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Steadicam Volt's cinematic smartphone stabilizer is a little fiddly
Steadicam is the company behind iconic tracking shots in films like Rocky and Return of the Jedi, so when parent Tiffen launched a smartphone stabilizer bearing its name at CES 2017, there was a ton of interest. The $195 Steadicam Volt nabbed more than $1 million on Kickstarter and is now on sale at stores. It works very well and can produce natural-looking, cinematic shots, but don't expect it to do that out of the box. It takes a fair amount of time to set it up, and even longer to master.
Know Your Lore: Anduin Llane Wrynn, Prince of Stormwind
The World of Warcraft is an expansive universe. You're playing the game, you're fighting the bosses, you know the how -- but do you know the why? Each week, Matthew Rossi and Anne Stickney make sure you Know Your Lore by covering the history of the story behind World of Warcraft. He is quiet, kind, and likely more keenly aware of the troubles of the world than most. He is drawn to the Light in a profound way, much as his father would like to dismiss it. Unlike his father, he isn't interested in the rigors of war and the brutal realities of fighting. He's already been a leader, though his reign was as a figurehead. He's suffered far more in his young life than most. His mother died when he was merely a baby, and his father disappeared and returned a man who was utterly changed by circumstances beyond his control. He is the heir to Stormwind's throne, to a kingdom that is tattered at the edges and trying desperately to hold itself together. While the rest of the world seems to revel in the chaos brought about by Deathwing's return, eager for the battle between Alliance and Horde to rear its head, he quietly follows the path of peace, looking to the future. It's a future that Prince Anduin Llane Wrynn may very well have to put back together again, perhaps sooner rather than later.
Found Footage: Steadicam releasing Smoothee for iPhone 3GS
In the world of professional film and video photography, the Steadicam stabilizing camera mount revolutionized tracking shots by allowing a camera operator to "hand hold" a camera, but keep the camera steady. This Academy Award-winning invention is now available for the rest of us in the form of the Tiffen Steadicam Smoothee for iPhone 3GS. Designed specifically for the iPhone 3GS, the Steadicam Smoothee weighs a scant 25 ounces and features the same counterweighted construction of the professional models. While no price has been announced for the Smoothee, it's sure to be much less expensive than the pro video and film versions that sell for $50,000 - $60,000. The promotional video above has several examples of the type of smooth tracking shots that are the signature of Steadicam movies. The fact that Tiffen has chosen the iPhone for a Steadicam model appears to show that the company sees the potential of citizen journalism and movie-making with the platform. One of these would be great for doing TUAW TV Live from Ustream Broadcaster on the floor of Macworld Expo 2010... [via Engadget]
Tiffen Smoothee brings Steadicam to the iPhone 3GS
We had no idea the market of iPhone filmmakers out there was big enough to support pro-quality accessories, but it looks like we were mistaken: Tiffen just announced the Smoothee Steadicam rig for all you mobile Tarantinos out there. As with all Steadicam rigs, the Smoothee stabilizes a handheld camera by means of a counterweight, and the phone cradle can also be detached and mounted on a tripod or used as a stand on a flat surface. No pricing or availability yet, but those things don't matter when your masterpiece is at stake. Video after the break.
