With "handy-cam" style camcorders I've tried shoulder mounts,

"gun-stock" mounts, side-handles, bottom handles, tripods,

monopods, belt-pods, and some combinations. Favorites for

"hand-held" work: side-handle for convenience, belt-pod or

shoulder mount for steadiness, and the combination for best

results (or a *good* tripod for ultimate steadiness, but with

the lowest convenience, of course...). Least-favorite: monopod

(shaky picture for me - worse than nothing since it also restricts

intended tilt movements without providing much advantage for

steadying those same movement directions, while providing

no side-rotation stability aid at all), and bottom-handle (all the

weight is above, making for little aid in stability). With light

cameras with the shoulder-mount, it is necessary to add rear

weight (undesirable) or bungee the rear to a belt (awkward)

to keep the rig from lifting off a shoulder, but this can work well.

The belt pod offers good stability in all directions, especially if

a side-handle is added to the camera. The side-handle alone

does help some, though. Gyro stabilizers made for still

cameras are too noisy and can introduce vibration, and other

stabilizing platform devices are too heavy and awkward to use.

Anyone tried Steadymove Pro software (www.steadymove.com)?

--

David Ruether

d_ruether@hotmail.com

http://www.David-Ruether-Photography.com

"The Surge!" <surge672@yahoo.com> wrote in message

news:b18c4e76.0404080850.3a6232e6@posting.google.com...

> Yes, a lot of people have suggested the monopod route. The shoulder

> mount things has me intrigued at the moment.

>

> Any thoughts on which would be better for both outdoor videography and

> indoor attractions?

>

> Steve

> > You might want to consider a monopod. Some of them are really compact, and

> > almost as steady as a tripod - at least it would be better than hand-holding

> > the camera. Of course it wouldn't have anything like a fluid head, but

> > they're allowed in a lot of places where a tripod isn't or where a tripod

> > just wouldn't be practical. They will even help stabilize the camera for

> > walking shots - not as well as a steadicam, but hey. They can also be used

> > in a theater (assuming videotaping is allowed at all) by clamping it between

> > your knees.