1. I want to thank you so much for making this D.I.Y.! My friends and I just made this for an upcoming film and the results are CRAZY! We do a lot of fight choreographed films so compared to how our shots looked before we made this Steadicam, this thing makes our work look almost professional! 2. As for as making this for $15... I don't know where you shopped but you got amazing deals on your ingredients. Ours totaled up to $30. But, hey! It's still better than spending $700, right? Right.
Add more weights. It might sound like adding fuel to the fire, but it helps to achieve smoother shots. It also depends on how light (or heavy) your camera is.
Tool Power drill with quarter inch drill bit To buy at Local Hardware Store 3x - 1/2 “ Steal Pipes - $2 1/2 “ Basic Joint Tee $2 2x - ½” Metal End Caps $1 ½ “ Metal Flange $1 Inch thick block of wood - size depends on the size of your camera $1 3x - ¾’ Screws $.50 center per bag ¼’ Machine Bolt $.50 cents 2.5 Pond Weight $2 Hope this helps :)
GUYS, FOR PPL COMMENTING SAYING THIS COSTS OVER 15, ISN'T IT OBVIOUS CUZ THIS VIDEO WAS MADE 4 YEARS AGO!?! PRICES WERE DIFFERENT AND LOWER BACK THEN.....
Just made this at home with a few adjustments: galvanized steel pipes cost more than gas pipes, which are the same, just cheaper and hold paint better.It works well, but I wouldn't call it a true steadicam. The issue comes from the lack of range of motion. If it were on a gimbal or some free moving thing instead of a stationary block of wood, it might be a little steadier. Still better than no steadicam and was fairly simple to create.
The Slanted Lens channel made a DIY tutorial on how to make a homemade shoulder rig which pretty much does the same job as the steadicam, except you put it on your shoulder and not hold it in your hand. BUT, the design of the homemade shoulder rig can also be used and modified to be both a shoulder rig AND a steadicam. Just hold it by the handle, add maybe a few weights on the side, and it is flawless!
The further away your hands are from the cameras censor the more stabilized the image will be. You dont "need" a moving part, it just helps it get even smoother (:
It increases inertia so that the camera will be less likely to "jitter" with small forces applied by your hands. Think of a tripod as doing the same -- but it is has the inertia of the Earth, and all the people walking, jumping, falling, etc... don't bother your camera one bit because of Earth's incredible amount of inertia. "Stabilization is all about ENERGY. You input it, and the rig has to attenuate it. One way to attenuate energy is to swamp it -- in the case of inertia, that means putting it into mass. More mass means that it takes more energy to get the same effect. In lightweight gear like you and I are using, that also means SKILL, learning to move while also putting less energy into the rig. This takes practice and a rig that is properly set up -- and lightweight rigs are more sensitive to balance and technique than one flying a 25-lb camera, just like it's harder to paint a portrait than to paint a house." steadicamforum.com/index.php?app=forums&module=forums&controller=topic&id=25695
I made one of these for my grandson. It costs a little more because I had to tweak it for a special application. He has an IPad Mini that doesn't have a screw attachment. So, I went to the hardware store and got a three inch table vise with some felt padding. The clamp uses a screw clamp to attach to the wood and I attached the felt to the two surfaces of the clamp so that the IPad doesn't get scratched. He loved it. We built it together for his 13th birthday. I bought the weights for the bottom but they aren't a snug fit. I think that if I ever make another one I'll use some lead ribbon weighting in the fishing department at any good sportings goods store. and just put them inside the bottom pipe. It will be a bit more expensive, but the weights won't rattle or move around at the bottom. Thanks for your video. The steadicam made for a great present. He liked it more than all of the other presents. Everyone is happy.
Out of the many people who watch these videos, I actually made this steadicam. For the record, it cost around 25 to make but thats still reasonable! Thanks IndyMogul!
+techzimo Yeah, I paid about 25 for my supplies from my Ace. Then again, Ace isn't the cheapest. And you can't forget that I haven't even gotten the quick release yet... Oh well!
That's really cool! Just like I thought it was when I saw it in Make: magazine several years ago. At least credit the original inventor, Johnny Chung Lee...
can someone explain to me how does this work? running with the dslr in your hand vs running with the dslr on a block of wood? how can there be such a big difference??
+Dutery The closer your hands to the lens, the more movement. Your hands might be the most stable of all, and you'll still have noticeable shake on your footage. The way it's made, it shifts the weight to the weights so your camera is not having a lot of close movements. I couldn't explain it right, but you'll see a lot of difference if you experience it
Too anyone unclear on how this is able to stabilize the camera, the answer is inertia. The greater the mass of an object, the greater the force required to move that object. Its like hitting a sand-filled punching bag, punches from a child will barely move the bag while punches from a boxer will make it sway or jump. By simply making the camera rig heavier it helps to stabilize vibration and camera shake. The second way it helps is by moving the camera and its counterweight far from its center of mass. This increases the moment of inertia and helps to stabilize pitch and roll movements (the extension arm on the side adds some mass that helps to stabilize yaw movements.) To understand try spinning a broomstick. It is easy to spin it around the long axis because all the mass is close to the center axis. Trying to spin it like a baton is much slower because the mass is much further away and has a higher moment of inertia.
can i get confirmation from just one person that this project was indeed around 15 bucks and it worked sufficiently well?? (or at least got rid of the camera jitter)??
Not really. I've used some which cost 75-100USD too. They work pretty good. Certainly way way better than this one. I'm actually going to be posting a review video of one of those soon.
Bought all of the supplies yesterday at Home Depot (the weight was bought from Dunham's) and it came out to be around $30 for everything. I also added sticky-back felt to the top of the wood so my camera is protected. To keep the weight from making noise or moving around, I added a little foam and sticky felt. Haven't tested it out yet since I haven't painted everything yet, but I'm hopeful. Awesome tutorial. Thank you :)
I made a few modifications to this design. Instead of a piece of wood, I used the metal cover plate for a 1900 box. Also, I added foam pipe insulation over the metal bars.
You could just use your existing tripod in horizontal position while extending 2 legs to balance. I'm not saying saying that you cant make 15$ steadicam but this one seems to be shitty. There are other versions with gimbal that you can make, its not that hard. I'd rather but a grip for 12$ and use that instead.
Thanks guys! I did this and it worked great. Ended up costing a little more because I bought an old tripod from the thrift store and then using the top and attaching that as the mount instead of the piece of wood. It's so legit haha cheers!
Guys if you want an inexpensive stabiliser that works just the same use your own dslr tripod fold it up to its original position and hook the camera on then find a place to hold it and do some test shots. you will find that this works really damn good. there ya go you didnt spend a dime
Would be all well and good except half of this shit is impossible to find in Liverpool because all of the DIY stores seem to be ran by half-wit-arseholes.
very cool! and just to answer some comments (negative and positive) I think really is all about the technique to get the right shot. I'll go ahead and try to do this and let you know how it went. Great vid!
I had a dream last night and Erik Beck from BFX was in it, I asked him why they stopped doing BFX and he said its because the ideas were getting dull but not to worry because they are secretly planning to bring it back with new fresh ideas...what a great dream it was.
I built it. Cost me 40$ altogether (home depot) but it works great so no complaints. Also I had to use a flange instead of an end piece to hold the weights (the holes were bigger than the end piece - so take that into account) Make sure you machine wash is the same size to fit the bottom of your camera.
Totally agree. Take a look at that new Production camera from Black Magic. The camera cost 4k and some of the shoulder rigs that are just basically a few bits of aluminium welded together cost more than the camera.
johnny chung lee came out with this 6 or 7 years ago. i followed his instructions and i still have my amazingly cheap yet effective steady cam. yes, you get some amazing shots with this device, but do your self a favor and start hitting the weights, 'cause this thing will pull your spine out of your back through your front if you hold it long enough. i'm really out of shape, but i can still capture some excellent footage. also, you can store small stuff inside the pipes.
Use a BIGGER plastic pvc pipe to go over the galvanized pipe that you were holding with your LEFT hand so you will have better grip of the steadycam... just an additional $1 addition to your budget... great DIY!!!
Built one of these rigs exactly like the vid, except for the wood mount. I used a QD mount from an old tripod I had. I have no experience with this kind of recording, so I am not sure what weight to use and whether I am using it correctly.
1. I want to thank you so much for making this D.I.Y.! My friends and I just made this for an upcoming film and the results are CRAZY! We do a lot of fight choreographed films so compared to how our shots looked before we made this Steadicam, this thing makes our work look almost professional!
2. As for as making this for $15... I don't know where you shopped but you got amazing deals on your ingredients. Ours totaled up to $30. But, hey! It's still better than spending $700, right?
Right.
Share your film wth uss plz
Add more weights. It might sound like adding fuel to the fire, but it helps to achieve smoother shots. It also depends on how light (or heavy) your camera is.
Tool
Power drill with quarter inch drill bit
To buy at Local Hardware Store
3x - 1/2 “ Steal Pipes - $2
1/2 “ Basic Joint Tee $2
2x - ½” Metal End Caps $1
½ “ Metal Flange $1
Inch thick block of wood - size depends on the size of your camera $1
3x - ¾’ Screws $.50 center per bag
¼’ Machine Bolt $.50 cents
2.5 Pond Weight $2
Hope this helps :)
It hanks for this
sure
You're sweet. Thanks
Thank you
Emma Sarr thanks you
GUYS, FOR PPL COMMENTING SAYING THIS COSTS OVER 15, ISN'T IT OBVIOUS CUZ THIS VIDEO WAS MADE 4 YEARS AGO!?! PRICES WERE DIFFERENT AND LOWER BACK THEN.....
+NeoFTW™ inflation yo
NeoFTW™ That would make it $16.18
Bro
Y’all were in the fucking Obama administration
Tha running shot on 2:30 is amazing. I'm sold. Challenge Accepted ! ! !
Just finished building mine 5 minutes ago. Cost me $28.14 and took about 15 minutes to build.
So simple and it works GREAT!!
@rorkimaru yeh, i'll be posting more on my second youtube channel
Cost me $28 to buy all the pieces today but that cost was very much worth it; my moving footage is so much smoother. Thank you!
Just made this at home with a few adjustments: galvanized steel pipes cost more than gas pipes, which are the same, just cheaper and hold paint better.It works well, but I wouldn't call it a true steadicam. The issue comes from the lack of range of motion. If it were on a gimbal or some free moving thing instead of a stationary block of wood, it might be a little steadier. Still better than no steadicam and was fairly simple to create.
Thank you for the excellent comment. I was just guessing if this thing work or not, because I can´t purchase a good steadycam for my Canon T5i.
@@DihelsonMendonca I have the regular T5 but did you end up finding one that works for you?
@mikecelles yes it was.
Indy Mogul AND Zach King? That blew my mind
Me too bro
The Slanted Lens channel made a DIY tutorial on how to make a homemade shoulder rig which pretty much does the same job as the steadicam, except you put it on your shoulder and not hold it in your hand. BUT, the design of the homemade shoulder rig can also be used and modified to be both a shoulder rig AND a steadicam. Just hold it by the handle, add maybe a few weights on the side, and it is flawless!
without any moving parts how's it going to stabilize the camera?
The further away your hands are from the cameras censor the more stabilized the image will be. You dont "need" a moving part, it just helps it get even smoother (:
That what i want to ask
JZ EXACTLY...
It increases inertia so that the camera will be less likely to "jitter" with small forces applied by your hands.
Think of a tripod as doing the same -- but it is has the inertia of the Earth, and all the people walking, jumping, falling, etc... don't bother your camera one bit because of Earth's incredible amount of inertia.
"Stabilization is all about ENERGY. You input it, and the rig has to attenuate it.
One way to attenuate energy is to swamp it -- in the case of inertia, that means putting it into mass. More mass means that it takes more energy to get the same effect.
In lightweight gear like you and I are using, that also means SKILL, learning to move while also putting less energy into the rig. This takes practice and a rig that is properly set up -- and lightweight rigs are more sensitive to balance and technique than one flying a 25-lb camera, just like it's harder to paint a portrait than to paint a house."
steadicamforum.com/index.php?app=forums&module=forums&controller=topic&id=25695
@@FancyFramePictures >>The further away your hands are from the cameras censor the more stabilized the image will be.
Oh how this reminds me of BFX. Shall we cherish the moment we have for this one of the few DIY builds we have in this day in age.
I made one of these for my grandson. It costs a little more because I had to tweak it for a special application. He has an IPad Mini that doesn't have a screw attachment. So, I went to the hardware store and got a three inch table vise with some felt padding. The clamp uses a screw clamp to attach to the wood and I attached the felt to the two surfaces of the clamp so that the IPad doesn't get scratched. He loved it. We built it together for his 13th birthday. I bought the weights for the bottom but they aren't a snug fit. I think that if I ever make another one I'll use some lead ribbon weighting in the fishing department at any good sportings goods store. and just put them inside the bottom pipe. It will be a bit more expensive, but the weights won't rattle or move around at the bottom. Thanks for your video. The steadicam made for a great present. He liked it more than all of the other presents. Everyone is happy.
Yirmayahu Ben Yaakov You're a good granddad.
That's awesome !! More the weights you put on it the more stable it will become ( For Further Notice )
aaand done. cost me $47 at home depot in Vegas. So price has shot up in 4 years if we think inflation was that much...
Thank you regardless.
does it work?
it does. It feels pretty good too. I spray painted mine a copper brown color.
do you have any test shots?
You could have bought an actual steadycam with that lol
I reccommend attaching it to a selfie stick, then balancing it on your finger
Best and simplest build with the best results that I've seen. Great job, I'm getting the parts today!
Did it actually work as intended?
Made one. It works AWESOME! Thank you :)
Kealohilanifilms Yes
Best DIY steadicam ive seen yet. Thanks a lot!
false it is 1am i can not go to the hardware store right now
Gav Fitzgerald same it’s Christmas
fly to other side of world
false, you can go get the truck, accelerate to 50mph and go inside the store at any moment
Out of the many people who watch these videos, I actually made this steadicam. For the record, it cost around 25 to make but thats still reasonable! Thanks IndyMogul!
you should thank Johnny Chung Lee for this, he came out with the EXACT settings with pipe and weights almost 10 years ago...
this dude makes magic with his videos
Actually this cost me about $30.... -__- but its still pretty awesome :)
INFLATION :D
Yeah it cost me $30. But buying supplies from my local ace might not be the cheapest.
+bushwood4568 $45 at Home Depot
+techzimo Yeah, I paid about 25 for my supplies from my Ace. Then again, Ace isn't the cheapest. And you can't forget that I haven't even gotten the quick release yet... Oh well!
Yeah when he was giving the prices i thought "did he go the the dollar store because those prices aren't realistic"
Good job and explained in a clear, easy to understand way
Alright, so I built this. One thing you guys should know is that it's FUCKING HEAVY.
it works?
After building and using your walk will becom unstable and we have to build a gimble for our body also to stabilise our walk 😬😬😬😬
I LOVE THAT SHIRT! The color goes well with you!
"i spray painted it black so it looks more professional.." HHAHAHHHAH ME TOO
he spray painted it black so he could run faster while holding it
I recently built this, thank you VERY much for the easy to understand tutorial, this will really help me out.
how to balance it
I built it and shot "Blue". Can't beat the price. I think I'll build the jib/crane next. Thank you for posting
At Lowes and Sport Mart in suburban Chicago materials cost more like $30, but your video was put up about 3 years ago. Has inflation gotten that bad?
You should give the credit to the guy who thought of this steady cam idea first - I saw the article years ago
Am curious do you use your $15 device or the $700 one?
Obviously the $700 one, the $15 one is to help you get used to using steadicams until you can afford one.
I built this today, and it is amazing. Thank you so much FinalCutKing!
That's really cool! Just like I thought it was when I saw it in Make: magazine several years ago. At least credit the original inventor, Johnny Chung Lee...
I added a few rubber stoppers between the weights just to add a bit more stability. Great DIY project!
can someone explain to me how does this work? running with the dslr in your hand vs running with the dslr on a block of wood? how can there be such a big difference??
The weights at the bottom do all the work
+Dutery your hand makes a lot of small movements and shaking, the weights on the stabilizer help you not do that
+Dutery The closer your hands to the lens, the more movement. Your hands might be the most stable of all, and you'll still have noticeable shake on your footage. The way it's made, it shifts the weight to the weights so your camera is not having a lot of close movements. I couldn't explain it right, but you'll see a lot of difference if you experience it
+Dutery Inertia
Magic.
Too anyone unclear on how this is able to stabilize the camera, the answer is inertia. The greater the mass of an object, the greater the force required to move that object. Its like hitting a sand-filled punching bag, punches from a child will barely move the bag while punches from a boxer will make it sway or jump. By simply making the camera rig heavier it helps to stabilize vibration and camera shake.
The second way it helps is by moving the camera and its counterweight far from its center of mass. This increases the moment of inertia and helps to stabilize pitch and roll movements (the extension arm on the side adds some mass that helps to stabilize yaw movements.) To understand try spinning a broomstick. It is easy to spin it around the long axis because all the mass is close to the center axis. Trying to spin it like a baton is much slower because the mass is much further away and has a higher moment of inertia.
& this is why I FUCKN LOVE TH-cam. #ballinonabudget great video
The bottom weight is to counteract the weight of the camera at the top. It creates the balance that makes the steadicam work.
If you don't have a drill this can cost a lot more.
You can always borrow one
well the drill is reusable for other projects
If you don't have a drill... you can't do DIY stuff to begin with. Lol
If you don't own a Cam, a drill is the least of your worries.. ;-P
genfx303 why'd you even watch a tutorial for a diy camera accessory without owning a camera?
DUDE, this is incredible.. I love this. Works amazing... thanks
Dude that piece is a FLANGE, nit a FLENGE
THIS
NOT
Dude that word is Not, not Nit
Horus X Films: Reely?
Good stuff! Gotta love the home made steady cam!
can i get confirmation from just one person that this project was indeed around 15 bucks and it worked sufficiently well?? (or at least got rid of the camera jitter)??
including spray paint and wood, it cost me closer to 40.
It ended up costing me about 20 dollars, but it works as well as my cousin's 500 dollar version.
We Say Sunrise where did you guys bought those steel pipes and the rest?
Eyo Yousee
I bought mine from a building shop. In america it is called a Home Depot or something like that
Ah i really want these things pff.. or i will make one with pcv. Shit holland haha
I did it and it works really really well. Thanks guys.
"Invalid or Deleted File." = no pdf in link^^
Please re-upload! We want that kickass steadicam!
Zach is awesome! He does awesome magic...
This doesn't work half as good as one with a gimbal.
The one with a gimbal costs $700+ more.
Not really. I've used some which cost 75-100USD too. They work pretty good. Certainly way way better than this one. I'm actually going to be posting a review video of one of those soon.
The S-40 works great for DSLRs. Check it out.
I will, thank you!!
the s-40??...by who??
Thank you!!! I just made this same model for my real estate photography company!! I cant wait to use it tomorrow for my next shoot!!
45 on parts bs lowes hit me in the balls when i cashed out i asked the cashier could she repeat that again i said indy mongol said $15 sob
This shit had me dying lmfao
RAREVISIONfx productions LOL IT USED TO COST LIKE THAT 4 YEARS AGO.
NeoFTW™ so in 4 years prices go up 200%?
It depends for the products lol. Prices steadily increase
Bought all of the supplies yesterday at Home Depot (the weight was bought from Dunham's) and it came out to be around $30 for everything. I also added sticky-back felt to the top of the wood so my camera is protected. To keep the weight from making noise or moving around, I added a little foam and sticky felt. Haven't tested it out yet since I haven't painted everything yet, but I'm hopeful. Awesome tutorial. Thank you :)
I have a desire, i have 15$, but fuck...i have got no such shops.
I made this! AND OMG. This is so effective even when running this was pretty stable. Amazing stuff!
No credit to the inventor, Johnny Chung Lee? Search "$14 camera stabilizer"
I made a few modifications to this design. Instead of a piece of wood, I used the metal cover plate for a 1900 box. Also, I added foam pipe insulation over the metal bars.
Hey final cut king my steadicam cost 31.98, because of you i broke the bank, and now have to pay 45$ in overdraft fees. THANKS
I like your adjustments on the original Poor Man's steadicam design. I might make some tweaks to mine.
I would do it handheld rather then using that.
Dimitri T You must have really steady hands
LividLady he has the steadiest hands in the universe
You could just use your existing tripod in horizontal position while extending 2 legs to balance. I'm not saying saying that you cant make 15$ steadicam but this one seems to be shitty. There are other versions with gimbal that you can make, its not that hard. I'd rather but a grip for 12$ and use that instead.
Thanks guys! I did this and it worked great. Ended up costing a little more because I bought an old tripod from the thrift store and then using the top and attaching that as the mount instead of the piece of wood. It's so legit haha cheers!
are you zach king vine?
Davide Bertorello yes
Thank you for this! I just made mine. Will be testing it outdoors tomorrow. :)
I built this,was easy,cheap,works great! Thanks!
50 pesos jajaja a huevo viva mexico! (50 pesos = around 2.5 usd)
It was easy to build by your instructions. Used it on the video "Blue". I've been practicing. It is actually quite steady. Thank you for helping
Not even steady
Not even straight
JC Ndoci not even gay
Taen fuck you and your profile picture lol
ikr --- my hand hold device might do better
Guys if you want an inexpensive stabiliser that works just the same use your own dslr tripod fold it up to its original position and hook the camera on then find a place to hold it and do some test shots. you will find that this works really damn good. there ya go you didnt spend a dime
Can afford a 1000$ Mac Book, makes 15$ junk piece of crap
+Denis Höfer Mate he has an 800 dollar steady cam. He was giving a solution to budget filmmakers.
I think that Senor FinalCutKing should start a diy series. This rig works very well for the amount of time required and the cost.
Would be all well and good except half of this shit is impossible to find in Liverpool because all of the DIY stores seem to be ran by half-wit-arseholes.
Hahaha! Same in Yorkshire!
Zach King is the coolest 👑
This is awesome...definitely gonna build this!
Looks great, definitely gonna try that
This guy is so sick! I love the new indymogul
There was a certain charm to internet videography before the advent of the gimbal
very cool! and just to answer some comments (negative and positive) I think really is all about the technique to get the right shot. I'll go ahead and try to do this and let you know how it went. Great vid!
this is awesome zack keep it up
I had a dream last night and Erik Beck from BFX was in it, I asked him why they stopped doing BFX and he said its because the ideas were getting dull but not to worry because they are secretly planning to bring it back with new fresh ideas...what a great dream it was.
I built it. Cost me 40$ altogether (home depot) but it works great so no complaints. Also I had to use a flange instead of an end piece to hold the weights (the holes were bigger than the end piece - so take that into account)
Make sure you machine wash is the same size to fit the bottom of your camera.
Zach, you're too dope! Love all you're work and everything you do. Thanks for this
Nice project guys! I think I will build one soon...
The quick release was a good idea 💡
Totally agree. Take a look at that new Production camera from Black Magic. The camera cost 4k and some of the shoulder rigs that are just basically a few bits of aluminium welded together cost more than the camera.
johnny chung lee came out with this 6 or 7 years ago. i followed his instructions and i still have my amazingly cheap yet effective steady cam. yes, you get some amazing shots with this device, but do your self a favor and start hitting the weights, 'cause this thing will pull your spine out of your back through your front if you hold it long enough. i'm really out of shape, but i can still capture some excellent footage. also, you can store small stuff inside the pipes.
Thanks a million this was very easy to build. I also added a bicycle grip to the handle for better grip and it is more comfortable for me.
I got mine under $10....and works gr8..!!!thx....
i built one of these,works great,easy to make,thanks!
Use a BIGGER plastic pvc pipe to go over the galvanized pipe that you were holding with your LEFT hand so you will have better grip of the steadycam... just an additional $1 addition to your budget... great DIY!!!
Can I do this in PVC pipes?
I'm SO excited to try this! Thank you so much!
THANK YOU. This looks great !
This is really helpful. Thanks, you guys!
Just built one, but here in Germany and i spent about 30 euro. but it works great! thanks
@AmazePong You probably could but the weight of the pipes is part of what holds your camera steady, not just the weight at the bottom.
Love it! I like making things anyway, so I'll be trying this out. Thanks for the great video! Super helpful.
You can use After Effect's "Warp Stabilizer" and set it to No Motion. Hope this helped.
Built one of these rigs exactly like the vid, except for the wood mount. I used a QD mount from an old tripod I had. I have no experience with this kind of recording, so I am not sure what weight to use and whether I am using it correctly.
You are a great guy...............