Tracking shots add movement and energy to all movies, both amateur and professional. To generate steady, crisp and clear tracking shots, a camera operator needs to use a steady cam. Though they can be expensive, steady cams are not limited to professionals with exorbitant amounts of cash. You can build a high-quality steady cam with basic parts for less than $20.
Instructions
1. Attach and tighten the T-Joint to the end of one of your metal pipes. Secure the pipe in a vise and use a wrench to tighten the T-Joint. This pipe will act as the handle for your steady cam.
2. Drill a 1/4-inch hole into the middle of the tops of each end cap. Secure the caps in your vise before drilling.
3. Put a lock washer on a bolt and thread the bolt through the 1/4-inch hole on one of your end caps, so that the bolt sticks out of the top of the end cap.
4. Put another lock washer on the end of the bolt sticking outside of the cap, then secure the bolt in place with a machine nut -- tightening it in your vise.
5. Dent the center of your washer by placing it over the hole in your counterbalancing weight, then place your remaining bolt head down on the center point of your washer -- then hammer the bottom of the bolt like a nail. This will cause the washer to dent down, creating concavity in the washer.
6. Place the washer over the end of the bolt sticking out of the end cap, with the concave side facing up . Secure it with a wing nut -- this will create the attachment end for your camera.
7. Thread your remaining items in the order they are listed. Washer, weight, washer, top of end cap and lock washer. Secure the items with a machine nut. This will create the counterweight to balance your camera.
8. Attach the camera attachment end cap to one of your remaining pipes (making the camera mount pipe) and then attach the counterweight end cap to the other remaining pipe (making the counterweight pipe).
9. Screw the camera mount pipe and the counterweight pipe into each of the attachment holes of the T-Joint at the end of the handle.
10. Attach a camera to the camera mount by screwing the tripod attachment to the 1/4 inch bolt sticking out of the camera mount end cap.
Tags: camera mount, bolt sticking, lock washer, your remaining, 4-inch hole, Attach camera