Really Cheap 'Steadycam'?

[Roman Shafro]

Has anyone seen this on e-bay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2986501076&category=23780

DVworld SteadyCam Steadicam XTR-200 (BuyNow is $99). Looks like a DIY dream for simplicity, and the sample video isn't bad, either. Could it be all in the skill of the operator?

[Rick Bravo]

Pretty cool for the price. The coolest thing in the video is that the camera appears to rotate 360 degress on a nodal point, which would make for some very interesting shots if used properly.

Overall, I found allot of the moves to be a bit jerky without the smooth, fluid feel of a true SteadiCam. I have done a version of the 360 degree move around an actor with a Studio IIIA that resembles the shot portrayed in the demo video. The big difference is that I had the actor rotate against my camera movement. With the BG going in one direction and my following the talent in the other, the BG, moving in the opposite direction, gave the whole shot a vertigo inducing quality...just like this explanation!

I do believe that SteadiCam and its parent company Cinema Products, may have just a LITTLE problem with the product's name, regardless of how it is spelled.

I will defer to Mr. Papert as his expertise happens to fall into this highly specialized field of endeavor.

RB

[Charles Papert]

No deference necessary, Rick, you pretty much said it all. The nodal spin is very cool, haven't seen anything at this level that does that. And the moves aren't really steady.

But it's a cool little mount and probably useful with a teeny camera that is hard to get a grip on. Note that the camera shown in the eBay auction would NOT produce a nodal spin, unlike the one in the video. A long thin camera like the VX2000 seems to be the right form factor.

The Steadicam license, incidentally, is now held by Tiffen as CP is out of business about three years.