Hi Marc,

That is cool. 8 )

Regards
Leigh

I saw this rig being used on the streets of LA years ago. Of course I went home and made one for myself (not commercially available at the time). It's a cool thing. You can also use it one-handed, and it's so simple to use that you can throw it in the hands of an actor if need be. Like a stabilizer, crane, dolly, this is just another tool in the arsenal. Does it replace a steadicam rig--heck no! But it also requires almost no training and is very cost effective. The FigRig is incredibly handy to have around, especially on multi-camera shoots where you've got a lot of different rigs happening at once. I've also used mine hanging from a jib (attached with a ball and socket at the top of the figrig). You can just grab the bottom of the thing and do pans and tilts and booms (within reach, of course). I think a lot of people look for one rig that will solve all of their shooting problems. Until that rig exists, don't count out the figrig so quickly: just add it to your garage full of equipment. Just my 2 cents.

Dan
www.dvcamerarigs.com

Very cool (and practical) Marc.
doug

So.......I'm still not sure where to go for portable stabilization. I'm essentially back to square one as I feel the Steadi JR is the best solution at the moment. I'd like to try the fig rig, but I fail to see how it can have the same smoothness as a counterbalanced system.......

That's it, I'm spending the weekend in my local junkyard ripping a stearing wheel off a 60's stationwagon.

A very neat idea, but I do agree that this would have limited usage. IMo. For doing that walking along like in the demo video, it rocked. I was hopeing that the price would be a little lower though.

I saw the FigRig on the Manfrotto site several weeks ago and was a little skeptical then after seeing this post today I decided to figure out a way to simulate the concept to see if it actually works. I took my DVRig Pro apart, ditched the weight and shoulder bracket, and put the camera mounting plate on it upside down so that the handles would stick up rather than down with the camera attached. I took it for a test drive this evening and I have to admit after a little practice it definitly is better than just hand holding, at least for me. I won't buy one since I have discovered a new mode for my DVRig but if I didn't have it I would consider the steering wheel FigRig thingy seriously.

Post a picture of that rig, I gota see it

Pics
 

http://www.glassdolphinvideo.com/temppics/MVC-473X.JPG
http://www.glassdolphinvideo.com/temppics/MVC-474X.JPG
http://www.glassdolphinvideo.com/temppics/MVC-475X.JPG
http://www.glassdolphinvideo.com/temppics/MVC-476X.JPG

What's that thing hanging under the camera mounting plate?
For US$300 there must surely be more to it than just a wheel with a flat metal strap welded to it.

* Duh! after seeing a video of the original model I guess it's a pistol grip albeit a small version

Yep, for what my little opinion counts, this 300 dollar tag is about 100 too high.

Will Manfrotto bring down the price of the Fig Rig?

$300 is too high.


$125-175 would be right.


$300 is too much.

After watching the footage and reading all the posts and also having seen it at NAB I'm inclined to state it is better than straight hand held due to the easier hand holds as well as the extra mass. There isn't any real stabilization involved that I can see other than that. It is an interesting item though and would be useful for those who do a lot of handheld shots and don't use a tripod or stabilizer. Anything that helps you take better shots is an improvement.

You wouldn't be able to do the amazing floating/flying shots that you can get with a gimbaled stabilizer. Not happening so the idea of calling it a stabilizer is a bit of a stretch. More like a camera utility mount. Some of the ideas are pretty good though.

Tery

Agreed, Terry. It's a bit of a cheeky move to appropriate the term "stabilizer" as it is traditionally used in the camera world. I'd call it a "brace" or "handheld mount"