A Steady Cam gives a camera operator the freedom to move while holding the camera stationary.
A Steady Cam, also known as a SteadiCam (R), is a piece of camera equipment used extensively in video and film production. It allows a filmmaker to move while shooting a scene by using a harness attached to a motion stabilizer and camera. An armature, or gimbal, on the device acts as a shock absorber, preventing the operator's body movements from shaking the camera.
Filings
According to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, also known as the USPTO, one of the first patent filings for a Steady Cam type of device was by cinematographer Garrett W. Brown, of Philadelphia, PA, on September 16, 1974. The USPTO granted Brown patent number 4,017,168. Since then the USPTO has awarded Brown five more patents relating to camera stabilization systems.
Previous Patents
Garrett W. Brown, in his first patent application, referenced 54 previous patents relating to his Steady Cam, including ones for a camera supporting harness, a counterbalance for lamps and an antivibration support device for gear mounted on a helicopter. The attorneys representing Brown were from the law firm of Weiser, Stapler and Spivak.
New Developments
The patent application for the Steady Cam details new developments and why the invention was the first of its kind. In his summary, Brown describes how the device's components separate the operator's movements from the camera and make it appear the camera is floating in the air. The application goes on to state that the Steady Cam replaces other, more expensive methods of allowing the camera to move, such as an overhead dolly.
Components
The drawings submitted with the patent application show the three main elements of the Steady Cam: the camera, a remote-view finding system and the camera supporting apparatus. Also detailed in the drawings are all of the separate parts of the invention and how they work together to provide a stabilized mobile platform for a camera.
Uses
The patent application states the Steady Cam can be used for film, video and still photography. It also states the device has military applications, such as using it as a mobile operating stand to point laser weapons. Patents have also been awarded for a smaller version of the Steadicam(r) for use with home video camcorders.
Tags: patent application, also known, camera supporting, first patent, Garrett Brown