Anyone Good At Scratch-Building Stuff? (Shoulder Cam Mount)

[aquamarine]

Well I figured I'd give it another shot and see if anyone out there can lend a hand in doing something or other to try and figure out a small dilemma I'm having. While walking around Tokyo, I like to not only take pictures, but do a lot of video blogging and it's even easier now with my JVC MG330 Everio video camera.

With this, what I want to do is somehow mount the camera onto my shoulder so I don't need to hold onto it like a typical tourist. I want to be the atypical tourist with a crazy gadget of some sort. I've already spoken with one person in the film profession but he doesn't have any suggestions that would be hands-free other than by asking someone to build something for me.

Has anyone out there seen any consumer units that would function with what I'm wanting to do? The camera itself is VERY small (stack two hard drives on top of each other, then cut then in half and that's the size) so I would NOT need something that can hold 300 pounds worth of gear, more like half a pound.

So what am I looking for? Something that I can 'wear' and attach my small video camera on top of, NOT a shoulder rest that requires my hand to hold the thing up.

Short of outright buying a new camera with an external lens (already considered that but it's just not in the cards right now, do you have any thoughts, theories, suggestions or ideas?

[Sentakki Fried Chicken]

I'm not sure if this is the kind of thing you're looking for (probably not because you don't want to use your hands), but it may help...DIY Steadycam.
There's also loads of DIY (which, again, I guess is not what you're looking for, but I add it because it might help anyway) stuff for shoulder mounts out there. A quick look at these, though, suggests they're for cameras that are considerably bulkier than the JVC MG330 Everio.
I reckon GuyJean is probably the best guy to ask about this.

[Taro Toporific]

... have any thoughts, theories, suggestions or ideas?

A helmet cam is better than a lopsided shoulder cam, but anyway...


Sonia SP-1 Hands Free Shoulder Pad for Camcorders
Maximum Weight is 4 Kgs. Shoulder Pad: SP-1, is universal in use for all types of Camcorders and Digital Cameras. Shoulder pad is very simple to use and takes 95% of the load off your shoulder arm and hands.


helmet cams




video-shoulder-support-stand-stabilizer



Hell, just adapt of your dead paintball gun stocks.


Gun Stock Shoulder Mount
http://store.zacuto.com/gun-stock.html




Bushhawk Shoulder Mount
http://www.bushhawk.com/

March 04, 2008, APFbb.com (Japanese article) Japan's safety goods maker Tanizawa employee displays a prototype model of a mobile utility helmet "U-met", equipped with a QVGA mobile camera, a GPS device, a LED light and a headset at the Security Show in Tokyo on March 04, 2008. The U-met, which enables it to change devices such as LED light, solar battery and other wireless communication unit, was developed as a handsfree device for security personnel, fire fighters and rescue workers at earthquake disaster...


Tanizawa's U-met first responder helmets belong on the Deathstar older Nov. 2007 prototype - Engadget

[aquamarine]

If I was doing something more professional or had a larger camera (this one weighs half a pound and is 13cm long and 7cm tall) then I would consider that larger unit, however it seems a bit over-kill for video-blogging while walking through the streets of Tokyo. I do like it though!

Looks like I might end up sacrificing a backpack and bolt-on a tripod mounting bracket to a shoulder-strap. Darn

[wuchan]

If I was doing something more professional or had a larger camera (this one weighs half a pound and is 13cm long and 7cm tall) then I would consider that larger unit, however it seems a bit over-kill for video-blogging while walking through the streets of Tokyo. I do like it though!

Looks like I might end up sacrificing a backpack and bolt-on a tripod mounting bracket to a shoulder-strap. Darn

The problem with your idea is the fact humans bounce when they walk. Unless you spend your money on a weight balanced steady cam rig all the footage you take will be bouncy, that is unless you ride a bike. Maybe you can rig a basket on the front of an old granny cruiser to hold your camera.

[FG Lurker]

Long ago I thought of making a helmet-cam setup to use while cycling around Osaka. I think it would give an interesting perspective on the city.

I thought of cycling rather than walking as cycling would be a lot smoother overall. Wouldn't walking around with a camera fixed to you make for rather jerky video?

[Kuang_Grade]

I've thought about how to do a similar thing but never have gotten around to building it (one of these days)...but what I've though about is possibly sewing in/otherwise attaching one of those gorillapod/flexible ball tripods into a hat and then have the camera hang tripod mount up off the side of the hat so the camera lens is around eye level (while the image will be upside down, you just flip the image via software later) but the hat will likely need a chin strap to keep it from falling off your head with the camera attached. And you need to pay attention that there are different sizes of these types of tripods for different levels of weight.

I've also thought about building an attachment to a backpack shoulder strap to prop up one of these flip video cameras at 90 degree angle using Velcro (to attach it to strap), and old sock (to hold the camera) and some cardboard (to keep it vertical against the curvature of the strap....While the image quality isn't as good as a proper camcorder, its not the worst thing in the world either. This is also something that could be head mounted quite easily and given its relatively light weight, its not going to be bouncing around too much. It would easy enough to use a gorillapod type item with a ball cap and mount this camera Borg style so it is actually just in front of one of your eyes. Likewise, it would be easy enough to rig up a velcro chest strap with one of these attached, although you would get more of a tit level view going this route.

[Tengu Kid]

Well I figured I'd give it another shot and see if anyone out there can lend a hand in doing something or other to try and figure out a small dilemma I'm having. While walking around Tokyo, I like to not only take pictures, but do a lot of video blogging and it's even easier now with my JVC MG330 Everio video camera.

With this, what I want to do is somehow mount the camera onto my shoulder so I don't need to hold onto it like a typical tourist. I want to be the atypical tourist with a crazy gadget of some sort. I've already spoken with one person in the film profession but he doesn't have any suggestions that would be hands-free other than by asking someone to build something for me.

Has anyone out there seen any consumer units that would function with what I'm wanting to do? The camera itself is VERY small (stack two hard drives on top of each other, then cut then in half and that's the size) so I would NOT need something that can hold 300 pounds worth of gear, more like half a pound.

So what am I looking for? Something that I can 'wear' and attach my small video camera on top of, NOT a shoulder rest that requires my hand to hold the thing up.

Short of outright buying a new camera with an external lens (already considered that but it's just not in the cards right now, do you have any thoughts, theories, suggestions or ideas?

the website indymogul did an episode on how to make a no hands rig yourself. Was easy and cheap so check that out. sorry cant be bothered to scan back through their old videos and find the direct link but you can find it pretty easily!!!

[aquamarine]

Thanks for the info bud!

Well providing I can sell my JVC unit, I think I may have found an alternative....


The Oregon Scientific ATC5K. Does 640X480, sound and looks decent enough. Price is $220 USD and is small enough that I could easily throw it onto the strap of a backpack and go.

Or...


GoPro Helmet Hero Wide - for $139USD and a $30 harness as well for my chest:


Certainly an option!!!

[Tengu Kid]

Thanks for the info bud!

Well providing I can sell my JVC unit, I think I may have found an alternative....


The Oregon Scientific ATC5K. Does 640X480, sound and looks decent enough. Price is $220 USD and is small enough that I could easily throw it onto the strap of a backpack and go.

Or...


GoPro Helmet Hero Wide - for $139USD and a $30 harness as well for my chest:


Certainly an option!!!

Yes theyre good ideas but will be extremely shakey. Somebody suggested a bike earlier too but that is even worse than walking. Although you may imagine a bike 'glides', it is actually constantly vibrating. The vibrations make the end image much more unpleasant than the 'bobbing' up and down of slow walking. Ive been on shoots with homemade steadycams before and you can actually make a decent one out of a weight, a tube and a spring, its rather simple. if you just want footage for the fun of it tho and it doesnt need to be broadcast quality then go with the helmet!

[aquamarine]

As it is, the video quality on these other two is 640 X 480, compared to slightly higher 720 X 5XX with my JVC MG330 so I'm still pondering if downgrading the video quality would be worth it. While these other two cameras look appealing for convenience, I might wait and see what I can find in Akihabara (Electric City) in Tokyo. Otherwise, here's a test clip I made for my buddy a bit ago

[yt]WtWMTsaZw4o[/yt]

[American Oyaji]

It's funny you mention this. My buddy and I have started talking and designing a mounting system for the human body so to mount what you want where you want on one's body.

Too bad we don't have any prototypes built yet.

[aquamarine]

Well hop to it!

I'd gladly test out a prototype, even if it's funky looking and if I'd have to send it back!

[FG Lurker]

Was digging through Yahoo looking for studio lighting stuff and came across this listing:

http://page12.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/p156198562

No idea how good (or bad...) it is, but the price is low enough that it might be worth experimenting.