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The Steady Tracker Xtreme passed the walking test, but how would it do during a run? Very well. Once you get up to speed, the shots are very smooth, with very little shake. I was even able to run and pan the camera at the same time. I did notice that my shots were even smoother when I turned OFF the image stabilization feature of the PD-150.
One of the things I like most about the Steady Tracker Xtreme is that it gives you total freedom to move in any direction, over anything obstacle, and capture shots from a variety of angles. The clip below shows what happens as I walk quickly past a group of flowers. In the clip I am walking forward, target the flowers with the camera and then as I pass, I begin walking backwards. The motion is very smooth and it is nearly impossible to tell that I had changed directions. Want another surprise? Halfway through the move, I switched the Steady Tracker from my right hand to my left. [an error occurred while processing this directive]
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| Click image to view Steady Tracker Xtreme in action |
After 15 minutes of working with the Steady Tracker Xtreme, you’ll be capturing many of the shots you’ve always dreamed of.
Extras
By itself, the Steady Tracker Xtreme will do wonders, but you may want to pick up a few extras.
Unless your camera has an LCD flip out panel, you’ll probably need to mount a monitor on the base of the Steady Tracker Xtreme. This will require you rebalance the unit to maintain fluid movement.
Chest level and higher shots are good, but what happens if you want to follow Fido or Kitty around the house, or just capture killer low angle shots while still being able to move freely around? ProMax sells a Low Mode/Tilt accessory that allows you to invert the unit and still keep the camera upright.
Arm yourself
The biggest drawback to the Steady Tracker Xtreme is not with the device itself, but rather with the user. The total weight of the camera and Steady Tracker Xtreme weighs in at a whopping 10 pounds. While that may not seem like a lot, imagine holding a ten-pound weight from your extended arm for a length of time. It will get heavy. When your arm gets tired the Steady Tracker becomes much more difficult to keep, well...steady. The only solution; work on building up your arm strength.
Summary
Looks can be deceiving, one might expect the Steady Tracker Xtreme to be another one of those devices that are all show with nothing to deliver. After working with the Steady Tracker Xtreme, I can say that it is a product that does deliver and allows you to capture shots that will truly enhance your next video production.
The Steady Tracker Xtreme is designed for cameras up to 8 pounds and costs $299. For more information on the Steady Tracker Xtreme, be sure to visit ProMax at www.promax.com
When not working deep in the labs of the DMN Central Division testing the latest and greatest software/hardware products Stephen Schleicher can be found at the local university teaching a few courses on video and web production. He can be reached at schleicher@mindspring.com. You can also visit him on the web at www.mindspring.com/~schleicher
Source: Digital Media Online, Inc.
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