The Pro Camera Carbon Stabilizer from CAME-TV is a handheld stabilizer that can hold cameras of up to 26 lb. The included monitor bracket is height-adjustable and flexible, and the head of the baseplate features power, AV, and HDMI connectors. The stabilizer has a low-shooting bracket. This stabilizer comes with a support vest and a support arm. It also includes an HDMI cable, balance weights, a battery mount base, and a monitor mount.
CAME-TV Pro Camera Stabilizer Overview
CAME-TV Pro Camera Stabilizer Specs
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CAME-TV Pro Camera Stabilizer Reviews
Good stabilizer for the price
I've been shooting with this stabilizer for 6-7 years now. It's a great starter stabilizer. My usual setup with a Red Epic and (lightweight) prime lenses comes in at around 12-15 lbs and seems to be perfect for it. I'm thin, so from the very beginning added more padding to the vest as other reviewers have done. After 7 years the build quality is starting to show, it's getting harder to balance and some of the cable ends on the lower sled are smashed and unusable from being thrown into the back of vans.... Overall though, definitely a good stabilizer for the price.
Has quirks, but gets the job done
I just used this rig on an indie feature I wrapped, and overall I was pleased with how it performed. It does have its quirks, and I'll try to go through some of those below: Out of the box, the vest is huge, and has little padding. I'm about 5' 11" and 180 lbs and at the vest's smallest configuration, it was loose on me. I ended up using some of the thin packing foam in the box and adding it to the existing foam that is used to pad the vest - wouldn't you know it, it was the same type of foam. There are zippers to access the padding, so it wasn't too difficult to do. I was impressed by the build quality of the arm and sled. I'm on the fence about the advertised weight capacity - part of me feels like 26 lbs is a little bit of a stretch, but I had the camera weight up to 21 pounds, and it seemed to handle it short term. I shot the film on the RED Gemini using Atlas Orion Anamorphic lenses. I had a Vaxis 3000 wireless video transmitter and a Nucleus-M Follow Focus unit, along with a RED Brick battery onboard as well. I weighed the camera using the 65mm in the set, and it weighed in around 19 lbs. I felt that was toward the limits of the rig - the arm spring tension was all the way up to have the arms remain in a horizontal position. But I did fly the 100mm lens twice, and it handled the increase in weight - that would land the camera weight around 21 lbs. Balancing wasn't too difficult if you have experience with a Steadicam, but there is some play in the fore/aft and horizon leveling knobs and there are tightening knobs which play into the balance - you get the balance close, tighten the knob, see how it affects the balance, then loosen it, tweak the balance, and then tighten again. I got used to this workflow, and made it a part of the balance process, but it is annoying. Overall I was impressed with the performance of the rig, despite the quirks. I think this would make for a great introduction to Steadicam operating for someone, and give them the opportunity to fly a heavier camera without the investment of a full Steadicam rig.