Camera Stabilizer

For the sake of posterity and after finding this old write up in an old box of junk, I wanted to scan everything as is.  I still have this full camera system in a foot locker and the only thing wrong with it today is the spring system I used.  Perhaps it would be a fun project to return to and rebuild someday.  I could see rigging up my DSLR with a view screen at the bottom and would just need a better spring replacement. 

This project was something I built in High School (Class of 1999). It was mostly built in metal shop class, but I also drafted plans in CAD class and I took what I learned from an earlier home economics class to stitch the vest at home.   One of my teachers was so impressed with the results he had me enter the Division 1 – High School Projects for The James F. Lincoln Arc Welding Foundation which is what the write up was for.  I received a Merit Award which was cool and came in at 4th place. 

I know there are some cool DIY camera gimbals these days that can be built for very little money and time. There is something nostalgic for me with this DIY knockoff. Maybe it’s the fact I was thinking about getting into videography but never pursued it.  But I did get to build a DIY 3 point lighting systemthat was fun.

These pictures are from 1999. Wow time flies!   🙂