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DIY iPhone 4 steadycam rig is simple, awesome, cheap

By: , IntoMobile
Wednesday, July 21st, 2010 at 11:32 AM
Image showing the iPhone 4 DIY steadycam gimbal setup
Image showing the iPhone 4 DIY steadycam gimbal setup

So, say you’re stoked on your new iPhone 4 and the integrated 5-megapixel camera’s ability to shoot really high quality 720p HD video, but you just can’t seem to steady your caffeine-and-sugar fueled hands enough to record a decently smooth video clip. What do you do? Well, you can either buy an expensive steadycam rig or give up caffeine and sugar altogether, but we both know neither of those are viable options. Instead, why don’t you try your (shaky) hand at making your own DIY iPhone 4 steadycam rig out of about $30 worth of PVC pipe and some metallic odds and ends? You’re in luck because the latest homebrew mod for the new Apple smartphone isn’t some jailbreak app, it’s a really cool steadycam that simple, cheap, and effective.

Before you start doing this, though, you should probably make sure you really do want a steadycam for your iPhone. We find that holding the iPhone 4 with both hands can help steady the picture enough to satisfy grandma and grandpa’s need for high-quality video of our cat playing with a piece of string. But, if you’re looking to make some truly professional looking videos, a steadycam with a gimbal mount is probably a good idea.

If this project sounds like a bit too much for you, there are other DIY mods you can complete with very little effort or time. May we suggest you embark on one of those?

This DIY isn’t exactly a project that you can finish on your lunch break, but it’s not going to take up your entire weekend either. You’ll need to be comfortable with a drill and know your way around a hardware store. The video tutorial is only a few minutes long, so you might as well take a quick look and see if the DIY iPhone 4 steadycam is your cup of tea.

Check out the second video below to see how a gimbaled steadycam can turn your iPhone 4 into a true HD camcorder.

Note: this steadycam will work with pretty much any cameraphone – even the iPhone 3GS – depending on the phone mount you decide to use.

[Via: Make]

About The Author

Will Park

Will hails from The City of Angels - Los Angeles, California. He spends his time playing with his numerous gadgets and looking forward to seeing what future holds for mobile technology. An avid promoter of a fully "digital" life, he promotes the widespread adoption of truly mobile, paper-less living. He dreams of the day when he can go completely digital. No more snail mail, paper receipts, bound books, notepads/spiral notebooks, credit cards, hard currency. He's a digital warrior - fighting for the converged life. He is an idealist and a realist - he has a perfect view of what the world should be but knows that the world is not perfect. Can we ever hope to see Will's dream become reality? We'll see...

  • Dugg

    Squirrel!

  • dc310

    I'll pay $100 for one. I'm not good at building stuff.

  • @InTheBay

    Seriously? He's giving a fix for shakey cam problems, not how many frames can be pumped out of the phone. Enjoy the fix, if you want to drop a few grand of a camera, go for it.

  • modnar

    How is the gimbal attached to the 5/16" threaded rod?

  • bakdc

    The gimbal is attached to the threaded rod by inserting the threaded rod through the skateboard bearing with a nut and washer on each side. See the picture at the top of the article.

  • CASE42

    As a pro videographer, I would add that for best stabilization, you DON’T shift the center of gravity as far down as possible.  Instead, the center of gravity should be just about exactly, or maybe a tiny bit lower than the gimbal point.  Ideally, your steady-cam won’t rock when you thrust the device in any direction.  Having the center of gravity close to the bottom will cause a lot of rocking.  So, balance your device with the camera and all accessories attached – top to bottom at the gimbal, and left-right, front-back, as well.  It may take some time, but the results are well worth the effort.