DIY iPhone/Camera Steadicam
I know the iPhone cannot stand in for the Scarlet or Epic cameras, it will probably not even use the full power of your SLR lenses. However more and more hobbyists are using the iPhone at the always around camera (kinda similar to what happen to smart phone still cameras).
That said, it is no surprise that amateur photographer push the iPhone camera to its limits, or just find ways to add "pro" gizmos to the very low grade cam. After the video camera 2c iPhone dolly, more mods are popping up. This next mod by Spencer S. Watson based in Portland, is a great one if you wanna shoot smooth videos with your iPhone. It is an iPhone Steadicam (we covered a few of those here).
The cool thing about this Steadicam, apart from being 100% DIY is that it uses not much more than a few Homedepot parts and a bearing. It gets better there is a video tutorial. The tutorial is next, followed by a skateboarding demo (tada! skate board parts both behind and in front of the camera).
UPDATE: looks like a similar design, for video cameras is out in the wild for a long time now, the Steadicam by yb2normal. Some vids, tuts and step-by-step here. (thanks for the shout, David)
Read the original post at Spencer's blog. Got more iPhone video hacks? Hit us in the comments!
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Comments
That footage didn't actually
That footage didn't actually look all that steady to me...anyone else?
I dont know if you have had a
I dont know if you have had a phone with a camera before but try recording using just your hand and running around then compare it to his stabalizer. Its alot more stable then using your hand. Not perfect, but alot better.
That guy stole the gimbal design
The original three axis designer was youtuber "yb2normal". He gave no credit to a video 2 and half years older than his.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXB0ncUQLn4
re: gimbal design
Hi David,
thanks for the video link. it rocks. I just love how he follows his sun through the stairs. I have added this link to the post.
You're kidding right? The
You're kidding right? The orignal is by Garrett Brown done back in the 70's, not some random person on YouTube. And three axis stabilization had been used for non-film uses for decades before that. So what are you talkinga bout?
It's a cool vid, not super informative though, and he obviously got it from somewhere else too, so it's hardly the 'original'. Lots of people made these before either of these guys. My roomate in college made one for film class in the 80's, almost same design. I like this guys steadicam though, it looks really pro. The one in yb2normal looked really half assed.
Seriously, you don't know what you're talking about.
How did he 'steal' the gimbal
How did he 'steal' the gimbal design? That's like saying he stole the idea of using couterweight stabilization, or of using gravity. Yb2normal didn't invent the three axis gimbal, nor prioneer it for steadicams, he just copied designs that have been used professionaly forever. That's what most DIY guys do, they find ways to do pro things out of everyday items. By your logic Yb2normal stole his design too, probably from this guy who has been doing it even longer:
http://www.diycamera.com/stabiliser/index.html
I've seen your posts elsewehere about this today, stop trolling. You're being an ass. I don't care where he got the idea, I'm just glad he showed how to make a better one.
Wow, that's a serious diy
Wow, that's a serious diy stabilization project
Well, it won't make a phone
Well, it won't make a phone call worth a damn. Might as well pimp it out to make movies with.
Re: calls
Hehe, well using a steadicam will definitely solve the grip of death issue :)
Good Idea
I also don't think that the resulting video was steady enough, but it was much steadier than when holding the iphone directly.
I wonder if I could buy a steadycam for my iPhone somewhere that would do the job better.
build a steadicam
I built one of the $14 steadicams back when we were filming our first feature. It was out of curiousity. In some ways I like it better than the bigger steadicams or glidecams because you have more control if you go from a tilt down then follow an actor then tilt up. The last few shorts I've worked on had a glidecam with the vest. They are very smooth..but that smoothness costs..a lot! :)
I like the gimble built with the pvc. I'd like to try that and attach some type of handle or handles to it. That would rock for little cams. I'd have to have something bigger for the big JVC we'll be using now.
Would the PVC gimble be stout enough for a DSLR?
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