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Home made Steadicams for skiing?

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GreenHorn
Posts: 4896 - Karma: 1,209
Hey guys
I never really check the media and arts forums, so it might have been discussed before. I'm really just wondering if anybody makes homemade steadicams and uses them for skiing. I've searched and couldnt find anything. I dont want to drop hundreds of dollars for a professional steadicam, just need something to get the job done.

How many of you use a steadicam while skiing? Does it work well?

Does anybody use one of these? http://steadycam.org/
Or tried to make one?



Any help would really be appreciated.
Thanks in advance
May 4 2010 11:17PM
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Brock.
Posts: 5698 - Karma: 1,332
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LOL



but yeah, iv tried and its not that hard. the most important thing is getting the counter weight right, thats pretty key.
May 4 2010 11:21PM
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connoroh
Posts: 2333 - Karma: 246
If you're actually poor, use your tripod. If its not heavy enough, throw some weight of any kind on the bottom.

You just need to hold it at it's balance point.
May 4 2010 11:21PM
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GreenHorn
Posts: 4896 - Karma: 1,209
I dont want to use a tripod for it. Im not actually poor, just dont want to spend that kind of money on one
May 4 2010 11:23PM
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GreenHorn
Posts: 4896 - Karma: 1,209
^ seen it. thanks anyways
May 4 2010 11:39PM
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SethLangbauer
Posts: 1119 - Karma: 74
threads
May 5 2010 12:31AM
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mBall
Posts: 1690 - Karma: 2,827
threads
May 5 2010 12:53AM
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1337
Posts: 31053 - Karma: 29,224
i have a link to something i found on ebay, dont want to post it but if anyone is interested i guess send me a pm
May 5 2010 3:55AM
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eheath
Posts: 61588 - Karma: 122,917
spring for a glide cam, so worth it
May 5 2010 4:53AM
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AndrewNZ
Posts: 477 - Karma: 13
Yeah i was wondering something similar but more, when you use follow cams, for the best results do you need some sort of contraption, i saw some home made ones but was wondering could you just hold the camera?
May 5 2010 5:35AM
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1337
Posts: 31053 - Karma: 29,224
steady/glide/etc stabilizers provide vibration reduction between the users hands and the camera. Plus its weighted to balance the camera so its easier to smoothly move it while you are moving.
May 5 2010 5:47AM
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Coalescent
Posts: 4871 - Karma: 2,063

agree..the only thing that sucks is the t2i is so light that with the glidecam 1000 pro I dont use any weights on the bottom lol.  i may end up adding some to the top so I can add some to the bottom but it seems to work pretty well

May 5 2010 8:12AM
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GreenHorn
Posts: 4896 - Karma: 1,209
which one do you use?
May 5 2010 11:09AM
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CS_Films
Posts: 468 - Karma: 466
I believe he uses the Glidecam 4000 HD. The Glidecam you want all depends on how much your camera weighs. What camera are you trying to fly?
May 5 2010 11:32AM
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CS_Films
Posts: 468 - Karma: 466
Here is a video we shot with ours. it was my first day really flying the rig skiing and it defiantly takes getting used to. But if you are ripping around the park and want to get some good moving shots you really cant beat getting a glidecam. I am a pretty good fabricator i mad my own Jib Crane, Dolly, and Cable cam. But after researching making a steady-cam its truly not worth the effort in my opinion.

Update 1 Big Boulder, PA from Craig Stay on Vimeo.

Took a trip down to Big Boulder in PA with the boys for the Free Flow Tour and to film in there park.


May 5 2010 11:40AM
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GreenHorn
Posts: 4896 - Karma: 1,209
I would be filming with my HV30
May 5 2010 11:47AM
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[~_~]
Posts: 20239 - Karma: 1,273
Some of those designs are whack. I've built steadicams and used professional ones. Heres my take:

Mounting your camera on a pole with a weight directly underneath is pointless because you're supposed to stabilize the camera by throwing off its center of weight. This is why any professional steadicam you see has offset weights. If you're going to keep the center of gravity in the center, you'd be better off using a tripod as a steadicam since its cheaper, and will give you about the same effect (which isn't good).

Another issue is hand contact. Having a gyro handle is a HUGE factor in what makes smaller stadicams function correctly. This is what gets rid of the minor nuances of your hand movement, and keeps the camera movement constant.

I agree, you can build your own and it will work great, just make sure you install off-center weights and a gyroscopic handle.
May 5 2010 3:17PM
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A.Eberhard
Posts: 4426 - Karma: 415
threads, really want to make a legit one for next season
May 5 2010 4:10PM
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Blurst
Posts: 13577 - Karma: 10,169
What glidecam did you shoot that edit with?
May 5 2010 4:36PM
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leahey
Posts: 2548 - Karma: 32
Just make one out of PVC pipe, A bunch of corners and some tubing and make an oval shape and word. You got it.
May 5 2010 5:51PM
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eheath
Posts: 61588 - Karma: 122,917
glidecam4000 but pretty much every other prosumer camera can use the glidecam 2000. Check out the glidecam 2000, its the older discontinued glidecam but it works just as good as the new HD series and its 200-300 bucks cheaper.
May 5 2010 6:16PM
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GreenHorn
Posts: 4896 - Karma: 1,209
i just looked on ebay and they seem to be around $150-200. thats not as much as i thought it would be.

so definitely worth it?
ive heard glidcams can be a pain to carry around and they are heavy
May 5 2010 6:43PM
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eheath
Posts: 61588 - Karma: 122,917
Definitely worth it and i can guarantee any of those people bitching about them being a pain and being too heavy don't use an hvx, my whole setup is 15+ lbs and i bet theirs is half that and they bitch, its not that bad you get used to it. The first couple days you may mess up a shot or not use the glidecam correctly but give it a week and it'll be second nature.

And my 4000 was $350, about 250 dollars cheaper than the new hd4000 or whatever it is.
May 5 2010 6:59PM
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GreenHorn
Posts: 4896 - Karma: 1,209
Alright thanks for the help. I think i might reconsider making one and just buy one.

And ive been wondering, how much time do you spend filming compared to skiing?
May 5 2010 7:14PM
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eheath
Posts: 61588 - Karma: 122,917
id say for every day i film i ski 5 days. So i skied roughly 80 days this year so i filmed 10-15 days this year.
May 5 2010 7:45PM
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GreenHorn
Posts: 4896 - Karma: 1,209
Wow thats not nearly as bad as i thought. You definitely make the sickest edits. Do you use final cut to edit or what?
May 5 2010 8:43PM
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eheath
Posts: 61588 - Karma: 122,917
yeah final cut pro 7
May 5 2010 9:27PM
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GreenHorn
Posts: 4896 - Karma: 1,209
Ok thanks for all the help. Definitely changed my mind.

Do you think the 2000 will work well with my HV30?
May 5 2010 9:31PM
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CoachG
Posts: 2546 - Karma: 448
yeah you'll be fine with that. And word up to what Eheath said earlier about people bitching about the weight of Glidecam's. If you can fly an HVX, you know what you're doing. It's definitely not something that you can pick up and start nailing shots with on your first day out. There is an art to Glidecams that takes a lot of practice, time and patience to master.
May 5 2010 10:33PM
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GreenHorn
Posts: 4896 - Karma: 1,209
Yeah ive heard it takes a lot of practice but definitely worth it and not too bad once you are used to it
May 5 2010 10:38PM
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