So your shots are bouncing all over the place? So the Steadicam episode made you cry because you lack the 8 grand investment required to own your very own Steadicam rig?

Well don't fear much longer, because today i'm going to show you a couple of ways to make cheap Camera stabilizers that won't make you poor.

The reason why most of us need camera stabilizers, is that unlike many years ago, Consumer Camcorders now fit into our pockets, and weigh less than a pound most of the time. (Usually. Those out there still trucking with Hi-8 Bricks from the mid-90's need not apply.)

These smaller Camcorders are great for portability, but not that great for getting stabilized shots.

Stabilizers work on the concept of absorbing the shock that comes from walking with the Camcorder, a Steadicam utilizes a complicated system of springs and iso-elastic strips, that's also way complicated, and out of most of our budgets and or time constraints.

How most CHEAP Stabilizers work is by remedying the flaw of most modern camera's, which is their weight (or lack thereof). By increasing the weight, you increase the amount of energy it takes to make it bounce, thus smoothing out the shots. Think about shaking a Bowling ball, you can do it, but compared to how fast you can shake something much lighter, like a Plastic Cup, there is going to be a lot less shaking in the bowling ball, because it's inherent weight is pulling down your arms, and gravity is pulling it downward, absorbing some of the shock of movement.

The EASIEST way to make a Camera stabilizer is simply to add weight to your tripod, this is the least complicated, and doesn't require a lot of time or money.

TRIPOD STABILIZER

For the tripod stabilizer, you will need:

A Tripod

A Weight

Tape (For some weights)

For the weight, I like using these things.

They can be bought at most Sporting Goods stores, in the same area usually that they sell hand weights and boxing equipment. They are sold as Ankle or Wrist weights to be worn during exercise, so just ask for Ankle weights if you can't find them.

I got these at the local Dollar Store for about 10 dollars for two of them, they are about 8 pounds or so each, so just look around and you might be able to find a decent deal on them because they can be over priced.

But I like them because they have this adjustable Velcro strap, they can be stretched around and attached to almost anything, and you know exactly how much you're getting.

But just kind of wrap them around the central tripod support, adjust them a bit to make sure they are nice and balanced and the tripod isn't trying to drift to one side while you're carrying it, or all of your shots can come out unintentionally tilted or canted.

Other weights I like using if I can't find these, and that work decently are plastic bags full of loose change.

Just get a zip-lock or any kind of sandwich bag, and fill it full of loose change, tape it around the central support, and kind of adjust it so, once again, your shots won't be canted or tilted.

You can really use anything with some weight that you can attach to the tripod, bags full of sand or gravel, bricks, metal weights, change rolls, almost anything that can be adjust and taped onto the Tripod can be used to weigh the tripod down.

But one of the most important things is to practice walking, and carrying the set-up. And also, having a spotter can be very helpful when navigating stairs or moving backwards.

When you walk, walk almost like you're tip-toeing, or pretending to be a spy, just as lightly and evenly as possible. And as for your carrying, hold it closer to your body, to the central weight of your body, and hold it in both hands. You want to nullify the "up/down" motion as much as possible, so keep both hands on the tripod, and try to not mess with the controls, or anything, you want your hands on the tripod, keeping it stabilized as much as possible.

So there you go, a way to stabilize your tripod, that can cost almost nothing, yet can really help your effort to stabilize your shots. The rest is up to you to practice and get used to carrying the camera as carefully as possible. If you have more questions about stabilizers, just go ahead and ask it below as always.

-Wes