Newest Camera Stabilizer Could Revolutionize Cinema

Camera stabilization is always a tricky game, with no easy solution. Cheap stabilizers are often difficult to balance, and expensive ones are often bulky, and make mobilization a problem. Introducing MōVI by Freefly, a stabilization system that is expected to change the DSLR movie scene forever, and its already got award winning videographer Vincent Laforet’s stamp of approval.

Using a 3 axis gyroscope to stabilize the camera, the MōVI system looks light, incredibly portable, and quite frankly, amazing. This gif perhaps illustrates it the best.

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And if that doesn't convince you, check out the video above, shot by Vincent Laforet himself, showing us how beautiful and smooth handheld could possibly be.

 

The downfall of this new tool for videographers everywhere, comes in the price. Currently priced at $15,000 (with a $7500 option rumored to be coming soon), it makes it a difficult purchase for your amateur videographer and targeted more towards production companies. But with new ideas like this, certainly more consumer friendly options will be coming along as time goes on, making shaky cameras a thing of the past. Watch the videos below for more examples of this amazing technology at work.

MōVI in Action (Quick Video) from Vincent Laforet on Vimeo.


MōVI BTS from Vincent Laforet on Vimeo.


ROAM from Freefly on Vimeo.

[via Vincent Laforet's Blog & Gizmodo]

Zach Sutton's picture

Zach Sutton is an award-winning and internationally published commercial and headshot photographer based out of Los Angeles, CA. His work highlights environmental portraiture, blending landscapes and scenes with portrait photography. Zach writes for various publications on the topic of photography and retouching.

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58 Comments

Wow! Just, wow!

Can people stop using Ö in their names, to make it look cool - while still pronouncing it as a O.

Except they're pronouncing it as Movie. Which is the correct usage, and part of their branding. Please tell me that isn't all you took away from this article?

Except that they are actually pronouncing it a mo-vie as in long o, hence the macron (long bar) above the o, not an umlaut as Jens has suggested.

That´s what he said- "Ö" is pronounced kind of like "O" in "worth". But it´s right- thats a macron O, not an Ö, therefore it´s "mo-vie".

That's nuts! The pull way from the cab scene had me stumped, thanks for showing how you pulled that off! This is a revolutionary device!

Ugh, this thing is so sexy. I want one....

Didn't the faa say that no commercial use of drones/uav is allowed?

rule 1: dont get caught!

Jizzed in my pants.

ahahah!

I'm still jizzing

lol

I saw this earlier today and the first thing i thought of after "oh, wow, that will change a lot of things" is that somebody needs to rig up the latest generation VR gear so the camera operator/focus puller can aim the camera with the direction he/she looks.

OMFG

The Reverie guy found himself a new chick to go helicopterin'

15 grand ... :S

$15k is 14k too expensive. :-

It's not made for you.

Duh.
So my statement stands.

Maybe they should just give them away.

I'd be down for that.

Lets kick it up a notch and build this technology directly into the camera on a small scale, maybe around just the lens. Turn it on and off when you want to and be able to change the angle.

Optical image stabilizer? that's what you're talking about?

I'm just spitballing here, perhaps someone will try it: Most stabilizers, like a Merlin to a Flycam, requires holding the rig with one hand. Excluding the gyroscope which would be awesome, if there was an attachment to a stabilizer's handle that can allow one to hold the rig with two hands rather than one, might alleviate the strain of holding it with one hand? I know I know, this has nothing to do with the event that it may not prevent shaking while on a helicopter; I'm speaking about solutions for people who may not be doing shots like that right now.

After I watched these videos yesterday I ended up actually dreaming with using the Movi xD

Just got goose bumps.

this is revolutionary !!! Whoaa

$15k !!! ... no thanx !

I have used the Tyler mini gyro and the Aerial Exposures systems (both of which are based on the Kenyon Labs gyros) for vehicle and helicopter work, but this looks like it offers even more stabilization than those systems. It would be nice if they had a way to mount this on a vehicle or strap it into a helicopter seat. Similar to the Cineron https://vimeo.com/54345426

i don't do video, never have, probably never will... and i sill want one of these!!! freakin awesome!!

Omg that's one of the most amazing things I have ever seen in myWHAT THE HECK! $15,000 DOLLARS?!!!!

this would be a great DIY project. you need a controller (DJI NAZA), 3 to 5 servos, depending on design (hitec HS-645MG) and a lipo battery (11.1V, 2200mah).. i will gladly build some for you for $2000 a piece :)

Already seen a kind of passive version, made with 2 refurbished HDD acting as gyro-stabilizers on Makezine

do you have a link I am quite interested

Hello, if you can indeed build a Môvi clone for around 2000, pm me, I'm interested. thierryvanbiesen@gmail.com

I did some little research and basically yes people are making brushless gimbals like this for aerial drones BUT they are all 2 axis there none with all 3 axis for cheap yet and to be able to use it hand held you need the 3rd axis (the left right turns) basically its not easy.

The tricky bit is the stabilizing computer. There's one guy building them for around 400 bucks, they're finicky but if you know how to program, they're not a problem.

Awesome!

There's a fair bit of hunting at 1.30 when they go through the door, and once you recognize it there, you see it enough in the video to see the obvious limitation: you can't run with it (or use it in a helicopter!). Not so obvious on a PC screen, but view it any bigger and the hunting becomes very obvious IMO.

I noticed that too, you will not see that much hunting on a 15K steadicam rig.

Sorry, I don't know video but am looking to start experimenting with it. Would you mind elaborating to a noobie on what hunting is? Thanks!

Its where it is trying to reach a point but going past it, then doing the same the other way. It results in the camera ending up vibrating around its required target point rather than ever reaching it. You will see it most when they go through the door, and when they are shooting from the heli.

When Kubrick used the Steadicam in The Shining, that was revolutionary :-)

game changer. unreal. unbelievable. and it costs just a little bit more than an entry level steadycam. 15 grands and you no longer need to set up heavy and time consuming dolly tracks, nor steadycam or whatsoever.. whoa. amazing.

I wonder if you can hook it up to a vest? After a long day of shooting wouldn't that get heavy?

I cannot believe that no one has come up with a similar rig to this, I am very interested however the 7,000 dollar price is to much. I have been looking helicopter rigs to support my FS100

This is cinestar's rig with a handle, it's been around for ages, they've just figured out a new use for it.

For your heli problem, if you've got a 600+, go photoshipone. about 2g's for a decent setup.

will the sony nex fs700 fit on the smaller one?

Just wait few weeks for Chinese to build a copy at $400

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