This thing is awesome. I run two film crews shooting on DSLRs in remote countries with no support with custom rails packages for their accessories, and both kits use this shoulder mount for body stabilization. It's just so versatile! Yes, it is cheap as hell. You could snap it over your knee. But you know what? If you're worried, just buy EIGHT of them for the price of half a RedRock or Cavision or whoever-else shoulder mount. I say again: incredible. CowboyStudio Shoulder Support Pad for Video Camcorder Camera DV / DC
This little unit pretty much does exactly what it says. You can film without touching/holding the camera, making it easier to zoom, focus, and see where you're going. You can also "hold" the camera longer without fatigue. The brace is plastic, but feels sturdy enough to take any reasonable abuse. The foam covering looks a bit flimsy (both in terms of eventual decay or coming off), but easy to repair in that event. I bought this for DSLR video. It places the camera in a good position for viewing the screen, but a little two far away for using a LCD lounge/eye piece. After playing around a bit, I found I could reverse the middle bracket piece to position the camera perfectly. A word of perspective: this doesn't give you the smoothness of a real steadicam rig. It's attached to your body, so when you breath, it moves.
I'm a pretty big guy, so this thing isn't the most comfortable, but I know that's because I'm big. It's not a flaw of the device. It's made of plastic, but it doesn't appear to be weak, and it does exactly what it's advertised to do. It's a nice little shoulder mount, especially for the price. This seems to be a rare case of getting a little more than what you paid for. I wouldn't stress the mounting arm too much with a lot of add-ons, though, because, in the end, it's plastic. Great for my T2i/550D and other lightweight DSLR's/camcorders.
Although the brace is made of plastic, it seems very sturdy and able to support my Canon 5D, 24-70mm lens, viewfinder and camera mic. The rig is a little snug on the shoulders if you're a big guy like my self but it's still functional. I attached a manfrotto quick release plate, otherwise you'll have to use the time consuming screw mount. If you don't have hundreds of dollars or not a DIY person, this rig is for you. It's not perfect but it's certainly good enough for $20.
I didnt understand why everyone said it was so cheap on here and easy to break i went to the office where the product was at and tried it out and when i saw it i was expecting flimsy wood, product however it was the opposite very sturdy and strong plastic this product is very well priced as well especially for the Canon HV30. Thanks for the product........
6ft tall
220 pounds
I bought this as an economical substitute for much pricier shoulder rigs, and was surprised at how well it works. I'm leery about using the longer attachment, but the smaller one works just fine. You cannot beat this price for a shoulder rig without going the DIY route. Breathing can show up in footage at longer focal lengths, but otherwise I cannot recommend this enough.
I came across this nifty device several months ago while shooting a commercial. A friend of mine was using it as a shoulder rig for his DSLR and after trying it out I could not believe how well it worked. Then he told me the price and well for $30 its a steal. Size and weight are a huge factor in the effectiveness of this product. It is small enough to pack in your gear bag and very easy to deploy on the run. This rig is not a replacement for a traditional rail system, however it serves its purpose well. At the end of the day; if it is lost, stolen, or broken it is only $30 and not $2000. For that I would highly recommend this product to anyone who is starting to get into the film and video industry but does not have a lot of cash for the big toys.
Works like a charm, and worth every penny. If you need an affordable and simple way to get your camera up onto your shoulder, this is it. This is probably cheaper than most DIY solutions and it's very comfortable from what I can tell so far. We'll see after a long shoot, but so far so good.
Some of the people who can actually afford the pro shoulder rigs out there are actually using this $24 one in conjunction with their rail system because the supports on this little guy are actually much more ergonomic than the ones that often come with the more expensive stuff. Go Figure.
And the other reviews that are saying the additional little add-on riser and extender are cheap or flimsy are overstating things a bit. Yeah, they're made of plastic, but they're not flimsy or junky. I was expecting those little pieces to be made out of happy meal toy plastic or something, but they're actually made out of the same durable hard plastic that the rest of the rig is made of. They're able to hold my camera, any of my lenses, lcdvf, and rode vid mic with no trouble whatsoever.
The reason I gave this only 4 out of 5 is because the rig kinda sits a little weird on my shoulder. It's something to do with the piece that is supposed to rest on your chest. I'm a pretty big guy, so there isn't too much wiggle room with the way the the shoulder piece wraps around the back and the chest piece sits on front. It works, but it's not as adjustable as it would be for a skinny guy. Not really a huge fault of the manufacturer, but the way this thing sits isn't super adjustable in the first place. - Cheap - Support - Awesome - Digital Slr'
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