spider brace at DVinfo.net

Alex Boojor · December 5th, 2005, 03:00 PM

i am considering perchasing some kind of support device for my, beloved pd 170.
got intrested in couple of prouducts, but this one some how looks the best for what i need and plus the price is dirt cheap (considering).
the things i wanted to ask is:
1. is it any good
2. is there any better prouduct that i should consider purchesing

p.s
i manly do event videography work

http://www.spiderbrace.com/

Richard Zlamany · December 5th, 2005, 03:41 PM

Hello, I am using this brace with a modification to the handle. It works well.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...goryNavigation

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...102Abs2rNo3asV

Richard Zlamany · December 5th, 2005, 03:46 PM

I use the pd170 with it and a plate for quick transfer to the tripod. I thought about the spiderbrace but it looked too big and I didn't like the 2 handles.

Richard Zlamany · December 5th, 2005, 03:53 PM

It is possible to use this brace with the plate to a tripod and connect right to the tripod with the brace with the camera connected.

My edit post button doesn't work so I am just posting again.

Alex Boojor · December 5th, 2005, 04:30 PM

intresting, i am a bit apprehensive about buying a shoulder support thingy. becuase i am woried it would complicat the prosses of foucus/zoom control, so it seems that youer moded brace will work better than the spider.
i got a couple questions tho:
1. are the footage shaky if you use the brace while on the move?
2.while the brace is on youer shoulder, does the eye piece reach youer eye propolly?
3.will you sell me youer moded brace, to me?:)

Richard Zlamany · December 5th, 2005, 04:55 PM

The brace is easy to make. The footage is great. The handle is long so it can rest on my belly. This technique gives both hands freedom although I try keep at least one hand on camera or brace. I use the brace with the LCD screen open and I can not use the viewfinder.

This is how I made it. My girlfriend gave me the idea. I used the inner tube from a saran wrap roll and wrapped it in black tape. The saran wrap tube is stronger than most roll tubes. This made a long handle that fits over the short handle spongy grip tightly.

I then added the bogen 577 plate which costs as much as the brace so I can transfer the pd170 to bogen 503 faster.

The brace connects to the tripod but the modified handle bumps into my legs making it useless.

Duane Smith · December 5th, 2005, 08:21 PM

I have a Spiderbrace 2, and I absolutely LOVE it. :-)

The two-handed use is specifically *WHY* I choose the Spiderbrace (besides the absurdly-low price); since I do 'run-and-gun' outdoor shooting, I can't rely on a tripod...just don't have the time to set one up every few minutes, all day long. So the Spiderbrace turns ME into a tripod. I run, stabilize myself, shoot, and then run off to the next shot. The TWO handed use allows me get exceptionally stable 'braced' shots, compared to the pure hand-held work I was shooting before.

Since I'm usually out running around for 8 to 10 hours on a shoot, I needed something lightweight. I couldn't even fathom lugging around a true stabilizer setup (like a Glidecam, or something) because of the weight. And besides, since I didn't need to get 'steadycam-style' walking shots, the extra weight of a stabilizer was pointless. But since the Spiderbrace is made out of ultra-lightweight PVC, it didn't add enought weight to my camera setup to even matter. At first, I thought the PVC was kinda chinchy, but after using it in the field I realized that the huge advantage of having a lightweight setup.

The Spiderbrace has two mounting screws, so you can choose whichever best lines the camera up with your eye. My viewfinder is aligned perfectly with my eye in my setup--YMMV, of course.

Granted, you pretty much HAVE to use both hands with the Spiderbrace; if you take one hand off, your camera will drastically lose balance, so if you need to be able to control zoom/focus, then invest in a lens controller and put it on one of the handles. Heck, as much money as you'll save buying the Spiderbrace, you should be able to afford a zoom controller. The Varizoom 'VZ STEALTH' model is only $189 at B&H:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search

2¢

Alex Boojor · December 6th, 2005, 07:38 AM

thnx for the info Duane, wich camera do you use with it?

Tim Borek · December 6th, 2005, 09:44 AM

I've been using a Spider Brace 2 with my Panasonic DVC80 since July, and I'm very pleased with it. What made my rig complete is the Libec ZC-3DV zoom controller, a steal for only $99. I've used it both for taping bands in nightclubs and wedding receptions. (Tip: Use a tripod for toasts at receptions because some people will inevitably speak for a long time, and fatigue will set in and make the shot a big shaky.) The Spider Brace 2 is not perfect, but it has improved my handheld footage tenfold.

Do not buy the Spider Brace if your goal is smooth motion shots while walking. It's not designed for that kind of stabilization, just to take the big shakes out of footage you normally get using only your bare hands. It reduces fatigue by transfering a lot of the camera weight to your shoulder and distributing the rest between your two arms.

Bill Ball · December 6th, 2005, 11:17 AM

I use the SpiderBrace 2 with my Gl-2 and a $35 lanc controller and it works great as a simple stabilizer. Having the two handed grip makes a big difference in stability compared to a single handed design. I also own the Glidecam and the SpiderBrace gets used a lot more. The SpiderBace is not set up to mount directly on a tripod.

Dan Euritt · December 6th, 2005, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex Boojor

intresting, i am a bit apprehensive about buying a shoulder support thingy. becuase i am woried it would complicat the prosses of foucus/zoom control

that's why i went with the steady stick instead of the spider brace... both hands are free, and you don't need to buy a remote control box.

i don't believe that there is any easy way to switch it over to a tripod, but i haven't investigated the issue... there could also be a problem if you are less than ~5'10" or so tall, depending on the camera used with it, as the stick itself is a bit too long.

Duane Smith · December 7th, 2005, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex Boojor

thnx for the info Duane, wich camera do you use with it?

Sony DSR-PDX10

It's a small camera (as far as big, non-consumer cams go), which works well with my 'keep the rig light' line-of-thinking.

December 5th, 2005, 03:00 PM	#1
Alex Boojor New Boot Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 10	spider brace i am considering perchasing some kind of support device for my, beloved pd 170. got intrested in couple of prouducts, but this one some how looks the best for what i need and plus the price is dirt cheap (considering). the things i wanted to ask is: 1. is it any good 2. is there any better prouduct that i should consider purchesing p.s i manly do event videography work http://www.spiderbrace.com/

December 6th, 2005, 09:44 AM	#9
Tim Borek Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Westfield, IN Posts: 353	I concur with Duane! I've been using a Spider Brace 2 with my Panasonic DVC80 since July, and I'm very pleased with it. What made my rig complete is the Libec ZC-3DV zoom controller, a steal for only $99. I've used it both for taping bands in nightclubs and wedding receptions. (Tip: Use a tripod for toasts at receptions because some people will inevitably speak for a long time, and fatigue will set in and make the shot a big shaky.) The Spider Brace 2 is not perfect, but it has improved my handheld footage tenfold. Do not buy the Spider Brace if your goal is smooth motion shots while walking. It's not designed for that kind of stabilization, just to take the big shakes out of footage you normally get using only your bare hands. It reduces fatigue by transfering a lot of the camera weight to your shoulder and distributing the rest between your two arms.

December 5th, 2005, 03:41 PM	#2
Richard Zlamany Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Hamden CT Posts: 470	Hello, I am using this brace with a modification to the handle. It works well. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...goryNavigation http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...102Abs2rNo3asV

December 5th, 2005, 03:46 PM	#3
Richard Zlamany Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Hamden CT Posts: 470	I use the pd170 with it and a plate for quick transfer to the tripod. I thought about the spiderbrace but it looked too big and I didn't like the 2 handles.

December 5th, 2005, 03:53 PM	#4
Richard Zlamany Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Hamden CT Posts: 470	It is possible to use this brace with the plate to a tripod and connect right to the tripod with the brace with the camera connected. My edit post button doesn't work so I am just posting again.

December 5th, 2005, 04:30 PM	#5
Alex Boojor New Boot Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 10	intresting, i am a bit apprehensive about buying a shoulder support thingy. becuase i am woried it would complicat the prosses of foucus/zoom control, so it seems that youer moded brace will work better than the spider. i got a couple questions tho: 1. are the footage shaky if you use the brace while on the move? 2.while the brace is on youer shoulder, does the eye piece reach youer eye propolly? 3.will you sell me youer moded brace, to me?:)

December 5th, 2005, 04:55 PM	#6
Richard Zlamany Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Hamden CT Posts: 470	The brace is easy to make. The footage is great. The handle is long so it can rest on my belly. This technique gives both hands freedom although I try keep at least one hand on camera or brace. I use the brace with the LCD screen open and I can not use the viewfinder. This is how I made it. My girlfriend gave me the idea. I used the inner tube from a saran wrap roll and wrapped it in black tape. The saran wrap tube is stronger than most roll tubes. This made a long handle that fits over the short handle spongy grip tightly. I then added the bogen 577 plate which costs as much as the brace so I can transfer the pd170 to bogen 503 faster. The brace connects to the tripod but the modified handle bumps into my legs making it useless.

December 5th, 2005, 08:21 PM	#7
Duane Smith Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 234	I have a Spiderbrace 2, and I absolutely LOVE it. :-) The two-handed use is specifically WHY I choose the Spiderbrace (besides the absurdly-low price); since I do 'run-and-gun' outdoor shooting, I can't rely on a tripod...just don't have the time to set one up every few minutes, all day long. So the Spiderbrace turns ME into a tripod. I run, stabilize myself, shoot, and then run off to the next shot. The TWO handed use allows me get exceptionally stable 'braced' shots, compared to the pure hand-held work I was shooting before. Since I'm usually out running around for 8 to 10 hours on a shoot, I needed something lightweight. I couldn't even fathom lugging around a true stabilizer setup (like a Glidecam, or something) because of the weight. And besides, since I didn't need to get 'steadycam-style' walking shots, the extra weight of a stabilizer was pointless. But since the Spiderbrace is made out of ultra-lightweight PVC, it didn't add enought weight to my camera setup to even matter. At first, I thought the PVC was kinda chinchy, but after using it in the field I realized that the huge advantage of having a lightweight setup. The Spiderbrace has two mounting screws, so you can choose whichever best lines the camera up with your eye. My viewfinder is aligned perfectly with my eye in my setup--YMMV, of course. Granted, you pretty much HAVE to use both hands with the Spiderbrace; if you take one hand off, your camera will drastically lose balance, so if you need to be able to control zoom/focus, then invest in a lens controller and put it on one of the handles. Heck, as much money as you'll save buying the Spiderbrace, you should be able to afford a zoom controller. The Varizoom 'VZ STEALTH' model is only $189 at B&H: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search 2¢

December 6th, 2005, 07:38 AM	#8
Alex Boojor New Boot Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 10	thnx for the info Duane, wich camera do you use with it?

December 6th, 2005, 11:17 AM	#10
Bill Ball Major Player Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: NEW JERSEY Posts: 216	I use the SpiderBrace 2 with my Gl-2 and a $35 lanc controller and it works great as a simple stabilizer. Having the two handed grip makes a big difference in stability compared to a single handed design. I also own the Glidecam and the SpiderBrace gets used a lot more. The SpiderBace is not set up to mount directly on a tripod.