Oh come on, don’t act so surprised -- someone was bound to make one of these eventually, right? We all know the iPhone 4 takes great 720p HD video, but usually it looks like we were shooting during an earthquake. Now you can shoot video like the pros with the Steadicam Smoothee.
Pixiq is reporting that U.K. gadget website Firebox.com is now selling the Steadicam Smoothee for iPhone 4, a £169.99 ($279 USD) gadget that promises “home movies without the motion sickness” -- although it certainly won’t be fitting inside your pocket with your handset, that’s for sure.
Cinema fans have no doubt heard of the Steadicam, a large camera rig worn by an operator that uses gyroscopes to stabilize footage without the use of a tripod, allowing for greater mobility and much cooler shots. Those costly rigs have been miniaturized over the years for prosumer camcorders, so it was just a matter of time before someone started offering one for the iPhone as well.
“Too many of our home movies have ended up unwatchable thanks to our shaky camera work,” the product description reads. “Whether we’re moving around while we film, or just too flipping giddy to be operating a camera, the final footage so often ends up a jittery mess. That’s where the Steadicam Smoothee for iPhone 4 can help.
“Based on the $60,000 Steadicam rigs used in Hollywood, this professional-looking monoframe lets you capture incredibly smooth video without the collywobbles,” the description continues. “Simply mount your iPhone in the specially-designed frame and start shooting. No practice or training required!”
Firebox.com has left no stone unturned, offering both iPhone 3GS or iPod touch users their own mounts (for an additional £24.49/$40 USD each). Don’t believe it’s possible? A brief demo video on the Firebox website shows how to use the Steadicam Smoothee, although it’s suspiciously short on actual footage shot with the device. To order yours, hit the Firebox website -- it’s in stock and shipping within the U.K. is free.
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