In March, I wrote about the PVC shoulder rig I built, following the pattern used for the "Lars Cam" by The Slanted Lens.
Since then, I've had a few opportunities to use it in real-world situations, and overall I have to say it has been a success, albeit while finding an area where the design could be tweaked.
First, I opted to use tape instead of paint to cover the PVC pipe. But, unlike the Slanted Lens' version, I went with cloth hockey-stick tape rather than electrical tape. Aside from cost, the stick tape does not get slippery or come off like electrical tape, and it offers a better grip. After all, that's what stick tape is designed to do.
It also gives the rig a good, finished look. I also chose to wrap the T-joint, which the crew at The Slanted Lens left undone.
My first use of the rig was while covering a demonstration of high-tech gear for the battlefield. I was being shuttled around a sprawling military base by van.
One advantage of the rig is the fact that I was able to disassemble it partially, making it easier to stow between stops. I can also leave it assembled and turn the handles and back support so it can store flat, which is also handy.
As you can see in the video (and I apologize for the bad audio in the second half. I had a recorder die on me, and I think my phone's on-board mic got covered), that there is some slight movement, but it is steadier than trying to just hand hold it without any support.
The next time I used it was at a fund-raiser where people were rappelling down the side of a building to raise money for a cancer-support group. Again, I got good results with the rig, and I also discovered that when I put the camera down and let go, the shoulder support held it on my shoulder while the handles kept it close to my body.
As for improvements I would make, I would probably install a quick-release-plate system to the rig to make it easier to attach the camera.
Other than that, it's a design I look forward to continually using in my video projects.
Since then, I've had a few opportunities to use it in real-world situations, and overall I have to say it has been a success, albeit while finding an area where the design could be tweaked.
First, I opted to use tape instead of paint to cover the PVC pipe. But, unlike the Slanted Lens' version, I went with cloth hockey-stick tape rather than electrical tape. Aside from cost, the stick tape does not get slippery or come off like electrical tape, and it offers a better grip. After all, that's what stick tape is designed to do.
It also gives the rig a good, finished look. I also chose to wrap the T-joint, which the crew at The Slanted Lens left undone.
My first use of the rig was while covering a demonstration of high-tech gear for the battlefield. I was being shuttled around a sprawling military base by van.
One advantage of the rig is the fact that I was able to disassemble it partially, making it easier to stow between stops. I can also leave it assembled and turn the handles and back support so it can store flat, which is also handy.
As you can see in the video (and I apologize for the bad audio in the second half. I had a recorder die on me, and I think my phone's on-board mic got covered), that there is some slight movement, but it is steadier than trying to just hand hold it without any support.
The next time I used it was at a fund-raiser where people were rappelling down the side of a building to raise money for a cancer-support group. Again, I got good results with the rig, and I also discovered that when I put the camera down and let go, the shoulder support held it on my shoulder while the handles kept it close to my body.
As for improvements I would make, I would probably install a quick-release-plate system to the rig to make it easier to attach the camera.
Other than that, it's a design I look forward to continually using in my video projects.
