[clug] Re: OT: digital cameras / 'steadicam'

[Ellis]

In his recent message Alex raises a topic that has recently got my mental
juices flowing: camera stabilisation, and a simple answer to video camera
stabilisation when on the move, aka "steadycam".

There was a /.  link several weeks/months ago to a simple, home-made
steadycam. However, it occured to me that an even simpler way of handling
the situatin was to attach a weight to the bottom of the inevitable tripod
that has been left folded up. A single diving belt weight, or similar mass
(~1.5kg) of what ever is at hand, does the job quite well. Then just hold
the tripod firmly but 'flexibly' near the top just under the camera: it's a
similar grip to that used by drummers for their sticks. The tripod head
handle might even be obvious. The camera arm must be allowed to 'float',
too, so that it somewhat absorbs the motion.

This arrangement allow the camera to 'float' through the scene much like the
$??k professional steadycam units with their counterweights, spring and
pully arrangements, etc.

Peter

Date: Sun, 13 Jun 2004 10:37:05 +1000
From: Alex Satrapa <grail at goldweb.com.au>
Subject: [long] Re: [clug] OT: digital cameras
To: clug <linux at samba.org>
Message-ID: <CBA4D356-BCD1-11D8-8AB5-0050E4C03462 at goldweb.com.au>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

[snip]
I have to wonder about the utility of anything higher than 6x optical
zoom. At 4x optical zoom, the shaking of your hands makes impossible to
take a sharp, focussed photo without the assistance of a tripod. I've
not yet seen a digital image stabiliser that works - but at least the
Panasonic has good quality optics, so the lack of focus/image quality
will be entirely attributable to the shaking hand and the image
stabilising software.