Autopilot Camera Stabilizer Handheld DSLR Video Gimbal System by ProAm USA

I purchased this stabilizer a few years back and still have it. It’s a little outdated seeing that electric gimbals have taken over, but I still use mine every now and then. If you’re on a budget, then this is the way to go for steady shots!

If you buy this rig and you need to call Pro Am for customer support, don't bother. They will not answer the phone nor call you. This product is made with a defective part. The plastic adjusting tension screw handle that is suppose to tighten down the coupler which holds the bottom, weighted, portion of the rig to the top portion, doesn't work. The screw is too short to reach the threads on the other side. The first time I grabbed the plastic handle to tighten and adjust the sliding shaft to balance the camera it pulled right out of the tension coupler. The screw they give you basically isn't long enough to reach the threads on the other side once you stick it through the hole. Without the ability to tighten that fastener/coupler, there's no way to keep the bottom portion of the sled attached to the top. I rectify this situation, I just went to a hardware store and found the right size screw that was long enough to reach the threads so it piece can be tightened. Buy a 1 inch 1/4 sized screw and some washers and you can get it to work.

First of all if your even considering this purchase then you must have already watched a kajillion Steadicam/glidecam YouTube videos already. Or at least I would hope you have otherwise your gonna throw away almost $200 on this.This is an old school gimbal. Think of it like a darkroom and motorized gimbals like Lightroom .Not everyone can just jump into a darkroom and start developing photos. It takes practice, technique and patience. But ! The payoff is the result. Crisp, clean tangible photos that you captured then made into a work of art. You feel connected to the process from start to finish.That’s why I bought this Steadicam.I wanted to feel more intuitive and apart of the creativity. Anyone can pick up a motorized gimbal and shoot. But you don’t get the flexibility to create unique footage using signature moves.Steadicams are still the choice of professional film makers.Is this a glidecam with a sled and harness? No.It’s a $160 aluminum stick. You can learn how to get those sweet cinematic shots and get a feel for flying a Steadicam device.If it’s your jam and you want to further invest into an actual glidecam with all the bells and whistles then rock on with your bad self.In the meantime this is a great tool to get organic footage that your every movement is directly connected to you as a creator. Run, jump and walk like a ninja. You can’t break it. So have fun filming. Take risks.Instead of a $2k Ronin where you got your hands up in the air (like you just don’t care) you have this little guy that is hella maneuverable and packs up small enough to fit in a pelican case or backpack. Bonus you can ward off muggers by hitting them with it, if it falls off a rickshaw it probably won’t break it and if your on the top of Mount Everest it will not run of battery life.Pro:Solid professional buildSpongey foamy gripThe adjustment screws have plastic heads and that’s about all the plastic I’ve found so far.I attached a Neewer Professional Quick Shoe Plate on the cheese plate it came with.Once again , you will need a 3/8 to 1/4 coupler. I really wish they would make the 1/4 longer.Handle is hollow so you can stick it on a lightstand or wherever. ProAm has a great tutorial on how to balance this. No it’s not easy the first few times.Cons:No ProAm stickers. Really wanted some product swag to be sent with the product.No carrying case. Which is fine, I have my pelican case.

First of all the gimbal handle has a VERY sharp point. When it turn and the edge of it rubs on your hand its cutting into your skin. Also it stabilizes left right up and down but NOT the drop test. When you set your time and do the drop test it drops and spins all over. If you angle the bottom weights its fixes it but then throws off you left and right stability. So in general you have to adjust it every time you have to shoot. if you are doing pan up and down you have to bend the bottom part of the gimbal which throws off pan left and right. Very frustrating. I would have easily give this product a 5 out of 5 if it wasn't for the sharp gimbal attachment and the drop test stability issue.NOTE: I have tried stabilizing on a stand and handheld and the same problem occurs. Shooting in a Panasonic GH4 with a Tokina 12-24 F4 lens.

This stabilizer has completely changed how I shoot video. easy setup, as it was mostly together right out of the box. Had it out, balanced (thanks to their setup video on youtube), and shooting within 20mins of unpacking. easily supports my 5d mark iv with 24-70 .Even with no practice it made a huge difference in camera shake immediately. I had a question about setup and emailed them and had a response within a few hours so they get a 5 star for customer support as well. Great product for a fraction of the price of other mechanical stabilizers.Pros:lightweighteasy setupHUGE improvement in stabilizationpacks down smallsupports up to a 6lb camera easilycomfortable handleCons:Would like to see a "precision dial in" mounting plate on top for quick and easy adjustments on the fly. (that being said you can quickly angle the plates on the bottom to achieve this same thing, that's just me nitpicking)the handle cant be moved lower on the pole to allow for more comfortable low angle shots. (you can still do low angle easily you just have to hold the handle upside down).Conclusion: If you are looking to get off the tripod and still have useable footage, get this stabilizer! It has by far made the biggest difference in my filming and I will continue to use both it and ProAM in the future.