Most video fans who have used a camcorder know how hard it is to take the kind of steady shots that you see in the movies. The scenes in your tapes of Uncle Dave and the kids are probably full of jerky motions, no matter how carefully you held the camcorder.
This always has been a problem for professionals. They usually get around it by using a camera-steadying device. The most common one is called a Steadicam. It has a large, curved metal balance bar that is slung below the camera. This changes the center of gravity, making smooth action shots possi-ble.A version of the Steadicam for personal camcorders has been available for a couple of years. It's not cheap - $500 at discount - but the Steadicam Jr. could be worth buying if you want to make the best possible videos.
You get a lot more than a steadying device in the Steadicam Jr. Because your camcorder will be held at chest height, the Steadicam Jr. comes with its own black-and-white video monitor, mounted at the front of the balance bar.
Steadicam Jr. works by filtering out the jiggly motions that nearly always occur at shoulder level. It changes them to smooth motions centered below the waist.
But there's another benefit. Many long-time videophiles know that the worst camera angle is the one that peers down on everything from above. A much better angle is the so-called kid's-eye view, in which the camera shoots from only a few feet up. The Steadicam Jr. does this automatically.
- EVERYBODY KNOWS the importance of cleaning your VCR's heads, but what about cleaning your tapes? Can't be done, right?
Yes it can. And not only your own tapes, but any tapes that you rent. They're the ones most likely to be dirty, and guess where that grunge goes when you play a rental tape?
The least expensive tape-cleaning device I've seen is the Geneva tape cleaner, which costs $55. It's a tape rewinder and tape cleaner all in one, and runs on four flashlight batteries or from household current. The Geneva uses a wet solution and replaceable brushes.
If you can't find the Geneva tape cleaner locally, call Haven Industries at 1-800-231-0031.