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]