For Sale: Ken-Lab GYRO-STABILIZER, KS-4 (not the little KS-2), with
4-hour power supply and charger, M-, $1690 (recent checkout and
refurbish by Ken-Lab, little used since). This is a unique device
that allows for longer hand-held exposures than would otherwise be possible. It is very useful when the platform you are on is not
steady (top of ladder, boat, car, plane, helicopter), or the camera
is just plain awkward to hand-hold (Rollei twin-lens, etc.), or the
lens is light but too long and slow to hand-hold easily (mirror
lenses). It is also useful for hand-holding when a tripod would be awkward to place, or would not be permitted (as in some museums).
The stabilizer is a cylinder about 5" long and 2 1/2" in diameter
that attaches to the camera or lens witha 1/4" tripod screw. The cylinder contains two gyros that spin about 20,000rpm at right
angles to each other. These STRONGLY resist turning in any direction
away from the lens axis (except rotation, which is the easiest direction
to resist by hand). A power supply consisting of a 12 volt gel-cell
and a converter for 400 volts AC is attached to the stabilizer by a detachable coiled cord (the gyro takes about 20 minutes to run down
after the power is disconnected, so brief cordless operation is
possible). This is a great device, but my work does not support
owning it. If it does not sell (it will be in this month's Shutterbug), I can probably make its cost back by renting it. If interested, please contact d_ruether@hotmail.com Thanks.