Determining Steadicam Weight

• The main concept behind a steadicam is to add weight and stability to the camera while the operator is moving. You must determine the right amount of weight to add to your rig so that it is not so heavy that you cannot carry it but heavy enough to keep the camera from wobbling from side to side while walking or even running. This can be achieved through taking test shots with various weights attached to the camera and comparing them against one another.
  
  

Building The Steadicam

• You'll need a drill, a couple of screwdrivers and a vise that can be attached to a table. Use three pipes (one 24" and two 10") with threaded ends and a T-joint to attach them to one another. Attach a standard barbell weight to the bottom end of the longest pipe and secure with an end cap and bolts. Use as many pounds as you think you can hold comfortably, taking into account that the Betacam weighs about 25 pounds by itself, unless you have a lighter weight model without a playback unit, as often used by combat videographers. Attach one of the 10" pipes perpendicular to the long pipe, using the T-joint, so the shorter pipe forms a handle. Then attach the remaining short pipe to the top end of the 24" pipe.
  
  You will need to make a platform for the camera to rest on. Cut a piece of wood the size of the bottom of the camera and attach it to the top of the vertical pipe with a flange. Use one of the screw holes in the flange to drill all the way through the wood and attach a bolt to the bottom of the camera as you would to a tripod plate. It is also possible to use a tripod head atop the weighted pipe. No matter what combination of weights and pipes you use, the steadicam is only as good as the operator, so you'll need to practice before using it on a job.