STeadicam Volt (4)

Thanks to modern-day rectangles of doom, everyone has a camera in their pocket that can capture life in the highest of definitions. Shooting video is easier than ever before, with many a budding director using smartphones to create movie magic. Recording video is easy. Doing so with steady hands? That’s another matter entirely.

While Sony, Apple and Samsung might have devices that do a damn good job at stabilising your upcoming cinematic masterpiece, there’ll always be that wobble in the end result. If you’re going to get serious, then you need to fork out some equally-serious cash to keep your camera from bouncing around like a coffee addict after 9AM.

To that effect, filmmakers have plenty of kit to choose from, with the DJI Osmo being a particularly popular device for anyone on the go. Plop a phone in, hope you charged your battery and off you go. That premium experience does come at a hefty price however, usually demanding an easy $300 on the market. What about the filmmaker on a budget?

STeadicam Volt (5)

What options are there for someone who wants to balance affordability with quality? Tiffen’s Steadicam Volt is aiming to be that option. On paper, it should be a perfect marriage of ideas: The pedigree of the company that pioneered the use of steadicam rigs in movies such as the Shining, Raging Bull and Return of the Jedi, condensing their expertise into a compact device for smartphones. A match made in heaven you’d say.

Which the Steadicam Volt truly is…some of the time.

Full disclosure: When Tiffen hit Kickstarter, I backed the project. I’m currently obsessed with the idea of using as small a rig as possible to create disposable quality content, and the Steadicam Volt seemed to fit that bill. Several months later, and I had the kit in my hands. So what’s in the box? Open it up and you’ll get the Volt itself, several magnetic weights, a GoPro mount and the charger for its batteries.

STeadicam Volt (3)

Weight-wise, the Steadicam Volt feels light as a feather, although operating it for close to an hour is still an easy isometric exercise. The Volt itself boasts a construction of lightweight plastics and metals, that may feel like a cheap production at first. I’m going to hazard a guess that every single gram saved in its construction matters, as balance is the name of the game with steadicams.

So how’s the setup then? Balancing a phone on the Volt is easy enough, as practice makes perfect and you’ll soon work out which alignment and weights suit your particular phone perfectly. The first time is always the hardest, but once you’ve nailed the setup you’re good to go. The key selling point of the Volt though, is that it’s both a traditional and mechanical Steadicam, one that uses the inertia of your movement with its onboard gyroscopic motor to get the smoothest of shots.

And it does! The caveat here, is that the Steadicam Volt is a situational device. Going up a rough hill for a walk resulted in a surprisingly balanced experience:

While walking around the yard or inside the house also kept the camera stable. Where the Volt falls apart however, is that it’s entirely inoperable when the slightest gust of wind blows in. Any smartphone equipped (I used both a Samsung S7 and a Huawei P9 for testing) becomes a glorified sail, causing the device to spin and ruin the equilibrium of your shot.

The other key strength of the Volt is also its greatest weakness: Panning. Unlike other mobile steadicams, the Volt is capable of lightning-quick spins and pans, able to maintain its balance without any sense of lag whatsoever. It’s great, and when done properly it results in fantastic videos. It also means that you need to maintain a constant thumb on the gimbal or have your free hand ready at a moment’s notice, as the Volt is prone to spinning around on its own when your walking momentum starts bumping it around.

That’s not entirely unheard of, but it does make the device something that requires more finesse, more practice to master. And that’s fine, but it’s not exactly beginner-friendly is it? The Volt is also best left in its default Sports mode, as flicking to Cinematic mode requires even finer control. Fine if you’re a professional, less so if you’re an amateur.

The sad truth is, is that the Steadicam Volt isn’t a true three-axis stabiliser, as its horizontal balance is more temperamental than the Hulk after stepping on a piece of LEGO. There’s a definite flaw here, that no amount of balancing could sort out for long. Will you get a steady shot? Yes, but something will always be off, as if the internal gyroscopic motors were incapable of properly calibrating themselves.

STeadicam Volt (2)

I’m disappointed with the Steadicam Volt. When it works, it’s fun. But those moments are fleeting and the gremlins within the flawed design of this device are a bit too bothersome to ignore.

Last Updated: October 3, 2017

I’ve got no doubt that the Steadicam Volt will do most of what it’s advertised of being capable of. What you won’t see in the fine print, is that the perfect shot requires a perfect day within which to operate at maximum efficiency. It’s not an all-rounder capable of any situation, has some glaring design flaws and requires optimal conditions to get the best possible shots produced.
5.0

13 Comments

  1. Keep the gimble, can I have that buggy instead?

    You mentioned film maker on a budget, so what exactly is that budget?
    The osmo is smaller, less obnoxious, more reliable(once you figure out the quirks) and stabler, but without a comparative price, the osmo is simply better.
    And you dont look like you’re walking around with Ricks portal gun or constantly scanning for minerals or jigglypuffs.

    Reply

    • Original Heretic

      October 3, 2017 at 16:27

      Who DOESN”T want to look like they’re walking around with Rick’s portal gun?!?

      Reply

    • The D

      October 3, 2017 at 17:52

      Nobody gets my buggy. NOBODY. Tire tracks over your torso are complimentary however.

      As for budget: I’m approaching this from the idea that everyone interested already has a decent piece of kit in their pocket, whether it be a smartphone or a tablet.

      The primary tool then is a decent rig, which can be bought online for let’s say a rough estimate of R500 and used in conjunction with most modern image stabilisation software available on a phone. Let’s chuck in a cheap light and mic to go with that rig, and ideally you should be able to house your camera for around R2000 at most I’d reckon.

      Although that’s just to get started. Personally, I’m aiming to have a LG V30 for future vlogging, with a rig to house it in and accessories.

      Reply

      • Matthew Holliday

        October 4, 2017 at 11:12

        That R500 estimate is the deal maker then.
        Compared to the osmo its a steal.

        Also, if I had a buggy like that, Id be equally attached to it.
        My need for a buggy in my life has increased tenfold since watching that Grand Tour skeleton cost buggy trip.

        Reply

  2. Gavin Mannion

    October 3, 2017 at 16:38

    oh crap sorry D, I know how excited you were for this to arrive 🙁

    Reply

    • The D

      October 3, 2017 at 17:53

      Don’t lie, you get to delight in my misery for once.

      Reply

  3. Steve Wagner

    October 5, 2017 at 12:45

    It’s not a self-driving car like the other gimbals, easy to over-control it. In the buggy footage: Used too much of a firm hand to frame it– That’s why horizon bounces around. It’s still a Steadicam. So you only give it lightest possible touch second by second to frame as needed. Learned skill. Try some subtle moving shots planned around a rehearsed camera path. This is what Steadicam Ops do to hone skills

    Reply

    • Steve Wagner

      October 5, 2017 at 13:08

      Yet the buggy footage is good in that there is life and excitement in the framing. It looks like really well done handheld shooting. The emotions of the operator translate to the frame — it’s clear the buggy is bouncing along wildly. That feel harder to do with the ‘follow the handle’ type gimbal.

      Reply

    • The D

      October 6, 2017 at 10:37

      Thanks for the tips! I’ll definitely give them a go. I’m still torn over the Volt, but I want to make it work. And as you said, it does require practice.

      Reply

      • Steve Wagner

        October 8, 2017 at 13:27

        Thanks D. I believe your patience will be rewarded. Look forward to seeing some follow-up shots as you spend some more hands-on time with the Volt

        Reply

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