The Modosteady

[sidd finch]

I have found the the correct use of my elbow helps to dampen the shot too. Now that you have had some time with it Greg would you still go out and buy it. I too use the $15 stick and I am wondering if there really is a $200 difference...

Sidd

[Ken Jarstad]

I find it humorous that as our cameras are made smaller and smaller, we get to create gear that adds weight and size to get the stability we desire.

I sometimes wonder if getting one of those shoulder mounts and adding about 5 pounds of ballast weight to it would do a better job.

I remember a friend hand-holding his Nikon F-1, holding his breath and successfully taking a snapshot with 1/15th second shutter speed - only possible with a "hefty" camera.

I bought a monopod, and with the leg extended to the ground it had great vertical stability - but horizontally some of the pictures could make you sick! I certainly do see the great need for the horizontal arm on the low-cost stabilizer.

[Doreen L.]

If I can, I also keep my tripod attached to my cam when walking around just for the stabilization it produces due to the extra weight. I use the Monfrotto modo mini so it collapses down to about 13 inches. The most challanging thing for me is trying to video while on a boat - I have a lot of sky/water footage.

I don't understand how people can use an LCD screen to take still pictures. To me that's the most awkward position to hold something (holding both arms up two feet away from your eyes).

[jackfalbey]

Has anyone shot test footage with the gimbal loosened correctly? Having just acquired an HV20 I'm much more interested in this small stabilizer and its potential for smooth shooting...

[Greg mgm]

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[sidd finch]

No worries, I just thought that after a few more tries it might have been more conducive to using. Kind of like breaking in a new pair of shoes.

I guess I will keep my old monopod too. For the cost it might make sense to get a copy of the Mercalli stabilizer software program. http://www.heroglyph.com/gb/mercalli

Sidd

[jens_s]

I really like it when people makes mistakes and then resorts to namecalling in defence. Really shows some class.

The fundamental problem with the internet is that anyone can write anything, and a lot of people will believe anything they read. Often I search for reviews on products, and most of the websites I stumble upon does a very good job. However sometimes the reviewer makes mistakes, and if nobody takes the time and effort to have the flawed information corrected or removed, a lot of people will be misinformed.

The main selling point of the ModoSteady is the steadying function. It does work. It may not work 100% as efficient as a Merlin, but it does work. When searching the internet, I stumpled upon your review Greg, and the most important function of the Modosteady you simply misunderstood. It is very obvious from your video that you instruct people to tighten the knob, when the correct procedure, as stated in the ModoSteady manual is to loosen the knob. When the knob is tightened you will transfer every shake in your hand to the camera. The only steadying function you will get, is from the added weight and inertia.

It is correct that I have stated that the ModoSteady works when the knob is loose, and I have also stated that the main problem with the ModoSteady is that there is too much friction in the ball. That is no contradiction. It simply means that the ModoSteady works, but not 100%, maybe only 80% or 90%. The Merlin ($849 if i remember correctly), the device that in my opinion works 100%, is not much different than the modosteady in principle. In addition to the extra adjustment possibilities, it offers a very sophisticated gimball instead of a simple ball. That is because the friction is essential to the steadying effect.

I have not stated that the ModoSteady is better than a monopod. I beleive they are just about equivalent in the steadying function. The monopod does need a horizontal arm though. The Modosteady is just a lot easier to get around with, especially indoors. When you want to make a pan from groundlevel to head height, you cant do it with the monopod solution.

I have nothing to gain from spending my time arguing with you about whether I am a jerk or not. I simply stumbled upon your review, found it to be essentially flawed. None of the people that commented very positively on your review knew that it was flawed, so to do the internet community a favour I decided to tell people that you did not read the manual, and what you show in the video is clearly wrong. If that makes me a jerk, then so be it.

If I hadn't already promised that I would post a video done with the Modosteady, this would have been my last post here. My time is too valuable for this. I haven't had time to prepare the video yet, but I will post it soon.

[jens_s]

I have just made my little comparison video.

There are three sequences. All of them with the cameras internal stabilizer off.

1. Handheld

2. Monopod. I did not have a horisontal arm on it, so this is a bit unfair. Last summer I tried to mount a horisontal arm, and it worked very well. This sequence does show that the vertical shake is reduced considerably. Horisontal shake is not reduced. The problem with a horisontal arm is that it needs to have a certain length to be effective. That makes it hard to navigate indoors without bumping into something.

3. ModoSteady. The improvement is very obvious. But I don't think that it works 100% efficient. Some slight jitter can be seen. A better ball with less friction would solve that problem. That would probably make the device much more expensive.

It was done in a hurry in the kitchen. The lighting is poor and the image quality suffers. Sorry about that.

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE41lzi6oWs

[Briantho]

I found that very illuminating - ha, ha! Actually your perceived lack of light wasn't important as practically all the time there was a light in view which gave the required indication. Thanks for taking the time to make that - I found it most helpful.

[sbfowler]

Another review of the Modo Steady can be found here:

http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-camcorder-accessories/manfrotto-585-modosteady-3/4505-6456_7-32778990.html

[Wheat King]

Hi Greg,

For what it's worth, I hope you do more reviews. Like I said earlier you did a great job editing it together and there was lots of information in there that I would otherwise have never known. Keep up the good work and looking forward to the next review.

Jamal

[Ken Jarstad]

After all the reviews it looks like the old 'three point stabilizer' will still serve us well.

1. Cup both hands around camcorder

2. Press viewfinder against prefered eye - leaving the other one open to see the big picture and prevent stumbling. Note that viewfinders draw less battery than viewscreens

3. Pull elbows in and prop them on your chest so your arms won't get tired so fast

Do that and use the built-in camcorder stabilizer and you will get some pretty decent video. I've done a couple of weddings that way and everyone was quite happy.

[Greg mgm]

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[John 'twosheds' McDonald]

I'll echo Jamal's comment.

Greg (and anyone else who is considering a review)- they are very helpful to all of us using this forum so please, if you have something that you think we forum members could benefit from by being shared, then please keep them coming.

[sbfowler]

There is some demonstration footage on youtube, including the following:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3coE4Av3reQ