Put a Glide in your hand-held shots

Glidecam has re-engineered its HD-Series of hand-held camera stabilizers to offer "advanced features and a degree of sophistication never before seen" with this type of stabilizer.

There are three lightweight models: the HD-1000, HD-2000 and HD-4000. Each has an offset, foam-cushioned handle grip that is attached to a free-floating, three-axis gimbal. This allows your hand to move up and down, and side-to-side, without affecting the camera. This up and down movement alleviates the bouncing, pogo type action seen on systems where the handle cannot move up and down. Coupled with the overall higher inertia of the HD-Series, this is claimed to produce "superior stabilization" when compared with its competition.

By varying the amount of counter weights on the base platform, or by changing the length of the no-tools telescoping central post, users can adjust the camera's vertical balance, allowing the camera to float.

The proprietary Dynamic Base Platform can expand or contract, to allow users to easily adjust the system's dynamic balance or to increase or decrease its rotational pan inertia.

The $399 HD-1000 extends from 30cm to 40cm, weighs less than 1kg (without counter weight plates), and can carry cameras up to 1.4kg. The $499 HD-2000 extends from 37.5-55cm, weighs just over 1kg (plus counter weights), and can carry compact, low profile cameras weighing from 900g to 2.7kg. The $599 HD-4000 extends from 50-70cm, weighs about 1.5kg, and can carry compact, and full size cameras weighing from 1.8kg to 4.5kg.

By David Fox