Well,

I'm back..Since there is so little info out there I figured I would write my opinion on my recent purchase (indicam). Well, on another post I spoke about what it looked like out of the package and basicly is looks very well made and well crafted. Very sterdy. As for customer service I give it an A++++,very helpful and answers everything in a very timely matter.. Ok, so just to make myself clear, I have NEVER used any type of stabilizer before so this is my first one. I put it on today and at FIRST it was a little uncomfortable but once I adjusted all the straps it fit great. Second I went ahead and balanced the sled with all my things on it(camara..etc..)and following terry's tips it went pretty smoothly, a little time consuming but like I said this is the first time I do this so for the most part it was mistakes that I made that prolonged the process. Third, I adjusted the arm to carry the camara where I felt comfortable with it by adjusting the springs, adjusting the springs was really easy and not a problem at all. So I went ahead and started filming and walking, right off the bat the shoots where significantly smoother, I mean I was like WOW. So I keeped on trying diffrent things like running, walking fast etc... The only thing I am noticing is that the gimble is so smooth that I have to practice not holding on to the center handle (I'm not sure of the name) so much because I end up pushing the camara side to side, but like they told me PRACTICE,PRACTICE,PRACTICE...And I intend to do that. I am extremely happy with the product and extremely happy with terry and his company. I am glad I went with him over any other company. One cool thing I noticed when I was playing with it was that you can hold the sled by the handle and walk around the camara and it will not move...I'll try to post a video of what I mean...Conclusion: If you are looking for a good quality stabilizer for a GREAT price, go with indicam. Its a dual articulated arm and for the price he is selling it for you will only get a single from any other company. Ooo yea I know magiqcam makes one for around the same price but when you try to call a company and there number is disconnected its not really a good thing, and they never answer your emails either... So if you made it this far down I hope you read something that helped you out in making a decision. If you have any questions please post and I will try to reply ASAP...Thanks terry and indicam for such a good product...

Would this support a JVC HD100?

Sorry I can't find any info on the indicam site


Andrew

EDIT Please ignore this. I found another post further down.
Sorry

Can we please have some photos of u with the rig? Thks!

Can we please have some photos of u with the rig? Thks!

Sure will...Just give me a couple days I am really busy now but if you want detailed pictures of certain parts of the rig let me know and I will try my best to post...

No hurry, I'll be really grateful!! Thanks!

Sean,

Give me your exact weight in pounds if possible and I'll set one up for trial on one of my systems. I would love to be able to fly a camera as nice as the JVC HD100.

Terry
Indicam

Sean,

We just tested out a prototype of our arm which will hold a total of 14 pounds (6.4 kg). The sled usually weighs 5 pounds (2.3 kg) so the prototyped arm will hold a payload (camera and accessories) of around 9 pounds (4.1).

We will probably want to add more counterweights to the bottom of the sled so it will weigh around 6.5 pounds (2.9 kg) giving us a camera and accessories weight of 7.5 pounds (3.4 kg). Hopefull when were finished we will be able to fly a few more of the larger cameras.

The JVC HD100 would be in range but the Canon XL H1 might be just a bit too heavy. We could probably keep the bottom plate at 5 pounds and drop the extension as far as needed to balance the XL H1 correctly.

One thing I know, it's harder on the body to fly the extra weight. It's still not bad but it is more noticeable. On the plus side, the heavier cameras will also be more stable.

The prototype-when it's incorporated will sell for around $150 more due to extra manufacturing and labor costs.

The picture shows the adapted arm supporting 14 pounds. The weights are 2X5s, 1x2.5, and 1x1.5.

Smooth Shooting!

Terry
Indicam

Great to see you guys improving on yr stuff! I cant weight my camera setup as I do not have a scale at home. I do think that the Sony FX1 is ard 6 pounds with all the junk on it. I will try to weight it. Hopefully yr current design can handle the weight :)

Terry, have you tried flying the HVX200 P2 camera? Will it support the weight of that camera? I don't know what the weight is compared to the JVC but I'm guessing 6 or 7 pounds.

Ken,

Nice website. http://homepage.mac.com/getken/Personal11.html
It looks like you have a mess of gear and a mess of experience. That is a good thing.

===============

Yes, we can support the HVX200. The info I got off the web says it ships at 5.5 lbs which is the same as the Sony Z1U which is shown here...
http://www.indicam.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1
(see bottom of the page.)

I will be meeting with a Steadicam operator friend of mine in a couple of days and he has an HVX200. He is looking at getting an Indicam PILOT to fly that camera as his Steadicam rig is for much larger cameras.

We are now making improvements to the weight capacity of our arm so that it will even be able to fly an XL1 or XL2 and similar sized cameras.

Question...Have you used a camera stabilizer before? Do you want to be notified when our "Stabilizer Basics" training DVD is finished? If so we'll put you on our list.

Thanks for the inquiry.

Terry
Indicam

Hey guys I will be posting some pictures of the Indicam in use at a engagment shoot...Sorry for the delay,been really busy...

Terry, thanks for the props on the website! Yes, I've been around the block a couple of times. I'm curious about your product as I may have a long term gig coming up that we are thinking of doing almost exclusively mounted to a stabilizer, using a small camera, probably the HVX 200. I have experience flying cameras and owned a Steadicam EFP for many years. But the weight was too much for my lower back for extended operation...especially flying a full Betacam SP rig with wireless mics, video etc. hanging off of it. So I sold it a few years ago. But I am spoiled by Steadicam because they are designed very well. I had to use a Glidecam V20 recently and found it less than satisfying. But I'm on the lookout for a device that will work well with an HVX. And I think the Steadicam Flyer, though really excellent, is just too expensive for what I need to do. How much vertical range do you have on your product? How far can you tilt before hitting the arm? It's general operational issues like that which I'm looking for answers about in this type of product. Yes, put me on the list as more info becomes available about your rig.
Thanks!

Ken,

We should be asking you for information on creating a training tape rather than seeing if you were interested in getting one. When I read these posts, I have no idea of the "steadicam" expertise of the individuals posting so I always ask. That doesn't go for Mikko, Charles P., Charles K. and others I am familiar with. I know they're experienced.

I was told by someone in the know that we have the largest boom range of any system available. I think the usefull boom range is about 31 inches. From locked to locked it's 35 inches but of course you never want to go to either extreme. A rule-of-thumb is we go from just above the head to as far as your arm can reach down while holding the sled.

The tilt question depends on where the operator has the handle situated. If it's on the side then the front-to-back tilt range is 360 degrees. If the handle is held in back then the side-to-side range is the same. Is that what you are talking about?

We will work great with the HVX200 and I hear it's a fantastic camera. We'll be trying one out in a couple of days.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Thanks,

Terry
Indicam

Here are some pics....
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j56/Javicbr600/DSC_0323.jpg (http://www.photobucket.com)

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j56/Javicbr600/DSC_0292.jpg (http://www.photobucket.com)

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j56/Javicbr600/DSC_0574.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j56/Javicbr600/DSC_0293.jpg

Nice pics, Javier...

What were you filming? Looks like an engagement session or Love Story?

What do you use your PILOT for? Films? Weddings?

Thanks,
Peter

Nice picts Javier! The rig looks pretty ok on u. Wats the weight of yr cam? The Sony FX that I have is prob heavier.. Is the string tension tight enuf for u?

BTW, I noticed Terry just updated his website. COOL. The 2 videos there r good but I would appreciate a bit of running for the rig video. I'm also curious why was the sled handle designed straight instead of a curved? I have a varizoom flowpod and the striaght handle gets into some problems at times. I guess I now need to know which spring is good for the FX1.

Well...this is actually first time I use it....But I am planning on using it for weddings and things of that nature...Let me tell you I was going over the film today and it is increadible how steady those shots where especialy suprised me on the shots I was walking over the sand...The more and more I use this product the happier I am I bought it...Do you own one Peter?

Responce to sean:
Well as far as the weight goes it can hold alot...I set it to a point where It wasn't set to its full potential and it was throwing the camara up in the air, I had to force it down...I now have it set to where I just need to pull it up slightly(gave me best results after testing a few times)..By the way this was the way terry told me to set it and he was dead on...I just wanted to test it for myself...I think right now with all the things I put on it I am pushing maybe 5-7 pounds...

Thanks for the quick responses. Looks like the indicam is truely worth considering. Like u, I plan to use it for weddings. 2 arms should be better than one!

Javier,

I only own the PILOT sled, not the vest and arm system.

I am reluctant to buy the vest and arm system because I don't want to look obtrusive or intimidating with all that gear on during a wedding. I've been practicing a lot with the sled and have been getting better and strengthening my muscles for it.

Also, I'm wondering, maybe Terry would be better to ask, but is there any way to replace the backpack with something less "bulgy"? I like the idea that you have a built-in carrying case but, again, I like to be as "invisible" as possible and not draw attention while filming weddings. Besides, I don't know how I would look wearing a suit with a backpack... ;)

Nevertheless, I do have to say again how awesome Terry is and how great he is with customer service and follow up. Whenever I have any questions, I usually get a quick response by email or a friendly phone call from Terry. He is obviously always trying to improve his invention and always tries to be helpful. If you have any doubts or questions about Terry or the Indicam, give him a call and you will be talking to one of the friendliest and most helpful people :)

Thanks for the quick responses. Looks like the indicam is truely worth considering. Like u, I plan to use it for weddings. 2 arms should be better than one!
Yes two arms are defenatly better than one...I'll try to post some of the video I did that day...

Javier,

I am looking forward to seeing your footage, too :)

Yes two arms are defenatly better than one...I'll try to post some of the video I did that day...

Ooh that would be GREAT! Thanks again..

Javier, Perer, and Sean,

My ears are burning.
Thanks for the pictures and kind words.


If you checked the website lately you'll have noticed a couple of new pictures up there. One is the PILOT with the HVX200 and the other is with the XL2. Yes, we finally found an XL2 and it wasn't that far away. It was just very hard to find!

HVX200...
My steadicam friend tried the PILOT out with his HVX200 and said it was "perfect" for his camera. Here is part of his email...
++++++
"I was very impressed with the production model of the Indicam. I believe Indicam is ready for the world stage and yes I am going to want one for my HVX200."
++++++
He's been a steadicam operator for over 20 years so his encouragement means a lot.

XL2...
I was able to balance an XL2 with a little trouble as the camera is very front heavy but once balanced it worked great. It will be a very stable camera to work with due to the mass involved.

Peter,

The backpack can be compressed so it will be less bulky and in regards to the other point, to be less obtrusive wear dark clothes. You probably know that already. Also, you can use the unit handheld for the real sensitive shots but mounted on the arm system for all the rest.

Sean,

The straight handle is so that it can be used handheld without the support system if needed but also can have the "High Shot" incorporated. That gives you an extra 12-18 inches of camera height. The handle doesn't get in the way but has been a plus I believe. If it was a problem, I would have changed it as I don't want something out there that doesn't really work great.

Did I cover all the questions? Hope so.

Smooth Shooting,

Terry
Indicam

Javier and Terry some good work there boys, might buy one of these. Now with this new 'dual' arm thing that can hold up to 15lbs, does that means lets just argue here - that with an XLh1 with a letusxl adapter(meaning the standard lens comes off, to loose weight) that I might be able to fly this thing?

Yasser,

It's 12:27 in the early morning and we're just getting around to checking this forum. What a day!

We just had a bunch of parts welded so now it's off to the powder coaters and then assembly. Still waiting on the machinest to do more gimbals though. He has only one of his three machines working presently.

Now to the question...

We've just revamped our main web page which includes a shot of the PILOT flying a Canon XL2. If your XLh1 is anywhere around that weight then we're in business.

We just acquired a Sony HVR-Z1U to add to our collection of cameras. It looks to be a beauty. The new HD cameras are something to behold!

If you can weigh your camera and let us know what you find out we can tell you if we can fly it. I believe we can. (If I were a salesman I'ld say; "No problem".

Terry
Indicam

We just acquired a Sony HVR-Z1U to add to our collection of cameras. It looks to be a beauty. The new HD cameras are something to behold!

As are the images!

But to business.

Lets say I want to do a Don Juan on my Indicam equipped Z1; for the record, the Z1 screen flops out to the operator's left side and in this case the operator (me) is right handed.

So I've set up to DJ, and the camera is pointing over my right shoulder - but the screen is now on the far side, hidden by the handle, built-in mic (and external mic on the near side sometimes).

However, I note that there's an optional left side mount.

Can the Indicam jacket be ampidexterous, so the vest has both left and right side mounts on at the same time? Or is it a 'South-paw special' requiring two jackets?

Thanks for the reply Terry, Kudos to the customer service, you've already done half the deal.

Matt,

I just sent you and email with some pictures but I'll post them here as well.

When I set up for a Don Juan (DJ) shot I flip the monitor to it's mirror mode and shoot looking forward at the monitor (see DJ & Z1Ua) or in regular mode looking over my shoulder (see DJ & Z1Ub).

The arm flips to the left (goofy) side by undoing the receiver bar bolts and flipping the bar. Now the receiver is on the left side. I've never shot that way so it's strange to me just like a left handed guitar. I encourage steadicam beginners to shoot in standard configuration as it saves on a number of problems.

The last picture (see Compressed pack & Z1U) shows the backpack / vest in it's compressed mode. Some have asked about this as they want to be as "thin" as possible. I think Peter is one of them.

Smooth Shooting,

Terry
Indicam

Hi Terry,

Thanks for the pictures :) What video light are you using on that Z1U? That last image attachment looks like it is an LED light?

Just noticed that the backpacks have different colors in different pictures. Do you get to choose what colors you want? :)

Peter,

You are real great at noticing details. I'm impressed. I thought I was one of the only ones who paid attention to stuff like that.

It is a LED light on the Z1U and it really helps out in low light situations. It goes for 50 hours (supposedly) on three AAA batteries with all 9 LEDs on. It's more center focused than I want so I'm going to see if I can make some changes. I might even market them on my website.

The backpacks I order come in subdued colors for obvious reasons but they do have some color to them i.e. dark blue, dark green, dark gray, and straight black. I can't get only solid black at the present time although that is what I would really like to have.

If I have a color (or lack of) in stock then you can choose which one you want if that's important.

Terry
Indicam

Thanks for the info, Terry.

I don't like using lights and don't use any, if possible (haven't used an on-camera light yet :) but if I ever do decide to use it at a wedding, I have a diffuser so the light isn't so direct and blinding. (Turn on the light and look at the light and that is how the wedding guests will feel when you shine the light on them.) I have a Lumiquest mini-softbox and a camera flash omni-bounce diffuser. I like the softbox much better.

Do mind sharing what make, model, and price of your LED light? Also, how much light does it output. Is there a halogen bulb wattage equivalent or anything like that?

Thanks,
Peter

I also have the indicam, thanks Terry! It's definately worth the money. I use my friends Flyer on occasion and it's about a 1/3 of the cost and it does everything I need it to do. I would highly recommend the Indicam and Terry is great as well. Answered all my questions prior to purchasing!

Terry.... If you get a chance could you let me know how much weight you use to balance a Z1. I am having a hard time getting it to balance, it works great with my pd170's.

Thanks,

Jon

Jon,

I use an extra weight on each side of the bottom plate (14 total) and drop the post extension to 3 1/2 inches.

You can get the weight disks at many hardware stores. Just take one along for sizing. When you get it balanced you notice it will take great steadicam footage. One good thing we noticed with our new Z1U which is different than our VX-2100 is that the Z1U has a much wider lens when in 16:9 mode. I really like that! It comes in handy for many, many shots.

Peter,

I'm glad you are on this forum so we can use your intellect to our advantage. You are an asset as are others here.

You are again absolutely correct on needing a diffuser when taking pictures of people. I'm looking at putting on a brightness control also so the LEDs can be turned down. The nice thing about that is the color temperature remains the same.

I'll look into the light output info but I didn't see anything on it when I bought it. It is fairly bright though. I did make some changes so it would mount on a hot shoe.

When we used our DVX-100a at the last wedding there were many shots that were so dark that even our post production tweaks didn't help a lot. In the future we will be using our Sonys or a diffused light (maybe both).

Terry
Indicam

Hi Terry,

thanks for also answering my questions via email - thought I'd ask this one here though...

The "Basketball player's view" pole extension is a really great and imaginative addition - I can see a whole lot of new shots being created from this.

Is there something similar to get low shots too? Not quite doggycam, perhaps, but (if you excuse the pun) how low can you go?

I note that the Z1 can be operated upside down with the flip-out screen... :)

Matt,

We have been working on that very thing. We had a prototype part made for low mode that didn't work the way we wanted so it's back to the drawing board.

Yes, you can flip the post upside down (poor man's low mode) and the monitor will show you the shot you will get at about knee level. You just need to flip it upright in post. You will also need to balance the sled so that it is a bit bottom heavy with the rig upside down. It's very easy to do.

We'll let you know when we redo our prototype and it works the way we want it to.

Terry
Indicam

The Z1U picts are lookin' goo....d!

Terry,

Its interesting to see the comments that have come up about the backpack on the indicam rig. Personally, i can see how its a great idea and works really well but unfortunately it is the one thing that puts me off the indicam rig. I can see that you guys can squash it down heeps but even then its still there and personally i think it looks slightly ugly.

Just my thoughts anyway. I can see you've got a great product there Terry and even with the backpack when i come to purchase a stabilizer i'll definately be keeping your product in mind.

Cheers

Joe

Joe,

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder or in this case the "holder".

In the future we're looking into developing a vest for people with your fashion sense but with the backpack compressed, it's about the thickness of a vest while keeping it's "backpack" functionality.

The real question should be "How well will it help me take smooth shots and is it a great value?" From the video clips (and major events) we have done, we think it is. I personally shot straight for a 3 1/4 hour stretch with only a 15 minute intermission. The PILOT is comfortable, lightweight, and allows the operator to shoot very smooth shots for a very long time. When we're done, we pack eveything inside except the camera and walk out with it. This is a good thing.

Thanks for you comments. We do listen to all that is said.

Terry
Indicam

Terry,

Its interesting to see the comments that have come up about the backpack on the indicam rig. Personally, i can see how its a great idea and works really well but unfortunately it is the one thing that puts me off the indicam rig. I can see that you guys can squash it down heeps but even then its still there and personally i think it looks slightly ugly.

Cheers

Joe

Joe,

We've been listening to you guys and are close to releasing a new vest. That's right, it will replace the backpack for those who want that "fashion look". We will still offer the backpack because it really is a good idea.

We did a four hour shoot for a video contest a few days ago (we took 3rd out of 30 entries) and used the new vest. It worked out well. We were able to carry it to location with the backback so all we had in our hands was a HVX200. So easy to transport!

It's a good thing.

Terry
Indicam

That's awesome, Terry!

Do post some pictures when you get a chance.

Sounds like we can now have the best of both worlds: a more professional looking vest for use and a backpack for easy breakdown, setup, and travel!

You're making my dreams come true, Terry :) Thanks for listening to our suggestions and constantly improving your product.

But please post some pictures of the new vest and the whole system in use as I'm sure many of us are eager to see the new "fashionable" look ;)

Peter and Joe,

Here are some pictures of our prototype vest. We are making a few of these to see how well others like them. I was comfortable while I was wearing it.

One of the pictures shows that you can get dressed up and still shoot steadicam footage. I used a lighter leather dress jacket so you could see the rig. It would or course look even better in operation with a dark outfit as the PILOT would be much less noticeable. I'll look into doing a picture like that next time.

Terry
Indicam

Those pictures didn't look like you, Terry ;)

But it definitely looks much nicer and professional. Even looks like you could wear a blazer over it without bulging much... That would be cool.

Do you have any pictures with the whole rig and camera on? More pictures from more angles, pretty please :D

Thanks for posting these pics!

Peter,

I just put a couple more pictures up showing a full rig (see previous post).

Terry
Indicam

Peter,

I just put a couple more pictures up showing a full rig (see previous post).

Terry
Indicam

SWEET!

The guy in the leather jacket looks very happy in his Indicam :)

It's my fault. I made him laugh.

Terry
Indicam

Terry,

That vest looks great, well done. I'll definately be keeping an eye out.

Cheers

Joe

Joe,

We were going to make a trip your way (and other islands) this December but there was a mess up so we're just going on a Mexican cruise. I wish we could have come as we were bringing a couple of PILOTs to show the film people there.

I'll keep you in mind when we actually make the trip. I hear it's a great place to visit and film. We're hoping maybe next year.

Terry
Indicam

Wow thaz a nice improvement ;).. a pity I missed it. Can't wait to receive my indicam when I return home!

Sean,

It's not in production yet as it's still in testing phase but when it is produced it won't weigh that much so shipping will be low.

Terry
Indicam

Hmm maybe I'll make one for myself den ;p