I saw these grips a while back online, but thought they would be something very tiny and not very useful. Turns out these things are quite large and the company who makes it also designs Gun and Rifle type stabilizers. I have yet to see a DSLR + Viewfinder with this handle, but thinking that would look very very cool. Might be a great handle to add to the DIY shoulder rigs.
Old school 8mm Cameras
Camcorder with Grip
They can be purchased here:
Before this video will make any sense, you should know about my DIY BodyPod project found at http://cheesycam.com/?p=93
A BodyPod is not a tripod. It's basically a cut up monopod that supports the camera by use of a strap attached to the body.
These stick things are used to take a picture of yourself by mounting a point-and-shoot camera at the end of it. Well, this is what i’m running around with now for extra camera stability It's much more compact, lightweight, and much more discreet than a cut monopod. I can't speak on other versions of these little stick things, but the model i'm using has some real strength to it to be used as my new 'BodyPod'. This is the little monopod thing i'm using now, found on eBay.
Here are a bunch of other versions of this type of Monopod.
The Above video shows some information about how I modified a cheap Targus Monopod into a very lightweight portable DIY Camera Stabilizer for my 5D Mark II and 7D to shoot video. I used this Targus Monopod which is cheap but works well.This obviously will work for any DSLR and if you want to modify the head into one that flips into Portrait mode, i'm sure it would be a great traveling BodyPod for Photographers too. Remember, this DIY is to 'enhance' practicality of Monopod use while still maintaining full functionality. This is not a 'flying' stabilzer.
Here's the Problem:::
Monopods are great and much lighter to travel with than a Tripod. For some reason though, it sucked having to carry one around because I could never get it to fit into a backpack. I searched and searched and searched for a Monopod that could fold up very short, was lightweight, but could still support my camera when extended. The biggest reason Monopods aren't very compact is because 'When Extended, it should at least be Eye-Level". How compact can you get a Monopod and still get it to be Eye-Level??
My Solution:::
So after a bit of thought and a problem I ran into while shooting video in a Vegas Night Club, I came up with the idea of Cutting a Monopod in half and using a Sling as the support foundation. I used this Targus Monopod which is cheap but works well.Straps have long been a great way of support in Shooting Photos, Videos, or even in Rifles. By removing the foot of the Monopod and adding an Eye Screw from Home Depot it was very simple to mount a quick release luggage strap. I could have stopped there, this was pretty nice already, but since I didn't need a Monopod to extend from the Ground to Eye-Level, why not cut it shorter. All I needed was from the hip to Eye-Level. Modifying the Monopod I had was very simple. I slid the foam grip down and found 3 tiny screws. I removed the screws and the head came right off. I measured the length I wanted and cut the Monopod (basically in half). Reattached the Head on and that was pretty much it!!
I went from a 22" folded Monopod to about 10" inches. Now this item travels in Stealth no matter where I go and for the first time ever, I finally have a Monopod that fits inside a backpack. Can't beat that for 15 bucks......
Here's the exact Monopod I used in this video.
I had a quick release plate from a broken Tripod, but If you happen to find a cheap Monopod that does not come with a quick release plate, you can always buy one that attaches directly to standard Monopods such as the ones below.
Sample footage was uploaded at: http://cheesycam.com/?p=116
I'm not saying this DIy shoulder mount should be used with the new DSLR video cameras, but if you're rockin' a Canon HV20 / HV30 / Vixia HD camcorder or similiar sized cameras, this is a simple solution to getting great steady shots for under $20.00 dollars.
I was asked if I had any ideas for a cheap DIY Video camera shoulder support rig that was easy to put together and cheap.
Not recommended for heavy cameras, but for small consumer-cams, I think it's a great DIY Shoulder Mount Project.
Parts List:
Aluminum Flat bar (bend it to fit over the shoulder).
Foam insulation (used for shoulder padding)
Metal 'T' Bracket (combine this with the flat bar)
Handles (I used Jump rope handles because they already had an easy way to mount it to the bracket)
Black Appliance Epoxy paint (much stronger than acrylic)
A few nuts and bolts to hold everything in place.
I think you'll get the idea....
If you're using Canon DSLR's they also sell remotes that I believe may work with starting and stopping video recording.
If you're not a DIY person, check out this cheap Shoulder Support from eBay. Here's the product.
You can find the shoulder support from eBay by clicking this link, or the image below.
click image
