Homemade steadycam

Having a wide two handed grip is supposed to result in smooth camera movement. Based on the home made steadicam site I found on the web, I decided to build something similar for my Canon HV-30. The videocam shown on the site was much larger (and costly) than mine so I tried to make mine to match the HV-30 size but be lighter. The construction is all 3/4" PVC and mine is a combination of schedule 40 for stiffness and schedule 2000 for lightness.

The former is used in house plumbing and the thinner latter for lawn sprinklers (cheaper). Using all schedule 40 would have added to the weight. The web version used 120 degree elbows and looks more like a auto steering wheel. I opted for a simpler, lighter design using only 90 degree ells for direction changes. Using the 120 degree ells would have resulted in more weak joints in the rig. Having decided that basis, I started to figure out a layout, which required making a flat cardboard cutout of the camera profile with its open screen rather than use the 3D camera itself.

The mounting bolt is a critical length. The 1/4"-24 hex head bolts only come in half inch increments. But Canon warns that the HV-30 must not be mounted on a bolt extension of greater than 0.2 of an inch.  I soldered a 3/8" wing nut inside of the bolt I planned to use, in order to be able to mount the camera without a wrench. There are male plugs in each end of a pipe cross. I assembled the plugs and cross and then drilled a 1/4" hole through the combined assembly. That way the holes lined up perfectly for the bolt. A large washer is mounted on the bolt below the cross. With the bolt in the cross I figured out how many spacers and washers were need on the bolt at the bottom for the less than 0.2" projection. You can see this in the front and back views.

The PVC plugs are sold with a hollow depression on the outside. I used that factor to mount a nut on to the top of the bolt within this well, restraining how much the bolt could retract downward, and then super-glued on a top washer.

The steadicam pictured is quite stiff without camera vibrations, even though joints are currently uncemented !  I'm holding off until I'm satisfied this rig is final. For example, I added the vertical tee in the top piece to serve as a base for my shotgun mike or future lamp holder. Now I think I need a horizontal cross instead, which will also mean reducing the length of the horizontal pipes as the cross is larger than the tee. The sag in the top piece may be due to the fact that my PVC pipe cutter does not cut a true 90 degree edge, not that the sag affects the stiffness.

What don't I like about this rig? Once mounted in the rig, you can no longer one-hand the camera using the camera strap (Small loss). Changing a tape is just barely possible with the rig dimensions. Tight, but doable.The optical viewfinder is still usable, but I wish the Canon would have a tilt-up design. If anything, the 4-hr. battery size is more limiting than this rig.

Works for me! Good movement on horizontal or vertical axes. Lighter than the low weighted, hanging  steadicam models. After I use it a bit I'll let you know if I change my mind.