Sadly, our DIY stabilizer is just not cutting it anymore. We are looking to upgrade to either a Merlin or Glidecam HD2000..the cam would either have a 17-50mm 2.8 lens or 30mm 1.4 lens attached to it.
Both stabilizers have a the same amount of reviews and rating (4.5 / 5 stars) on the B&H site

Your thoughts and user feedback is certainly most appreciated...

Thanks!

Kren

GC or similar, I’ve flown both, sled based units are easier to balance/operate plus you'll have a chance to mount small monitor and a battery as a counterweight on the sled, you'll love it, even though 60D has flip LCD, when I fly it on pilot or my hanheld unit, 99% of a time I use stabilizer monitor.

Tiffen Steadicam Merlin 2 CheesyCam (http://cheesycam.com/tag/tiffen-steadicam-merlin-2/) might be worth waiting for.

Of course, everyone has their own preferences for different reasons; but for use with my 60D and my 5D, I've had great luck with the Blackbird from Camera Motion Handheld Camera Stabilizer - Blackbird, GS2 - Camera Motion Research (http://www.camotionllc.com/)

Charles

I have great reviews about the blackbird wish I could try it in the UK!

I went with the glidecam. Sled option does one particular shoot a lot easier, which is the one where the camera is pointed at the ceiling and then drops to your subject. On the merlin, you are holding onto the gimble and I don't know how you do that move. Also, you can do a 360 move on the sled and not on the merlin.

The other reason I went with the glidcam is because its similar to what a professional steadycam operator uses (with a vest, etc). So better to get used to a sled mount. Plus the ability to add a monitor down the road is nice.