What is a steadicam ? - Anna Hester

What is a steadicam ?

A Steadicam is a stabilizer that you mount cameras on. It mechanically isolates it from the operators movement, creating smooth shots - even when moving quickly over an uneven surface. It was invented by cameraman Garrett Brown and was introduced in 1975.

These are the three major elements of a professional steadicam :

1. An articulated, iso-elastic arm
2. A specialized sled that holds the camera equipment
3. A supportive vest

In the diagram, you can see how these elements come together. The camera, along with a battery and a monitor, are positioned on the sled. The sled is attached to the articulated arm, which is attached to the vest. The arm and vest configuration works to isolate the camera from the body of the cameraman. The sled's job is to provide optimum balance for the camera.


For our music video we will be using a steadicam to create theses smooth movements, rather than having amateur tracking footage that shakes and wobbles as you move. Although the cost of a professional steadicam is out of our budget, so we settled on a handheld one that does just the same as one you may find on a movie set. Here is what ours looks like ...