My OperaComparison of high-end steadycams
Saturday, March 31, 2012 2:44:30 AM
Like a film maker, I am definitely desperate for any steadycam fitting my large camera, and meanwhile, with an inexpensive price tag. I checked ebay.com along with other sites, and observed some exciting facts as under:
Steadicam Tiffen Zephyr Camera Stabilizer with Vest
US $8,995.95
Payload - 24 lb (11kg)
Adjustable Iso-elastic Arm/Standard Vest
Dual-axis Vernier Adjustable Stage
Sled with Telescoping Centerpost
Conventional 7" LCD Keep track of
Knurled Gimbal Manage
Common Vest / AB Battery Mount
Docking Bracket / Dovetail Plate
BNC - RCA / RCA - BNC Adaptor
Steadicam Tiffen Scout Camera Stabilizer with Vest
US $6,995.95
Payload - 5 to 18 lb (2.three to eight kg)
Adjustable Iso-elastic Arm
Dual-axis Vernier Adjustable Stage
Camera Mounting Chassis/Removable Sled
Telescoping Centerpost (18.5-32")
Active Matrix 16:9/4:three Colour LCD Monitor
Delrin Knurled Gimbal Deal with
Standard Vest / V-Lock Battery Mount
Docking Bracket / Dovetail Plate
BNC - RCA / RCA - BNC Adaptor
Flycam Professional 7000
$3116.57
Excess weight: 27.95kg
HIGHLIGHTS OF FLYCAM-7000 STABILIZER:-
Carbon Fiber Sled
Telescopic publish - Sled optimum extends upto 115cm
Top rated & Bottom Junction Box for DC & AV in/out
Top-Bottom Junction Box joined with coiled cable inside Carbon Fiber Sled
DC & AV cable with Connectors for camera, keep track of & battery.
V-Mount Battery Mount Plate
Universal Head enables Fine balancing.
Gimbal
Wondlan Leopard II Deluxe
$3485.26
Load capacity: 13-33 lbs
Construction: Carbon fiber & aluminum
Adjustable Carbon fiber sled with Telescoping Centerpost (980mm Max)
Standard Vest with metal clasp; Adjustable and Dual Iso-elastic Arm
Knurled Gimbal Take care of; Quick release & Docking bracket
Standard Battery Mount / V-Mount Battery Mount Plate
BNC - RCA / RCA - BNC Adaptor
three Interfaces: Power, HDMI & AV with coiled cable inside Carbon Fiber Sled
7" LCD Keep track of
Glidecam x22
$7,900.00
Glidecam X-22 Support Arm
Glidecam Support Vest
Glidecam X-22 Support Sled
Docking Bracket
Arm Post, Hardware and Operations Manual.
(C-Stand not included.)
Glidecam Gold Series
$26,390.00- $27,385.00
The Glidecam Gold System is a professional body-mounted camera stabilization system designed for cameras weighing from 13 to 38 pounds.
The first two that caught my attention was NEW Steadicam Tiffen Zephyr Camera Stabilizer with Vest and NEW Steadicam Tiffen Zephyr Camera Stabilizer with Vest, bearing 24lbs and 5-18lbs, worth $8,995.95 and $6,995.95, they seem to be high-quality products, but the prices are a bit too higher for me. The next is Flycam Pro 7000, bearing cameras up to 33lbs, cost $3116.57, but it's too heavy, weighting 27.95kg, the other two Flycam products - Flycam Pro 6000 and Flycam Magic 6000 have the same shortcoming, and someone said on the internet that "To be completely honest, the Flycam is a piece of Bantha Poo Doo... It's poorly made, made in india by the looks of it, the same company that makes the fake 35mm adapter that look stunningly like the REdrock adapters... cause they just copied the parts and resold it." Then I found Wondlan Leopard II, but it can only carry 16.5 lbs of cameras, but later I got to know that its latest Leopard II Deluxe can carry 13 to 33 lbs, and cost only $3485.26. My friend also told me that Glidecam Gold System has a load capacity of 13 to 38 lbs, but the cost is too steep, from $26,390.00 to $27,385.00; besides, it's weird that on their site its "gold arm" has been marked discontinued, and another Steadycam I located was Varizoom, which has less load capacity but higher price - $5499. So I think the new Leopard II Deluxe will be my best choice. Here is a comparison chart of the above products:
Steadicam (Steadycam/Camera Stabilizer) Quick Comparison Chart
Max Load capacity
(Camera Weight) Weight Price
Tiffen Zephyr 24 lbs (11kg) (unknown) $8,995.95
Tiffen Scout 18 lbs (8kg) (unknown) $6,995.95
Flycam Pro 7000 33lbs (15kg) 27.95kg $3,116.57
Glidecam x22 25 lbs (11kg) 12kg $7,900.00
Glidecam Gold Series 38 lbs (17kg) (unknown) $26,390 ~ $27,385
Wondlan Leopard II (Regular) 16.5lbs (7.4kg) 11kg $2,438
Wondlan Leopard II (Deluxe) 33lbs ( 15kg) 12.9kg $3,485
Varizoom Vzblackha wkab 25 lbs (11.2kg) 11.4kg $5,499
Steadicam Tiffen Zephyr Camera Stabilizer with Vest
US $8,995.95
Payload - 24 lb (11kg)
Adjustable Iso-elastic Arm/Standard Vest
Dual-axis Vernier Adjustable Stage
Sled with Telescoping Centerpost
Conventional 7" LCD Keep track of
Knurled Gimbal Manage
Common Vest / AB Battery Mount
Docking Bracket / Dovetail Plate
BNC - RCA / RCA - BNC Adaptor
Steadicam Tiffen Scout Camera Stabilizer with Vest
US $6,995.95
Payload - 5 to 18 lb (2.three to eight kg)
Adjustable Iso-elastic Arm
Dual-axis Vernier Adjustable Stage
Camera Mounting Chassis/Removable Sled
Telescoping Centerpost (18.5-32")
Active Matrix 16:9/4:three Colour LCD Monitor
Delrin Knurled Gimbal Deal with
Standard Vest / V-Lock Battery Mount
Docking Bracket / Dovetail Plate
BNC - RCA / RCA - BNC Adaptor
Flycam Professional 7000
$3116.57
Excess weight: 27.95kg
HIGHLIGHTS OF FLYCAM-7000 STABILIZER:-
Carbon Fiber Sled
Telescopic publish - Sled optimum extends upto 115cm
Top rated & Bottom Junction Box for DC & AV in/out
Top-Bottom Junction Box joined with coiled cable inside Carbon Fiber Sled
DC & AV cable with Connectors for camera, keep track of & battery.
V-Mount Battery Mount Plate
Universal Head enables Fine balancing.
Gimbal
Wondlan Leopard II Deluxe
$3485.26
Load capacity: 13-33 lbs
Construction: Carbon fiber & aluminum
Adjustable Carbon fiber sled with Telescoping Centerpost (980mm Max)
Standard Vest with metal clasp; Adjustable and Dual Iso-elastic Arm
Knurled Gimbal Take care of; Quick release & Docking bracket
Standard Battery Mount / V-Mount Battery Mount Plate
BNC - RCA / RCA - BNC Adaptor
three Interfaces: Power, HDMI & AV with coiled cable inside Carbon Fiber Sled
7" LCD Keep track of
Glidecam x22
$7,900.00
Glidecam X-22 Support Arm
Glidecam Support Vest
Glidecam X-22 Support Sled
Docking Bracket
Arm Post, Hardware and Operations Manual.
(C-Stand not included.)
Glidecam Gold Series
$26,390.00- $27,385.00
The Glidecam Gold System is a professional body-mounted camera stabilization system designed for cameras weighing from 13 to 38 pounds.
The first two that caught my attention was NEW Steadicam Tiffen Zephyr Camera Stabilizer with Vest and NEW Steadicam Tiffen Zephyr Camera Stabilizer with Vest, bearing 24lbs and 5-18lbs, worth $8,995.95 and $6,995.95, they seem to be high-quality products, but the prices are a bit too higher for me. The next is Flycam Pro 7000, bearing cameras up to 33lbs, cost $3116.57, but it's too heavy, weighting 27.95kg, the other two Flycam products - Flycam Pro 6000 and Flycam Magic 6000 have the same shortcoming, and someone said on the internet that "To be completely honest, the Flycam is a piece of Bantha Poo Doo... It's poorly made, made in india by the looks of it, the same company that makes the fake 35mm adapter that look stunningly like the REdrock adapters... cause they just copied the parts and resold it." Then I found Wondlan Leopard II, but it can only carry 16.5 lbs of cameras, but later I got to know that its latest Leopard II Deluxe can carry 13 to 33 lbs, and cost only $3485.26. My friend also told me that Glidecam Gold System has a load capacity of 13 to 38 lbs, but the cost is too steep, from $26,390.00 to $27,385.00; besides, it's weird that on their site its "gold arm" has been marked discontinued, and another Steadycam I located was Varizoom, which has less load capacity but higher price - $5499. So I think the new Leopard II Deluxe will be my best choice. Here is a comparison chart of the above products:
Steadicam (Steadycam/Camera Stabilizer) Quick Comparison Chart
Max Load capacity
(Camera Weight) Weight Price
Tiffen Zephyr 24 lbs (11kg) (unknown) $8,995.95
Tiffen Scout 18 lbs (8kg) (unknown) $6,995.95
Flycam Pro 7000 33lbs (15kg) 27.95kg $3,116.57
Glidecam x22 25 lbs (11kg) 12kg $7,900.00
Glidecam Gold Series 38 lbs (17kg) (unknown) $26,390 ~ $27,385
Wondlan Leopard II (Regular) 16.5lbs (7.4kg) 11kg $2,438
Wondlan Leopard II (Deluxe) 33lbs ( 15kg) 12.9kg $3,485
Varizoom Vzblackha wkab 25 lbs (11.2kg) 11.4kg $5,499
