Manfrotto 585 ModoSteady 3-in-1 Camera/Camcorder Stabilizer and Support System
From Manfrotto
Bogen Manfrotto MODOSTEADY: a unique innovative-designed, ergonomic, multifunction stabilisation system for lightweight camcorders. A "three-in-one" product: 1. A shoulder support. its bi-injected foot can be used as shoulder pod, so that the MODOSTEADY becomes an extension of the body. 2. A camcorder counterbalancing stabilizer, the counterbalancing stabilizer needs to be set in order to find the proper counterbalance position and weight, considering the weight and the centre of gravity of the camcorder. When balanced it is a very useful camcoder stabilizer, which improves a lot the quality the image when shot in movement. 3. Table Tripod: folding the extension arm, the bi-injected handle can be opened and MODOSTEADY becomes a table tripod, useful also for still-pictures. The Modosteady concept was invented by the design company Sapio and developed by Bogen Manfrotto.
- Color: Black
- Brand: Manfrotto
- Model: 585
- Dimensions: 1.35 pounds
A great little stabalizer
For the price it's well worth it, but not for every camera. I have quite a few cameras and I first tried setting it up for my EX-F1. The camera is right at the upper edge of it's capacity and found it hard to get the right setting. I was a bit tired and didn't work at it for too long and thought I just screw in this Aiptek 1080P I had sitting in the drawer and Wow! It took just a few tries at the settings and I was gliding around like a pro around the house. I downloaded the video and was amazed (I never thought I can shoot scenes like that). This may be my favorite setup for a while but of course I still love my EX-F1.
I have tried the Merlin Steadicam but returned it after a week of frustration using it for my Sony A1U. Too complicated for a hobbiest like me. It only balanced correctly once (hours of trying and watching the video) and never again, even after writing down all the settings.
Some here said the gimbal was too loose, the screw should be loosened not tightened when in use. I feel the gimbal was as good or better than the Merlin's. As for the price, have you ever purchased video camera accessories? Some look like they were made in the back of someone's garage and charge as they were made and developed in a ISO-9000 manufacturing plant. Not with the Modosteady, they really went all out to develop a great little stabilizer for the consumer venue. Yes, it's not a glidecam or a Merlin that will handle more weight capacity, it's just a great little stabilizer for a small modern camera. This is something you can take anywhere without lugging around an extra suitcase of equipment.
This is the first time reviewing something I purchased on Amazon, but had to on this one since I wasn't expecting this surprise.
Bogen Manfrotto camera system
An excellent product for the price. It doesn't match a $3000 hollywood camera "steadycam" set up, but it sure comes close. For my independent filmmaking I will be using it consistantly. Anyone will love it.
For 1/8th the price, a good steadycam
The Manfrotto Steadycam is a strange beast. In terms of effectiveness, it is on the low end of moderately effective steadycams. But it also comes in at about an eighth of the price of the next model up, the 800 dollar Merlin. By that metric, it's pretty amazing.
The Manfrotto specifically is a handheld gimbal - based stabilizer. It works because you carefully balance the swing arm underneath with whatever camcorder you put on top, so that no matter how you move your hand the camera stays forward and up. Small wrist shakes and other movements are absorbed by the carefully balanced gimbal, keeping your camera steady.
This is not an easy thing to do. It will take about 1/2 hour of configuration your first time to get the counterweights and positions right. Furthermore, shooting with a handheld steadycam is a somewhat different experience, considering you no longer have direct up / down control and left / right drifts with the gimbal. It takes quite a bit of practice to be comfortable shoot with a steadycam, and this one is no exception.
However, the Manfrotto does get high marks for convienience and accessability. Setup is genuinely easy to do (though a level indicator would have been nice), and can happen within about 60 seconds if you know what you're doing. The unit folds up to be about the size of a small camcorder. The plastic, while still plastic, doesn't feel cheap. And the tripod functionality has actually been occasionally useful. The weighting is not heavy enough for cameras above 5 lbs or so, but that is beyond pretty much all consumer-grade cameras.
If you've found that watching your home movies makes you nauseous, and you're interested in spending the time to learn to handle it, the ModoSteady is a good choice. It works pretty well, and you really can't beat the price.
