How to Make a DIY Shoulder Rig for a DSLR Camera: DIY Equipment
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- Опубліковано 7 вер 2024
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How to Make a Cheap Shoulder Rig for Stable Photography: DIY Equipment
Welcome to a new segment of The Slanted Lens lessons called DIY Equipment.
In these segments we will be teaching you how to make affordable equipment with parts that are easy to obtain and construct. We are starting with a Shoulder Rig created by our cameraman and cinematographer Lars Lindstrom.
In fact we call the rig "The Lars Cam". It is very convenient to use and you can make it for under $10. The rig is smooth to operate and has been used throughout our Slanted Lens lessons. It helps to stabilize your camera and get rid of the rolling shutter effect that is so common in DSLR cameras. We hope that you will enjoy this affordable piece of equipment as much as we do!
Keep those cameras rolling and keep on click'n.
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I recently devised my own camera rig for a small DV camera - I was amazed at how much difference these simple devices can make to steady a shot.
I made this a year back and brought it to shoot at a Formula Drift racing event. Everyone was like what is he carrying... lol. Anyways, it is pretty stable to shoot a walk and talk scene or someone who you're following. The only problem I ran into was removing the camera from the rig. I used the exact same method mentioned at 4:45 but I mean you can't complain for how much you spend. Oh and occasionally my arms were somewhat loose. Hope this helps anyone looking to try this.
+Albert Arriola Thanks Albert!
Just throw on a quick release plate. 10$ - 15$
www.amazon.ca/Vktech-Release-Adapter-Manfrotto-200PL-14/dp/B00G7IRCLE/ref=sr_1_7?rps=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1476816411&sr=8-7&keywords=Quick+Release+plate
Great design. Another substitute for tape might be 1" foam pipe insulation. In my part of the frozen midwest, a self sealing blackish foam insulation is sold to keep pipes from freezing. Probably not an issue for you in California. The foam insulation is spongy which give your "rig" a spony feeling on your shoulder. Thanks for sharing the design. I am off to the store! The insulation might add $2.00 to the cost of the "rig"!
Just made mine! Great presentation and clear instructions. I would include two suggestions. One is have some washers handy. You might need it to kill dead space between the base of the camera and the surface of the PVC pipe it sits on. The second suggestion is to put some sort of sticky thing on the PVC pipe so it grips the camera base better. My set up cost $13. Excellent video!
These is the best and simplest home made shoulder rig to make. Thanks guys!
You can also use Rod wrap for fishing rods, comes in a lot of colors, also adds padding for the shoulder. Man I love this Chanel..
Bowtech2 Thanks for the tip, and thanks for watching!
Great tutorial. I just made one. Works great. This was a very great, straight-to-the-point idea. One of the fastest and useful DIY tutorials that I've seen thus far. Thanks for taking the time.
I'd throw a quick release on top for convenience but pretty cool.
I use a spider steady rig and it's ... ok. I find the joints don't hold well enough so I'm looking at something a bit less flexible but still has the convenience of mounting holes so I can add a friction arm / monitor, light, counterweights in the back, field recorder, microphone.
I know this video is old and 4 years ago rigs were expensive but you can get a decent shoulder rig now for 120$ - 200$ Some even come fully kitted with mate boxes and follow focus and step up gears and everything.
oh, and about the spray paint comments. I wondered the same thing, I'm used to spray painting diy equipment, but I taped this (bought a 2 roll pack for 2 bucks at dollar general for those who say it's expensive, smh) and it looks fine and does provide a nice grip, also helps the pieces fit snugly if taped correctly. sure I'd love to have a piece of pro gear but this does the job, down and dirty, really simple inexpensive build.
Brilliant!!
You can also use this as a low-level 'pod; Just put it on the floor, adjust the corner pieces as required, and bam!!
Using these tutorials on YT, I have learned to use my tripod in Four different ways!!
Thank you all for this.
I've made many DIY types or kinds of shoulder rigs for DSLR and I think the pricing of 25$ for a piece is very much appropriate and my appreciation.
This is the pretty easy and effective DIY project., I shot my first music video with this Thank you so much 😍
I love the look of the stabilizer. I made one and have space and I have added other accessories.
Looked around youtube for a while, found this. Fantastic. built it, love it. just in time for a shoot tomorrow. Thanks a lot guys.
So glad it was helpful!
Electrical tape adhesive tends to weap out over time and comes undone. Use the largest size of electrical heat shrink and it will make the structure rigid and very pro matt black too.
I made a 1 1/2" version instead of the 1" version. For quick video grabs and for simple stuff it works well. The 1 1/2" felt better on my shoulder and with my hands as well. Using it with the smaller D7000. I would imagine it would be feel different of course with a full frame. Nice DIY project. Thumbs up from MN!
1 2ft pvc pipe 1 inch
3 conduit 1 inch 90 degree corner pieces
1 standard pvc t
1 quarter inch 20 wing nut
3 quarter inch hex nuts
1 2,5 inch quarter 20 machine screw
thank me later
Sam van Ojen omg! Yes! thank you!!!
Not all heroes wear capes
lol. i thought it was quite intuitive as well, if people just listened and watched the vid. easy peasy.
Sam van Ojen thanks!
When he says a standard PVC T, go for an 1 inch Tee, it fit just fine on the pipe and conduits. Also it's worth the extra cash for a pair of PVC cutters, way safer, quicker and cleaner cuts than a hacksaw. And finally get a pack of electrical tape, not just a couple rolls. Best case scenario, you have enough tape to cover two rigs...which I might do, either if I need a second one or have a backup just in case. Finally, use a tape measurer to get 10 inches of the PVC pipe. You're welcome in advance.
Wanted to express my thanks to you guys for helping me build something amazing and helpful to my videos. Thanks so much!
Sean-Michael Davis You are welcome, I am glad to hear the tutorial was helpful!
I needed something cheap between handheld and steadycam. good job
I made this rig yesterday except I used much smaller 1/2" PVC tubing with 45 degree joints to angle the front handles and rear shoulder guard. It's just personal preference but I think the 1/2" PVC looks better. Anyway, I tried it out and the difference in video smoothness is quite dramatic. Thanks for this tutorial.
I don't know how to express my thanks to you.This is the best and simplest method for rig that can make at home. Thanks again again and again....
+Reji Sk Our pleasure Reij!
+The Slanted Lens you should have used pvc cutters for a smoother cut!!
Just finished building it and is very stable. I bought a series of stabilizers this past year ( paid more than than the $10 I spent on this project) but was not happy with results.
Went to Home Depot and picked up all parts went home assemble it and works great (the wife, my honest critic was totally impressed).
However since I did not like the exposed/unfinished ends of pvc, I decide to invest in three caps for the ends.
I taped all parts except the pvc T (working on doing something with the color whiter...... paint? not sure).
Either way it is functional and steady not much you can ask for $10.
Thanks guys!
Now, can you direct me to DiY gimbals I am a new subscriber and not sure if you have filmed an episode on the topic.
But if you haven't hope you do.
Great service you guys provide.
From Miami,
Bill
Hi Bill, so glad you let us know. We haven't done a gimbals one yet, thanks for the idea.
Please. do some DIY Gimbals for DSLR. Thank you ,more power
Oh my god, at first, I was skeptical that this would be difficult and the rig would be inefficient for video, but looking at the process and the rig in action, I think I'm gonna go to Home Depot soon. This should hold me off until I buy an official rig later on in the future.
Seanny D I was kind of surprised myself the first time I saw it, but Lars uses one of these for most of the weddings he shoots.
The Slanted Lens I made my own rig just like the video instructed and I LOVE IT! It works just as well as the brand-name ones and all the supplies I got at Home Depot was exactly $10! It was fun and it looks badass looking at it in person. Thanks for the great DIY tutorial!
Seanny D Awesome! Hope you get some good use out of it!
Would like to give a shout out to Marcelo Teixeira for making a shoulder rig based on Lars' DIY video. You can see Marcelo's videos above the comments in the video responses. We'd like to encourage anyone else that's put together their own shoulder rig to shoot some footage and share it with us as a video response.
Well done, JP! :) I'm making one today. This is brilliant and simple and just what I need for the llittle concert I'll be filming this weekend. Hope all's well, brother!
Another Idea Good to hear, hope it turns out well.
this is awesome! I will be making a purchase!! lol!! there's just some people that dont have the patience and time to get these things.. just like some people dont have the patiences & time to make clothes (something that i do)...
Yes - I liked the episode a lot thanks!
Always a bit frustrating however for us in France because we are unable to find screws that work in a camera tripod mount - they simply do not exist here where we use a different standard :( This makes a lot of the DIY more complicated!
Can't be simple and practical than this !!!!!!!!!!!!!!Great video!!!!
Thx for the tutorial! ...I built mine yesterday. My version has a quick release plate. I had a spare one. Total cost 15 euro's, that's about 13 dollars i think. The quick release plate was 65 euro's when i bought it last year. Great video!
Awesome. Now I know what to do on the weekend
It looks worth having! I might just order the parts.
I made this rig.
It works well.
I'm not kidding.
Yeah, it works pretty well doesn't it!
An excellent tutorial. Cracking and to the point. Best vid so far.
I have used the cowboy studio rig and it is a low quality and not so functional as the lars cam. If you are debating between the two just go to your hardware store and get the parts for the lars cam. The lars cams works much better. Don't just take my word, go out and build one for yourself!
I made one similar to this, but mine had a spring-loaded stabilizer screw for the cameras that support them and a weight on the back. The only drawback is that even with the weight, it still feels like it needs another point of contact, especially when doing panning shots.
Nope. Didn't use padding as my cameras aren't very heavy and I also don't use it for hours at a time. Perhaps if I was doing very long shoots, 1/2" tubing with a really heavy camera might hurt after a while but I haven't had that happen. Also, I've heard people saying they can't find the right tubing and connector pieces. I'm in Canada as well and I found everything I needed at Rona. I also painted mine with flat black spray paint which I think gives it a professional look.
Quite stable, cheap and easy to build. It still would require practising special walking technique I presume.
Hey TheSlantedLens. Thank you so much for uploading this! For $15 I have my own shoulder mount that works like a charm.
It makes the transition from camcorder to DSLR so much easier for me!
Thanks ...Great rig.. I modified and used hockey tape from the sporting good store. Little more grip.
Looks good! The only thing that I'd do differently is instead of electrical tape, I'd use black spray paint. I do recognize that the tape is grippier and faster to apply, though. Great build.
Just built this shoulder rig for my next indie film.
Unfortunately, Canada doesn't carry a lot of the pieces/pieces are a bit different so I had to change up some pieces. Overall, this is an awesome tutorial that's extremely effective. Very simple too.
Can't wait to shoot with it!
So 6 years later and I’ve been using this for some of my professional shoots. My clients love it and it’s so reliable. Best thing ever. Thanks so much!!
This made my day!! I like this one even better than film riots diy shoulder rig!
aww i dont see it on the website...
BritxBrat2Fashion Sorry, we don't sell it anymore, but the parts are pretty easy to get at a hardware store.
I work at a Lowe's and am buying the pieces today to build one :)
Coupla comments: Just made one. Haven't used it yet, but will tonight, but feels good. First, this is EASY to put together!! So smart, cheap, and easy to make. Second: it should be noted that the curved 90 degree elbows are found in the electrical section at Home Depot, NOT plumbing. The other pieces are found in plumbing (straight 10" piece & the PVC "T" joint). Third: I spray painted and it sucks...I was painter for a few years and it did not dry well. Embarrassing. Am thinking of making additional units so I can paint it using a brush, or Gaff tape. Thanks!
bsdman1 Great points, and thanks for the reminder about paint vs tape. I thought I recalled the paint didn't work well when we first made this video but now I am certain! Good luck tonight.
The Slanted Lens So I used it the other night, and it improved my steady shots a ton, AND saved me a ton of cash instead of buying an expensive unit. Now I learned video on traditional broadcast camcorders back in the 90's where my left hand was always resting on the lens where I could focus on the fly. So the relatively awkward reach to adjust focus on DLSR's with the new generation shoulder rig is a step backward (i.e. lot's of shake finding the focus as your left hand has to vacate the should rig, and thus you loose stability), but you don't need $25K-50K to buy a DSLR rig, so there's the trade off. It take some time getting used to, but the trade offs are immense.
Shooting it WITH one is a great testimony for it...
Outstanding. My only question is what about counterbalancing? Is it needed at all with this rig?
Perhaps one could wrap the T piece in tape for a matching look, while adding a bit of grip so the camera's less likely to swivel
Steadicam or follow-focus next please! Having on-video text that shows the list (or putting the items in the description) would be really handy to make a shopping list.
Film Riot's rigs, IIRC, use weights at the back to reduce the amount of moving about, though they are a bit bulkier.
i love this shouler rig its better than my cowboy studio rig which i paid 35.00 for verses a 10.00 rig i am planning on using this i all my video shoots no matter what people think how it looks thank you
Thanks a lot bro. Did it and it was awesome, do post more videos... Weed off..
Thanks to you, now I have a steady cam
+Matlhatsi SaintPatrick Rallele Great news! How are you liking it?
How could you further increase stabilisation? Would adding weight below the camera mount help?
Very cool tutorial, gonna build one for my upcoming project! thx!
i bet wrapping it with bike bar tape would look supper cool.
Oh my God, I had so many problems with that thing! In Poland we have different water systems, and you won't find 90 deegres pipes like these. But I used some other materials
That's not a water pipe (curved), that's an ELECTRICAL pipe. In the USA water pipes are white and you can make sharp 90 degree turns with connectors (the straight piece is for water). Electrical pipes are grey and have curved corners and turns.
I built one today! Love it.
Tomorrow i Will make That rig...thanks a lot
The curved round tubes are electrical elbows, The white PvC Tee and Pipe is Plumbing.
Super clever! Great video!
I LOVE your DIY stuff. Awesome...
Great idea except for the electrical tape which gets sticky in short order. Rather, get your preferred color of "PVC Fusion" paint which fuses itslef into the PVC pipe.. Then, the surfaces will be clean, smooth, tough and attractive for a long time. Just give the paint a day or so to dry all the way and you'll be good to go for a lifetime.
I loved it.
Thanks a lot!
Hi! you should make a diy video on how to make a crane/jib for movies.
Don't you need a counterweight at the other end of the rig? Great video!
a great thing you can do to avoid tedious tape or messy paint is use black foam pipe insulation...you can find it with the pipe, looks a lot like a plain black foam pool toy.
Thanks for the idea! I used your rig for this video :)
If I ain't got you acoustic cover
Why too much people are complaining about this? It's an easy DIY tutorial of inexpensive rig! If you need it DoItYourself & see if it worth the less than 10 minutes you spent in building it or not, if you don't need it then just get over it!
Hvis man blander lidt acetone i malingen går i forbindelse med plast. Ved ikke lige hvordan blandingsforholdet skal være, men du kan prøve dem.
Great idea, thanks!
I'll assume that you are using a 1/4" drill bit. Also,..you can "dye" the pvc or
use a special spray paint that won't flake off like most others WILL eventually do.
Nice idea. I like it!
1. Use PVC glue so you don't end up with a DSLR in pieces.
2. Don't use electrical tape with flame retardant in/on it.
Why not #2?
YOU GUYS ARE GREAT. JUST GREAT.
YHN DR Thank you, and thanks for watching!
Damn Creative! Very thoughtful ! Lots of effort too. Thanks for sharing such a wonderful video. :-)
Love the idea
Anyone know what that's curved PVC pipes are called? Can't find them anywhere in the UK and by calling them conduit 90 degree corner pipes I got offered something completely different in the shops
Just a quick question: think adding a little weight on the other side might balance the thing out ? So instead of having the 90deg piece on the backside just adding another pice of pvc pipe with a small weight added to it ?
What are the measurements in Metric Measurements?
Ahh that makes sense thanks
Did you put padding on the pipe? I would think 1/2" would dig in to much. I was considering 1 1/2" to be softer on the shoulder.
Thanks for sharing this. Love it.
Why is there different between two test shots in color and sharpness??
My camera swivels when I touch it, or when I move the rig too fast. The screw will screw into the camera until it can go no further, but the wing nut still turns and brings the camera with it. This is really ruining this rig for me. I have the two nuts on each side, so I don't see what the problem could be.
I think it's much better to put some weights at the back part of the rig just to counter the weight of the camera.. ^^
Ofc pile is it 1inch or 10 inch. Beginning you said 1 inch and ending you said 10 inch
What about a counter weight? Aren't counter weights important?
Quick tip: If you want to save 3 dollars. Instead of electrical tape ...i had to use 3,5 rolls of tape ($4). U can use 1 can of black spray paint ($1).
cant wait to get to the hard ware store haha, and make this
"right about here" is exactly where? in the middle or a little bit to lar's left? thanks by the way
THANK YOU SO MUCH HOPEFULLY MY MAN WILL DO IT FOR ME
i just made one myself---super easy. (use a 1/4 drill bit for the T piece.)
You cut the PVC into two, can I buy a 1 foot pipe. I dint see you use the other part
I made it and usefull.............it costs only 300 rupees(indian currancy)
Great. thank you !
Thanks a lot!
its fantastic!
anyone has a tip for a dIY shoulder rig for an ursa (v1)? Nothing ive tried is working.
Sir, can you give me the list of materials including the lengths and sizes
ASAP I really need it right now sir. Thanks :)
very instresting, i like this.
hey thanks for checking it out.
cement glue is required or the arm can slip off