shots.
Some of these shots included running over uneven terrain with
smooth-as-glass movement.
Access to the last 90 days of content is always free. Paid subscribers can access older stories as part of their membership.
Holloway cruises along the beaches of Puget Sound
while running with the Flyer F-24SE. The Tiffen rig was the lightest of
the three tested.
Steadicam veterans Peter Abraham (above) and Kevin Braband (below), also an instructor, demonstrate proper posture and
hand control with the F-24SE at the 2006 NAB show in
Vegas.
The F-24SE arrived in an all-in-one, baggage
handler-proof shipping case that made transport and storage
easy.
Holloway runs in "Don Juan" mode while shooting
local Seattle pro skater Mike Longoria during a cold November 2006
skating event. The tough Glidecam V-25 worked well for the rigors of
action sports shooting.
The docking socket for the V-25 arm on the Glidecam
vest is a departure from conventional stabilizer design. Getting the
arm on and off is easy and it never binds up. The pitch adjustment is
done with a twist of the knobs, shown above. Be careful not to
accidentally loosen or over-tighten these,
however.
The industry proven design used for the V-25 arm
makes the system popular among veteran operators. Arm tension is easily
adjusted with a twist or two from the included Allen wrench. The large
Gimbal control handle is a plus on the Glidecam V-25, and the no-tools
adjustment for the post, along with its reference numbers, make the
post very user friendly.
Will Holloway uses the artemis DV Pro to shoot his
Aikido student K.C. Schultz, who is throwing a partner during practice
in Holloway’s studio. Note the wrap-around mounting bracket that can
also be seen coming from the back of the vest, and the nicely machined
metal of the spring arms.
The twist-collars that release the telescoping arm
on the artemis DV Pro are very clever and the machining of the metal is
top notch, just like on the arm. The camera mount contains electronics,
balancing screws and a handy spirit level on the
back.
The dual-isolation, spring arm on the artemis DV
Pro uses small gas cylinders instead of springs and cables like most
stabilizers. These can have a bit of a sticky feeling to them, but they
work well once you get used to them. On the plus side, they never creak
or click, like springs sometimes do. Sachtler has two other sets of gas
canisters that can quickly be swapped out to accommodate varying
weights of cameras on the sled.
The Shaft
Comments (8) for "Stability in a Shaky World: Best Small Camera Stabilizers"
1.
Can you please let me know where I can purchase the shaft?
I did a search on google and b&h photo and no luck.
Thank you
Posted by Marco Giordani on Sunday, February 11, 2007 @ 10:17 AM
2.
Yea, I did a search on google and couldn't find their website or anything. More info would be appreciated.
Posted by Kin Kwan on Monday, February 12, 2007 @ 03:18 PM
3.
The Web sites are hotlinked from the gray sidebar above to the left. The company that makes the Shaft can be found at www.earblaster.com
Posted by Matt Armstrong, Edit on Monday, February 12, 2007 @ 04:48 PM
4.
If you're wanting to purchase the Shaft, Roadrunner's phone number is 970-402-1344
Posted by Danny Dodge on Monday, February 12, 2007 @ 08:30 PM
5.
Nice article, the manufacturers links would have been a nice addition.
Posted by Gerald Robinson on Monday, February 12, 2007 @ 09:53 PM
6.
Yeah, if ya wanna sell a product, ya need to let people know how to order it. Just my 2cents.
Posted by Sir Reel Video on Friday, March 2, 2007 @ 06:31 PM
7.
Much thanks to Studio Monthly for writing up our product. A lot of people have been getting the Shaft, thanks to them :-) The Shaft web site is at: http://www.buytheshaft.com
Posted by Danny Dodge on Sunday, March 11, 2007 @ 01:53 PM
8.
For all those who got the Shaft, Roadrunner now has a Shaft Users Forum online at the following address. http://www.buytheshaft.com/forum
Posted by Danny Dodge on Monday, March 26, 2007 @ 07:43 AM
