Levelcam at DVinfo.net

Laurence Kingston · September 1st, 2007, 12:47 AM

Is anyone using one of these?

http://www.levelcam.com

It looks at least as good as a Fig Rig

Fredric Savard · September 1st, 2007, 11:00 AM

Hi laurence,

Yes you have right the levelcam it is in the same range of the fig rig

if you want a good stability and fluide mouvement you need a system
with a three axis gimbal for isolated the mouvement of your body, and if you have a good budjet go with a complete system sled, arm ,and vest, the arm absorbe your walk and support the sled.

You can always look for a gyrostabiliser but the price is hi
http://www.ken-lab.com/stabilizers.html

Greeting!
Frédéric Savard
www.fsprostab.com

Peter Ralph · September 2nd, 2007, 07:23 PM

ha

a year or two back I hired a guy to shoot a wedding with me. He had 2 cams a shoulder mount and a pd150. Asked me which one to use - I said whichever can go from tripod to steady handheld fastest. OK he said - I'll buy a breadboard and use the pd150.

He shows up at the wedding with a pd150 attached to a breadboard and a tripod qr plate underneath. Worked great. The guy was Tim Nixon who I now see is inventor of levelcam

Now you know the rest of the story.

- Tim did a great job for me with his proto-levelcam - the great thing about the unit is that there is no set-up time - you go to and from the tripod as quickly with the levelcam as without it, and you do get steadier shots. Personally shooting run and gun I prefer both hands on the camera all the time, but if you can live without that then the unit is a winner.

Laurence Kingston · September 4th, 2007, 02:02 PM

Well I ordered one today. I'll post here what I think of it after I get it and try it out.

Bill Grant · October 8th, 2007, 07:34 AM

I just got one as well. I've tested it a little, and I used it at a wedding this past weekend. I'll let you eknow how that turns out. Here's my test footage... not the greatest but first try and certainly better than handheld...
Bill

www.grantphotovideo.com/levelcamtest.wmv

Andy Tejral · February 17th, 2008, 03:52 AM

Hey, I just saw the review in DV magazine.

What do you owners think about this thing after using it some time?

Laurence Kingston · February 17th, 2008, 09:24 AM

Side to side shaking is helped greatly but I get a lot of up and down shaking with it compared to my Spiderbrace.

Andy Tejral · February 17th, 2008, 01:33 PM

I've got this Steadicam JR staring me in the face. I've had it forever without really using it--I found it extremely difficult to use with my VX-1000.

But now I've got one of these tiny hv20s, which is impossible to hand hold.

So I'm trying to decide whether I should attempt to mount the Steadicam--it was hard enough with a known starting point or just get a device like this levelcam.

Maybe I'll mess with that today...

Terry Thompson · February 18th, 2008, 11:14 PM

Andy,

They are different animals. The JR has a true three-axis gimbal in a clever form. It can deliver a very good shot once you know how to use it. The other systems, while better than handheld, can't offer the same isolation from your body that a full gimble system can. You can even mount the JR on a support arm (Steadicams or ours) which can make longer shots much better and easier.

Tery
Indicam

September 1st, 2007, 12:47 AM	#1
Laurence Kingston Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Clermont, FL. Posts: 941	Levelcam Is anyone using one of these? http://www.levelcam.com It looks at least as good as a Fig Rig

September 2nd, 2007, 07:23 PM	#3
Peter Ralph Major Player Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Denver/Vail Colorado Posts: 254	ha a year or two back I hired a guy to shoot a wedding with me. He had 2 cams a shoulder mount and a pd150. Asked me which one to use - I said whichever can go from tripod to steady handheld fastest. OK he said - I'll buy a breadboard and use the pd150. He shows up at the wedding with a pd150 attached to a breadboard and a tripod qr plate underneath. Worked great. The guy was Tim Nixon who I now see is inventor of levelcam Now you know the rest of the story. - Tim did a great job for me with his proto-levelcam - the great thing about the unit is that there is no set-up time - you go to and from the tripod as quickly with the levelcam as without it, and you do get steadier shots. Personally shooting run and gun I prefer both hands on the camera all the time, but if you can live without that then the unit is a winner. Last edited by Peter Ralph; September 2nd, 2007 at 09:22 PM.

February 17th, 2008, 03:52 AM	#6
Andy Tejral Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: New York City Posts: 523	Hey, I just saw the review in DV magazine. What do you owners think about this thing after using it some time? __________________ Andy Tejral Railroad Videographer

February 17th, 2008, 01:33 PM	#8
Andy Tejral Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: New York City Posts: 523	I've got this Steadicam JR staring me in the face. I've had it forever without really using it--I found it extremely difficult to use with my VX-1000. But now I've got one of these tiny hv20s, which is impossible to hand hold. So I'm trying to decide whether I should attempt to mount the Steadicam--it was hard enough with a known starting point or just get a device like this levelcam. Maybe I'll mess with that today... __________________ Andy Tejral Railroad Videographer

February 18th, 2008, 11:14 PM	#9
Terry Thompson Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Auburn, CA Posts: 578	Andy, They are different animals. The JR has a true three-axis gimbal in a clever form. It can deliver a very good shot once you know how to use it. The other systems, while better than handheld, can't offer the same isolation from your body that a full gimble system can. You can even mount the JR on a support arm (Steadicams or ours) which can make longer shots much better and easier. Tery Indicam __________________ He's only mostly sDEADy. sort of from "The Princess Bride" www.indicam.com

September 1st, 2007, 11:00 AM	#2
Fredric Savard New Boot Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 13	Hi laurence, Yes you have right the levelcam it is in the same range of the fig rig if you want a good stability and fluide mouvement you need a system with a three axis gimbal for isolated the mouvement of your body, and if you have a good budjet go with a complete system sled, arm ,and vest, the arm absorbe your walk and support the sled. You can always look for a gyrostabiliser but the price is hi http://www.ken-lab.com/stabilizers.html Greeting! Frédéric Savard www.fsprostab.com

September 4th, 2007, 02:02 PM	#4
Laurence Kingston Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Clermont, FL. Posts: 941	Well I ordered one today. I'll post here what I think of it after I get it and try it out.

October 8th, 2007, 07:34 AM	#5
Bill Grant Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: Columbia,SC Posts: 806	I just got one as well. I've tested it a little, and I used it at a wedding this past weekend. I'll let you eknow how that turns out. Here's my test footage... not the greatest but first try and certainly better than handheld... Bill www.grantphotovideo.com/levelcamtest.wmv

February 17th, 2008, 09:24 AM	#7
Laurence Kingston Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Clermont, FL. Posts: 941	Side to side shaking is helped greatly but I get a lot of up and down shaking with it compared to my Spiderbrace.